The launch on Friday 25th July of the highly anticipated games, Pokémon Ruby and Pokémon Sapphire has already increased Game Boy Advance and Game Boy Advance SP hardware sales by an amazing 50% across Europe.

Since hitting shops across Europe Pokémon Ruby and Pokémon Sapphire have been literally flying off shelves as consumers snap up the games that have been tipped as the 'must have' titles this summer. Retailers across Europe are selling out so quickly that they have already begun reordering copies of the games.

David Gosen, managing director, sales and marketing for Nintendo of Europe comments:

"Pokémon Ruby and Pokémon Sapphire have enjoyed immediate success in America, Japan and now across Europe too."

So last weekend Europe spent �15,000,000 (�25,000,000) on Pokemon games alone.