REDMOND, Wash. -- May 6, 2004 -- You know you're going to spend your whole summer sitting around playing video games anyway, so why not get paid for it? With the worst summer job market for teens since the end of World War II(a), Nintendo is looking to recruit 48 people for the Ultimate Summer Job: showcasing Nintendo video games at music, sporting and lifestyle events in six major markets throughout the summer. In addition to their salary of $100 per day for a three-day workweek, the lucky few who are selected will join one of six Nintendo Street Teams competing for a $40,000 team bonus. One consumer following the teams' activities via http://www.nintendostreetteam.com also will have a chance to win a cash prize of $5,000.
"The video game industry is one of the fastest-growing in the world," says George Harrison, Nintendo of America's senior vice president of marketing and corporate communications. "You can spend your summer learning valuable skills and becoming an expert in video games -- all without wearing a hairnet."
Anyone 18 years of age or older interested in Nintendo's Ultimate Summer Job can get more information, including a casting sheet and requirements, at http://www.nintendostreetteam.com. Eight people will be selected from Atlanta, Chicago, Dallas, Los Angeles, New York and Seattle on July 5. GameStop video game stores in each city will host live auditions at select locations (check Web site as dates and locations are announced). People in those cities also can submit two-minute VHS audition tapes explaining why they would make the best Nintendo Street Team members.
Nintendo Street Team members will spend July 7 and July 8 attending boot camp to learn as much as possible about Nintendo. They will cram information about Nintendo systems, all upcoming Nintendo GameCube(TM) and Game Boy(R) Advance games, company history and how to assemble a Nintendo GameCube while blindfolded (just kidding).
As additional motivation, the six Nintendo Street Teams will compete throughout the summer for the $40,000 ultimate team bonus. Each of the eight winning team members will receive a $5,000 bonus for seven weeks of playing video games. Nintendo will issue teams a new challenge each week and judge them on how well they meet their objectives. The results will be posted online, along with team member bios, diaries, video clips and message boards. People who follow the teams' progress on http://www.nintendostreetteam.com can vote for their favorite and earn the chance to win $5,000.
The worldwide leader and innovator in the creation of interactive entertainment, Nintendo Co., Ltd., of Kyoto, Japan, manufactures and markets hardware and software for its popular home and portable video game systems. Each year, hundreds of all-new titles for the best-selling Game Boy(R) Advance and Nintendo GameCube(TM) systems extend Nintendo's vast game library and continue the tradition of delivering a rich, diverse mix of quality video games for players of all ages. Since the release of its first home video game system in 1983, Nintendo has sold more than 1.8 billion video games globally, creating enduring industry icons such as Mario(TM) and Donkey Kong(R) and launching popular culture franchise phenomena such as Metroid(R), Zelda(TM) and Pokemon(R). A wholly owned subsidiary, Nintendo of America Inc., based in Redmond, Wash., serves as headquarters for Nintendo's operations in the Western Hemisphere.
For more information about Nintendo, visit the company's Web site at http://www.nintendo.com.
(a) According to a study by Northeastern University's Center for Labor Market Studies.
