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To: Kory who wrote (8472)	11/6/1998 8:33:00 AM
From: Andrew C.R. Biddle	Read Replies (1) \| Respond to of 14266

Kory- >>I'm sure that the cultural elite will be happy to see that a high quality program such as "CHIPS 99" made the list this week. ;-)<< About as happy as they were to see the new governor-elect in Minnesota. From WSJ: >> By JIM CARLTON Staff Reporter of THE WALL STREET JOURNAL Retail video-game sales in the U.S. so far this year have jumped 32% from a year earlier on strong demand for new players and titles, according to a new survey. The survey by NPD Group, a market research firm in Port Washington, N.Y., portends a healthy Christmas selling season for the industry. Indeed, NPD projects total sales this year to reach a record $6.3 billion in the U.S., or 24% higher than last year's record total of $5.1 billion. The 1998 survey results were for the period through mid-October. NPD researchers said the market this year, as it was last, continues to be fueled by new games for Sony Corp.'s PlayStation machine and Nintendo Co.'s Nintendo 64. The two Japanese companies dominate the video-game-console industry, with Sony holding a lead over Nintendo, NPD said. "There continues to be very popular software, and the age range of players is broadening," said Ed Roth, president of NPD's Leisure Activities Tracking Services. Mr. Roth added that the primary age range of video-game players in the U.S. used to be between six and 14, but has expanded to include players over 40, on the popularity of the advanced machines by both Sony and Nintendo. So far, those machines have been sold to about 20 million people in the U.S., creating a massive base of customers for the software developers to target. As a result, Mr. Roth said, "the video-game industry is well-positioned for continued growth," and he predicts sales will increase another 10% next year before leveling off. Both Sony and Nintendo are expected to begin a transition to a next generation of machines in the year 2000, and added competition will come from Sega Enterprises Ltd.'s anticipated re-entry into the market. Sega said it will launch a new machine called Dreamcast in the fall of 1999, following the market failure of its Saturn machine. Dreamcast, which will feature a 128-bit processor and a customized version of Microsoft Corp.'s Windows CE operating system, is set to make its debut in Japan Nov. 27. Analysts, though, say Sega will face a tough challenge in unseating either Sony or Nintendo. "I'm not convinced there is room for more than two console platforms," Mr. Roth said.<< Andrew