NINTENDO 64 SELLING FAST EVEN BEFORE LAUNCH
By Adnews Staff
Although Japanese-based Nintendo Co. isn't introducing its 64-bit video game system in Canada until the end of the month, advance orders from consumers are taking off. About 100,000 units are slated for sale in Canada, and already there are pre-orders for the first 50,000 systems. Nintendo 64 was launched in Japan in June. In the first three months, 900,000 units were sold in Japan. In Canada, national print radio and TV advertising will support the launch of the system. It will be created by the Leo Burnett Company of Chicago. Burnett's Toronto office will localize the ads and do the media buy. GCI Communications of Toronto is doing PR. Nintendo 64 uses the same microprocessor that runs powerful Silicon Graphics work stations used to create animation for movies such as The Terminator and Jurassic Park. The system will continue to use game cartridges, which are faster than the CD-ROMs being adopted by other video game makers. Nintendo 64 has been installed in some of the stores across Canada where it will be sold, allowing customers to preview the machine. While competitors have launched 32-bit systems, until now Nintendo has stuck with 8-bit and 16-bit games. The higher the bit number of a machine, the faster it works and the better the graphics.