Game console for kids blasts its way into Europe
Game console for kids blasts its way into Europe
Simon Hayes
NOVEMBER 08, 2005
BRITISH toy sellers have tipped the Australian-developed digiBLAST game console as the "most significant new product entry in Britain's toy market this year" following a deal by its Melbourne developer to sell 200,000 units into Europe this Christmas season.
Product designer Grey Innovation is increasing production of the digiBLAST, a combined games, video and music console it developed this year, because of strong demand in Europe's top toy stores.
The console - which competes with Sony's PlayStation and Nintendo's Game Cube, but is designed for younger children -- will be on the shelves in Britain, Italy, France, Germany, the Netherlands and Spain by Christmas.
The product was developed entirely in Australia, and is manufactured in Thailand.
The unit is designed to play cartridges developed by Grey Innovation, and by third parties.
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Characters signed include SpongeBob SquarePants, Spider Man, X-Men and Yu Gi Oh.
"This occupies a slightly different segment of the market (than PlayStation)," Grey Innovation managing director Jefferson Harcourt said.
"It's cheaper than the Game Boy Advance and it appeals to a slightly younger age group. There was a hole in the market."
Retailed at $US89.95 ($122.75), the Linux-based console will be released later in the US, and there are no plans for an Australian launch.
"Our marketing partner in this deals only with the European toy market," Mr Harcourt said.
"The Europeans are easier to deal with than the Yanks, and we want to generate interest there and then go to the States."
The marketing companies under whose brands the digiBLAST will be sold, British firm Vivid Imaginations, Dutch company Nikko and GP Group, are planning a major television and in-store marketing campaign to support the launch. Vivid, Britain's largest toy wholesaler, expects to sell pound stg. 12 million ($28 million) in digiBLAST consoles, games and accessories despite capacity constraints limiting the number of units it can sell.
Sales of that level would make the device the big hit of the year. DigiBLAST purchasers are expected to buy an average of five games for each console.
"Vivid is investing heavily in the digiBLAST brand because it offers longevity and big volumes for both retailers and ourselves," Vivid Imaginations managing director Paul Weston said.
"Pricing, functionality, styling and software content are all perfectly targeted. "We know the competition is out there but coming in later with a superior product is a distinct advantage in this sector."
Grey Innovations employs 50 staff in Melbourne, and has developed products ranging from Hewlett-Packard calculators to on-board systems in Daimler-Chrysler and Porsche cars. The company's InFusion WiFi internet radio, developed for Melbourne company Torian, debuted at this year's Las Vegas Consumer Electronics Show.
The Australian