August 30^th, 2004 (12:00am) - As Nintendo ships Pikmin 2 to retail outlets, LodgeNet Entertainment Corporation is premiering the game in all hotels it has installed with the GameCube platform. The deployment marks the first time in history that a GameCube title has been introduced to the consumer and lodging markets simultaneously.

"Having set a precedent of concurrent lodging and consumer releases with Nintendo 64 titles, we are proud to continue that tradition with Nintendo GameCube as we premiere Pikmin 2 in hotels the same day Nintendo releases it to stores," said Steven D. Truckenmiller, Senior Vice President, Programming and Content Management for LodgeNet.

"With Pikmin 2 in hotels as well as stores today, we are substantially expanding our promotional base on the critical first day of release, as well as offering future travelers the opportunity to play the game on the road," said Peter Eck, Director, Nintendo Gateway Products.

As one of the lodging industry’s most enduring and successful entertainment partnerships, the LodgeNet/Nintendo relationship has resulted in more than a billion minutes of game time being played in guest rooms over the past 11 years. LodgeNet currently provides more than 900,000 guest rooms with video games through Nintendo GameCube or preceding Nintendo platforms.