Better Late Than Never for N64

Nintendo of America cites NPD Group TRST video game retail data in claiming that sales of the Nintendo 64 are up 8 percent so far in 2000, while sales of the Sony PlayStation have dropped by 32 percent in the same period. This steady increase in sales is partially fueled by the popularity of recent software releases. Games such as Perfect Dark, Pokemon Stadium, and Excitebike 64 have been perched at or near the top of video game sales and rental charts since their respective releases.

The company also points out, once again citing NPD TRST data, that in the month of May the Nintendo 64 dominated the console market, capturing over 62 percent of hardware sales. The PlayStation held a 20.4 percent share, while the Sega Dreamcast captured 17 percent of the market.

Nintendo expects to continue this trend in the US market with high-profile game releases and the introduction of the limited-edition Pikachu N64 this fall.