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The massive UK retail organisation will no longer stock Nintendo's console when initial supplies run out
The Dixons group has confirmed it is to stop stocking Nintendo's GameCube console, after weeks of mounting speculation. The group, which comprises Dixons, Currys, PC World and Link stores, will no longer have the console at retail once initial supplies are exhausted.
This shock information was revealed in a leaked memo from PC World, which states: "Due to the continued poor sales on GameCube we are beginning to take our first steps to clear out the format."
And a spokesperson for Dixons earlier backed this up, telling us: "We can confirm that Dixons is to stop stocking GameCube hardware."
Dixons currently has GameCube on special offer at the ultra-low price of £99 plus one free game (Luigi's Mansion, Eternal Darkness, Disney's Magical Mirror, Wave Race or Pikmin), with all GameCube games going for a song at £25 each as the group tries to clear out stock. Furthermore, buy Pikmin, Burnout, Crazy Taxi and a third-party steering wheel and you'll get a free GameCube.
Nintendo unsurprisingly went into damage-limitation mode earlier today, a statement reading: "Dixons represents a small share of Nintendo's business, and we are continuing to actively trade with them. GameCube is currently available in 4500 stockists across the UK including HMV, Toys R Us, GAME, Virgin Megastore, Argos, and Woolworths."
But as one retail source put it: "The Dixons group is the biggest seller of console hardware in the UK," this move may hurt Nintendo more than it wishes to admit. The Dixons Group's decision has been met with surprise by industry watchers, however, with several believing it to be a rather premature move, with GameCube still relatively early in its life cycle, in theory, and a broad range of big-name titles already announced for 2003.
"Dixons will presumably want to push GBA SP heavily when released, so it seems a little odd for the company to take this stance with Nintendo," one source told us. "But it's potentially great news for other GameCube retailers now that the major player is pulling support."
Potential buyers have several great offers to choose from, and current owners shouldn't worry too much, with exclusive titles like Zelda: The Wind Waker, Metroid Prime and Resident Evil 0 all on the way. But the alarm bells are certainly ringing for Nintendo, as hardware sales continue to fall behind Xbox and PS2 in the UK. All eyes are now on the rest of UK retail, to see if other chains follow Dixons' lead - we'll keep you fully updated.
looks like aother dreamcast to me
The Dixons group has confirmed it is to stop stocking Nintendo's GameCube console, after weeks of mounting speculation. The group, which comprises Dixons, Currys, PC World and Link stores, will no longer have the console at retail once initial supplies are exhausted.
This shock information was revealed in a leaked memo from PC World, which states: "Due to the continued poor sales on GameCube we are beginning to take our first steps to clear out the format."
And a spokesperson for Dixons earlier backed this up, telling us: "We can confirm that Dixons is to stop stocking GameCube hardware."
Dixons currently has GameCube on special offer at the ultra-low price of £99 plus one free game (Luigi's Mansion, Eternal Darkness, Disney's Magical Mirror, Wave Race or Pikmin), with all GameCube games going for a song at £25 each as the group tries to clear out stock. Furthermore, buy Pikmin, Burnout, Crazy Taxi and a third-party steering wheel and you'll get a free GameCube.
Nintendo unsurprisingly went into damage-limitation mode earlier today, a statement reading: "Dixons represents a small share of Nintendo's business, and we are continuing to actively trade with them. GameCube is currently available in 4500 stockists across the UK including HMV, Toys R Us, GAME, Virgin Megastore, Argos, and Woolworths."
But as one retail source put it: "The Dixons group is the biggest seller of console hardware in the UK," this move may hurt Nintendo more than it wishes to admit. The Dixons Group's decision has been met with surprise by industry watchers, however, with several believing it to be a rather premature move, with GameCube still relatively early in its life cycle, in theory, and a broad range of big-name titles already announced for 2003.
"Dixons will presumably want to push GBA SP heavily when released, so it seems a little odd for the company to take this stance with Nintendo," one source told us. "But it's potentially great news for other GameCube retailers now that the major player is pulling support."
Potential buyers have several great offers to choose from, and current owners shouldn't worry too much, with exclusive titles like Zelda: The Wind Waker, Metroid Prime and Resident Evil 0 all on the way. But the alarm bells are certainly ringing for Nintendo, as hardware sales continue to fall behind Xbox and PS2 in the UK. All eyes are now on the rest of UK retail, to see if other chains follow Dixons' lead - we'll keep you fully updated.
looks like aother dreamcast to me
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