Nintendo Officially Enters Turkish Market

Officials from Nintendo have announced that the company is to officially enter the Turkish market, appointing Greek company Nortec Eurasia as its sole importer and distributor in the country. “The Turkish economy is strong and growing, with about 15 percent of the population having enough disposable income to afford our products,” said Jim Merrick, director of marketing at Nintendo of Europe, according to a report by the Turkish Daily News. “We're an entertainment company, and it's a natural evolution to come to this market of young people, where the average age is 27 against numbers closer to 40 in Western Europe.” The move into the market comes just ahead of the launch of Nintendogs in Europe, which will be one of the first major titles to be promoted in Turkey. Speaking at a press conference, Nintendo representatives also took the opportunity to promote the recently unveiled Revolution console, with Merrick specifically referring to a 2006 launch window. The Turkish censorship board had previously restricted the showing of the Pokémon cartoon in the country on the grounds that it was too violent and unsuitable for small children. There is no indication as to whether this will affect future video game products though, with Merrick commenting that he is “unaware” of the ruling. Addressing the issue of rampant piracy in Turkey, Merrick stated: "One reason we're entering the market now is that we're satisfied with steps taken by the Turkish authorities regarding the protection of intellectual property rights." Nortec Eurasia also indicated that it has contracted with the law firm of Turhan & Turhan to chase down retailers selling pirated games. Finally, Nintendo defended the high cost of consoles in Turkey, compared to elsewhere in Europe, by citing high interest rates and taxes, including a special consumption tax of 20 percent for electronic games and consoles, on top of a sales tax of 18 percent. As a result, the Nintendo DS will retail for YTL 349 ($259), compared to €149 ($178) in the rest of continental Europe.