Editing Virtual Boy (section)

===Release===
''[[The New York Times]]'' previewed the Virtual Boy on November 13, 1994.<ref name="NYT Nintendo counts">{{cite news|first=John | last=Markoff|url=https://www.nytimes.com/1994/11/14/business/nintendo-counts-on-a-new-virtual-game.html|title=Nintendo Counts on a New 'Virtual' Game|newspaper=New York Times|page=2|date=November 14, 1994|access-date=August 25, 2020 | url-status=live | archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20180205015527/http://www.nytimes.com/1994/11/14/business/nintendo-counts-on-a-new-virtual-game.html | archive-date=February 5, 2018}}</ref> The console was officially announced via press release the next day, November 14. Nintendo promised that Virtual Boy would "totally immerse players into their own private universe".<ref name="press1">{{cite web |url=http://www.planetvb.com/modules/advertising/?r17 |title=Nintendo introduces video game players to three-dimensional worlds with new virtual reality video game system « Press Releases « Planet Virtual Boy |publisher=Planetvb.com |access-date=November 18, 2013 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20180628124825/https://www.planetvb.com/modules/advertising/?r17 |archive-date=June 28, 2018 |url-status=live }}</ref> Initial press releases and interviews about the system focused on its technological capabilities, avoiding discussion of the actual games that would be released.<ref name="Boyer" /> The system was demonstrated the next day at Nintendo's [[Nintendo Space World#Shoshinkai 1994|Shoshinkai 1994]] [[trade show]].<ref name="Boyer" /> [[Nintendo of America]] showed the Virtual Boy at the [[Consumer Electronics Show]] on January 6, 1995.<ref name="press1" />

Even with cost-saving measures in place, Nintendo priced the Virtual Boy at a relatively high {{USD|179.95|1994|round=-1}}.<ref name="Unraveling the Enigma">{{cite web|url=http://www.fastcompany.com/3050016/unraveling-the-enigma-of-nintendos-virtual-boy-20-years-later|title=Unraveling The Enigma Of Nintendo's Virtual Boy, 20 Years Later|last=Edwards|first=Benj|date=August 21, 2015|work=[[Fast Company]]|url-status=live|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20180707231258/https://www.fastcompany.com/3050016/unraveling-the-enigma-of-nintendos-virtual-boy-20-years-later|archive-date=July 7, 2018|access-date=December 21, 2015}}</ref><ref name="Boyer" /><ref name="Ultimate History of Video Games">{{cite book |last=Kent |first=Steven L. |author-link=Steven L. Kent |title=The Ultimate History of Video Games: The Story Behind the Craze that Touched our Lives and Changed the World |date=2002 |publisher=Random House International |location=New York |isbn=978-0-7615-3643-7 |oclc=59416169 |url=https://books.google.com/books?id=PTrcTeAqeaEC |pages=513–515, 518, 519, 523, 524 |access-date=October 20, 2016 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20170709060608/https://books.google.com/books?id=PTrcTeAqeaEC&printsec=frontcover |archive-date=July 9, 2017 |url-status=live }}</ref>{{rp|513}} Though slightly less expensive and significantly less powerful than a home console, this was considerably more costly than the Game Boy handheld. With seemingly more advanced graphics than Game Boy, the Virtual Boy was not intended to replace the handheld in Nintendo's product line, as use of the Virtual Boy requires a steady surface and completely blocks the player's peripheral vision. ''[[Design News]]'' described the Virtual Boy as the logical evolution of the [[View-Master]] 3D image viewer.<ref>"BreakTime: Virtual Boy Updates the Viewmaster Idea." Design News. 6 (1995): 192.</ref>

The Virtual Boy was released on July 21, 1995, in Japan and on August 14, 1995, in North America<ref name="NYT Intro">{{cite news|title=Introduction by Nintendo|work=New York Times|page=D.7|date=August 22, 1995 |url=https://www.nytimes.com/1995/08/22/business/introduction-by-nintendo.html |access-date=May 24, 2012 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20180707203354/https://www.nytimes.com/1995/08/22/business/introduction-by-nintendo.html |archive-date=July 7, 2018 |url-status=live}}</ref>{{Failed verification|date=February 2023|reason=August 16 does not seem to be present on the page in any way; it contains "introduced Virtual Boy today" and was printed on August 22, 1995.}}<ref name="launchdate">{{cite press release |author=<!--Not stated--> |title=VIRTUAL BOY LAUNCH DATE ANNOUNCED |url=https://www.virtual-boy.com/events/e3-1995/articles/733039/ |location= |publisher=Nintendo of America |agency= |date=May 11, 1995 |access-date=2023-02-15}}</ref> with the [[launch game]]s ''[[Mario's Tennis]]'', ''[[Red Alarm]]'', ''[[Teleroboxer]]'', and ''[[Galactic Pinball]]''.<ref name="LAT">{{cite news|last=Curtiss|first=Aaron|url=https://www.latimes.com/archives/la-xpm-1995-08-31-ca-40702-story.html?_amp=true|title=Valley Weekend; VIDEO GAMES; Virtual Boy a Blend of Familiar and Strange; although Hardware for the Latest Nintendo Offering is Odd and Cumbersome, the Play Action is Big and Loud|work=[[Los Angeles Times]]|page=14|date=August 31, 1995|access-date=May 24, 2012|archive-date=March 8, 2021|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20210308122012/https://www.latimes.com/archives/la-xpm-1995-08-31-ca-40702-story.html?_amp=true|url-status=live}}</ref> It was not released in PAL markets. In North America, Nintendo shipped ''[[Mario's Tennis]]'' with every Virtual Boy sold, as a [[pack-in game]].<ref>{{cite web |url=https://www.flickr.com/photos/dionisio/2833237521/sizes/o/in/photostream/ |title=Virtual Boy 'Third Dimension' Ad (1995)|publisher=Flickr |access-date=November 18, 2013 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20150904094440/https://www.flickr.com/photos/dionisio/2833237521/sizes/o/in/photostream/ |archive-date=September 4, 2015 |url-status=live }}</ref> Nintendo had initially projected sales of three million consoles and 14 million games.<ref name="press1" /> The system arrived later than other 32-bit systems like [[PlayStation (console)|PlayStation]], [[3DO Interactive Multiplayer|3DO]], and [[Sega Saturn|Saturn]], but at a lower price.<ref name="Guardian Super Mario" />

