Leading Japanese game maker Nintendo said yesterday it would unveil long-awaited details on August 24th of two key next-generation game machines due for launch late this year and early next year.
The Kyoto-based company plans to launch the 128-bit videogame machine, code-named Dolphin, in 2001, a delay from its original target of late this year.
Investors and analysts are eager for specifics on Dolphin following the recent launch of rival next-generation consoles: Sony Corp's PlayStation2 released on March 4th and Sega Enterprises' Dreamcast which hit Japanese stores in late 1999.
Nintendo will unveil the Gameboy Advance, a new version of the hand-held game player, which will feature a 32-bit processing unit and telecommunications functions.
The originally scheduled summer launch of the machine was delayed until late this year due to tight supplies of components.
Details of Mobile System GB, a device connecting Gameboys to mobile phones, will be disclosed at the news conference, scheduled ahead of the Nintendo Spaceworld 2000 exhibition for fans, a Nintendo spokesman said.
The new Nintendo products are expected to mark the start of a full-blown battle in the highly competitive games industry, with US software giant Microsoft Corp scheduled to join the fray later in 2001 with its X-box console.
Nintendo's shares have held steady within a 15,000 to 20,000 yen range for most of the year, excluding a short-lived spike upward in February in line with other technology-related shares. Nintendo on Wednesday ended at 18,350 yen, down 0.81 per cent (or 150 yen) from the previous session.
