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[daMandus]

Nokia ships one million N-Gage game decks


September 1, 2004 -- Nokia today announced that it has shipped its one millionth game deck globally since the sales of the N-Gage platform started eleven months ago. The sale of one million N-Gage and N-Gage QD game decks marks a significant milestone in the world of portable gaming, placing the N-Gage platform at the forefront of the mobile gaming world. Combining a pocketable gaming platform with powerful smartphone features, the N-Gage gives gamers a chance to experience mobile multiplayer gaming in a revolutionary way.

"We're proud to have reached the one million milestone. Thanks to the enthusiastic consumer response to the N-Gage QD and our latest titles, we're confident that our success in leading the mobile gaming world will continue," said Ilkka Raiskinen, Nokia's Senior Vice President of Games. "We're also proud to have signed up over 100,000 N-Gage Arena members, which shows that gamers are inspired to connect and compete with other mobile gamers from around the world."

The N-Gage Arena is the worldwide mobile gamer community where members can communicate with each other, compete against gamers across the globe, and enjoy exclusive content, events and activities. Members can connect to the N-Gage Arena via their game deck, Arena-enabled game or the Internet.

"The N-Gage Arena offers us an opportunity to create innovative new gameplay features for EA franchises like The Sims or Tiger Woods PGA Tour," said Nancy Smith, Executive Vice President, General Manager, North America Publishing at Electronic Arts. "In reaching the one million milestone, we see that the N-Gage is establishing itself as a serious player in the portable gaming business."

With a growing portfolio of exciting games, the N-Gage offers consumers the possibility to play exclusive N-Gage only games as well as some of their favorite brands from publishers like Activision, Electronic Arts, Gameloft and THQ. The 2004 holiday season will see the N-Gage portfolio expand even further, with eagerly anticipated games such as Pathway to Glory, Pocket Kingdom: Own the World, FIFA 2005 and others.

 

[u_neek]

Haha, shipped...

2000 sold?! 1000?

 

[Broshnat]

Wooooo hooooo !!

 

[sprsk]

Ive been working at gamestop for about 2 months now.

i havent sold a single ngage game system or accessory.

 

[Suikoguy]

Ive been working at gamestop for about 2 months now.

i havent sold a single ngage game system or accessory.

Sounds familar, we sold last week ONE used N-Gauge which was a display system that Nokia gave the company (i'm sure the Nokia money hats are very big)

Since we got the new model, we have yet to sell a single new n-guage. Of course the hurricane might have had something to do with that, but last Saturday/Sunday were very busy, and still no N-Guage sales

 

[FitzOfRage]

we're confident that our success in leading the mobile gaming world will continue

Surely he means "continue to elude us"

 

[Deg]

In the UK some retailers refused to stock the new N-Gage due to unsold inventory of the first. Still didnt stop many from getting more stock...

 

[Keio]

Somebody should investigate: where are those 1 million N-Gages Shipped to be buried in a desert?

 

[Ghost]

Well N-Gage or not, mobile gaming has been a sucess for Nokia, America seems pretty behind in the mobile sector. Nokia is virtually a religion in Europe, i wouldnt be supprised if most of these million units are in mainland europe somewhere.

 

[Vormund]

Probably used as doorstops.

 

[u_neek]

Nokia is virtually a religion in Europe, i wouldnt be supprised if most of these million units are in mainland europe somewhere.

yeah, and used as phones and NOTHING else..

Videophones haven't even reached America yet have they?

 

[evilromero]

It's clear that Nokia's superior press conference at E3 2002 put them on the map. We should all just give in to our temptations and buy the QD with a copy of the Sims: Bustin' Out.

 

[Deg]

Well N-Gage or not, mobile gaming has been a sucess for Nokia

Are you high? lol

 

[clipunderground]

BAHAHAHA!!!

Does anyone here actually own one of these things?

 

[xsarien]

Well N-Gage or not, mobile gaming has been a sucess for Nokia, America seems pretty behind in the mobile sector. Nokia is virtually a religion in Europe, i wouldnt be supprised if most of these million units are in mainland europe somewhere.

We have "mobile gaming" here too, we just do it on our Game Boys.

 

[Chittagong]

http://money.cnn.com/2004/09/01/technology/nokia.reut/

"With our first device we were pretty much missing the U.S. market, but now the initial feedback from the operators as well as from the consumers and other stakeholders (on the new phone) has been promising," Raiskinen told Reuters in an interview.

"We have all the reasons to be confident that the 2 million mark will be reached much sooner than during the next 10 months," he said by telephone.

Raiskinen indicated that after making some big changes to the first N-Gage, including putting a game slot on the phone's side and removing its MP3 player, Nokia was comfortable with the look of N-Gage QD and keen to focus on the games offering.

He said that the firm had looked into other possible changes such as adding a larger screen, but that would entail an upgrade of the processor and battery and raise the phone's price.

"You can draw the conclusion that we have been discussing these kinds of possibilities ... building another terminal with these kinds of features is fairly easy," he said.

But Nokia decided to invest resources into a strong catalog of software titles and online activities, he said.

Nokia has some 25 games out now from the likes of Electronic Arts and "Lara Croft" creators Eidos, and has launched home-made titles like "Pathway to Glory." It has announced over 50 titles in total.

Raiskinen said the initial feedback for "Pathway" was good, with over 20,000 demo versions downloaded from the Internet in only a few days last month.

He also said Nokia would focus on growing the N-Gage business more through partnerships than via acquisitions.

"We're not ruling out any sort of possibility to speed up this development (by acquisitions), but as a rule it's more important to build the business with the operators and the publishers," he said.

 

[Cerebral Palsy]

Nokia ships one million N-Gage game decks. One N-Gage game deck sold.

 

[MightyHedgehog]

I wonder if there's room next to all of those buried E.T. cartridges in New Mexico?