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At the system's release, Nintendo of America projected hardware sales of 1.5 million units and software sales numbering 2.5 million by the end of the year.<ref name="NYT Intro"/><ref name="WSJ">{{cite news|id={{ProQuest|398447594}} |title=Nintendo co.: U.S. unit begins shipping virtual boy video system|date=August 22, 1995|work=Wall Street Journal|page=B10-B10}}</ref> Nintendo had shipped 350,000 units of the Virtual Boy by December 1995, around three and a half months after its North American release.<ref name="Ty">{{cite news|author=Ahmad-Taylor, Ty|url=https://www.nytimes.com/1995/12/04/business/behind-the-scenesa-crowded-field-portable-video-games.html|title=A Crowded Field: Portable Video Games|work=New York Times|page=D5|date=December 4, 1995|access-date=May 24, 2012|archive-date=March 8, 2021|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20210308142324/https://www.nytimes.com/1995/12/04/business/behind-the-scenesa-crowded-field-portable-video-games.html|url-status=live}}</ref> The system is number 5 on ''[[GamePro]]''{{'}}s "Top 10 Worst Selling Consoles of All Time" list in 2007.<ref name="gamepro">{{cite web |url=http://www.gamepro.com/gamepro/domestic/games/features/111823.shtml |title=The 10 Worst-Selling Consoles of All Time |access-date=November 25, 2007 |first=Blake | last=Snow |publisher=[[GamePro]]|date=May 4, 2007|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20070508035815/http://www.gamepro.com/gamepro/domestic/games/features/111823.shtml |archive-date=May 8, 2007}}</ref>

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The Virtual Boy had a short market timespan following its disappointing sales. The last game officially released for the Virtual Boy was ''[[3D Tetris]]'', released on March 22, 1996.<ref>{{cite web|title=''"3-D" Tetris'' for VBOY |website=[[GameSpot]]|access-date=January 21, 2009 |url=http://www.gamespot.com/virtualboy/puzzle/3dtetris/index.html| url-status=dead |archive-url= https://web.archive.org/web/20130204134955/http://www.gamespot.com/virtualboy/puzzle/3dtetris/index.html |archive-date=February 4, 2013}}</ref> More games were announced for the system at the [[Electronic Entertainment Expo]] in May 1996, but these games were never released.<ref name="Boyer" /> The Virtual Boy was discontinued on December 22, 1995, in Japan and August 1996 in North America without any announcement.<ref name="Boyer" /><ref name="gamepro"/><ref>{{Cite web |last=Edwards |first=Benj |date=August 21, 2015 |title=Unraveling The Enigma Of Nintendo's Virtual Boy, 20 Years Later |url=https://www.fastcompany.com/3050016/unraveling-the-enigma-of-nintendos-virtual-boy-20-years-later |access-date=February 19, 2023 |website=Fast Company |archive-date=February 20, 2023 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20230220044534/https://www.fastcompany.com/3050016/unraveling-the-enigma-of-nintendos-virtual-boy-20-years-later |url-status=live }}</ref> In June 1996, Nintendo reported to ''[[Famitsu]]'' worldwide sales of 770,000 Virtual Boy units, including 140,000 in Japan.<ref name="Famitsu Express"/> ''[[Next Generation (magazine)|Next Generation]]'' reported that 13,000 Virtual Boy units were sold in December 1996.<ref name="Life in the Old Dogs Yet">{{cite magazine | title=Life in the Old Dogs Yet? | magazine=[[Next Generation (magazine)|Next Generation]] | url=http://www.next-generation.com:80/news/020697c.chtml | url-status=dead | archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/19970606032050/http://www.next-generation.com/news/020697c.chtml | archive-date=June 6, 1997 | access-date=June 27, 2018}}</ref>