Nintendo releases the GameCube in Europe
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3rd May 2002 The Nintendo GameCube is the fourth games console developed by Nintendo. It is the successor to the Nintendo 64. Nintendo launched the GameCube in Japan on the 14th September 2001, then North America on the 18th November 2001, and Europe on the 3rd May 2002. The GameCube was a modest success in the US, and only slightly more successful in Japan. Nintendo was now up against the marketing might of not just Sony, but Microsoft as well. The GameCube was easier to programme compared to the Nintendo 64, and developers were impressed with how easily titles could be produced. This led to 20 games being available at launch. Launch games included contributions from Nintendo's old rivals Sega, who produced Super Monkey Ball and Sonic Adventure 2 for the machine. Nintendo themselves surprisingly had no Mario title ready at launch, instead it was left to Luigi to fly the flag with Luigi's Mansion. The Microsoft Xbox had its European release in March 2002, and had done reasonably well, thanks to its console online service Xbox Live and the popularity of Halo. Nintendo undercut the new challenger by a full £170, launching the GameCube for just £129.99, the cheapest console by some margin ever released. Microsoft's lead was wiped out in the first weekend. Sadly for Nintendo though, they could not compete with the marketing budgets of Sony and Microsoft, and their exclusive deals with publishers. By the end of 2002, GameCube sales had fallen behind those of the Xbox and PS2.
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