Sominex

Well, what a morning!

I went to the loval Gamestop at around 9:40, and they already had a line that was about 25 people long. I was a bit shocked THAT many people were lined up waiting. I drove to the mall and called the EB Games there and they told me their line was "very long".

Well, my 3rd and last stop was FuncoLand. When I arrived there were only 8 people in line. I very much lucked out. The manager (who I know), came out and counted the line every few minutes. He said he had enough for 12 people.

Well, I was golden (thankfully). I felt bad for the people that started to show up. He took us in the store 3 at a time, and I pre-ordered my system.

I felt bad because an elderly woman showed up and they cut the line off right in front of her

After the pre-orders were done, he opened the store for "regular business" and I pre-ordered:

Games

Zelda: Twilight Princess
Red Steel
Marvel Ultimate Alliance
Call of Duty 3


Accessories

Wiimote & Nun Chuck
Classic Controller


I haven't gone this overboard in video games in... welll... never actually.

But I don't HAVE to take all the games, but it's good to know they'll be waiting for me to decide if I want them om release day

It was an interesting morning.



To those who pre-ordered their systems today, Congratulations.

To those who didn't... I feel bad! Sorry guys. GOOD LUCK on release day and I hope you can get one then.

Setzer

I'm still a little dissapointed with Nintendo and their pricing for the console as well as the extra controllers but I gotta play the new Zelda with the Wii mote.

So, I walk into my local EB right at 10:43 and they had 9 spots of the 14 still open. I'm in at #6. Not bad for not being there early.

Sominex

I would say so! Good job!

Josh H

Yeah, you definitely lucked out. The 29th and final person got in line at my GS around 9:15.

PixyJunket

The line at mine capped about 10 minutes after I got there (@ 10:10). *whew*

The Monkees

At both stores I went to they were filled like 15-20 minutes before the store even opened. But, I had nice conversations with the people in front of me before they opened the store (a minute late!)

cerial442

All of the stores around me got 8 systems each. They were sold before the store opened. I asked if they would be getting extra systems at launch and they said they would only be getting the preorders (?).

I'm not camping outside in the cold for a system. I'm going to try to get on on the 19th, if I can't then I'll just get an XBox 360 (I've been wanting one, I was just waiting to get the Wii first).

This is the last time I'm going to worry about preordering something. It is not worth the hassle.

RichC2

Pre-ordering is 99% of the time a waste (useful on extremely rare games, some collector's editions, and some consoles). The Wii included thanks to the immense stock of them (You'll be able to go into just about any Walmart, Target, Best Buy, Base Exchanges, Frys, Costco or Sams and be able to pick one up with no problem. Hell, you could probably count on Sears, Montgomery Wards (if they still exist), and Kmart to get a few apiece as well).

The PS3 was another thing, shortage and long production time with high ebay prices = made it essential. A lot of people are going to have an extra christmas bonus this year.

My Buddy was all stoked when he pre-ordered his Xbox360, knowing he'd get it on day 1. I got mine December 22nd (at Best Buy), he got his March 3rd.

Wii shall see, will be a fun system to have on Thanksgiving with the family.

juanmgonzalez

I'll just walk into a store on release date and pick one up...none of this pre-order crap.

Heck, this strategy worked for me when the Xbox 360 was released...oh wait, I didn't get one of those until December. :-)

Setzer

Yah, I'm not too worried about getting a Wii at launch but I pre-ordered just to make sure. Like you said, you're probably going to be able to walk into Wal-Mart, Best Buy, K-Mart, etc. on Launch day or shortly there after and pick one up - no problem.

cerial442

I wonder if it will be that easy though. Everyone thought it would be real easy to get a preorder due to the amount of systems produced, and the stores were sold out hours before they opened. Amazon sold out of preorders in 5 minutes. It might be 2007 before you can get a Wii.

Josh H

From what I've heard from employees posting on other boards EB/GS are just being VERY cautious with Wii preorders and only took the bare minimum the expect to get in. They really expect to have several extra on launch day, but wanted to be cautious so they could be pretty certain to be able to fill all preorders. Any extra will just be walk up sales.

Also, they didn't sell out hours before opening. From reports most had lines exceeding the presale allotment 30-45 minutes before opening, and some not until after opening.


There's also the matter that the big box stores will no doubt get a much large allotment. Rumor had it that EB/GS is getting 250,000 out of the 1-2 million launch units.

cerial442

When I called one store, the guy told me they sold all of them at 8:00 am.

When I called another Gamestop and asked if they would be getting anymore, the woman told me they would only be getting the preorders.

RichC2

The thing is, EB/Gamestop doesn't get priority over other companies (and if they do now, they shouldn't.) They'll be given as many Wiis as any other franchise/store chain out there. If every other store that isn't pre-ordering gets the same bulk amount of Wiis as EB and Gamestop did, there isn't a chance in hell there'll be a shortage.

It'll be easy to get the system at launch, but after Thanksgiving, it's every man for himself. Though I don't think you'll see it as a hard to find item til mid-december, even though Nintendo plans a multi-million unit restock.

Josh H

Of course it will vary by area.

And don't trust the employees. The first to show up this morning said they'd be taking 14 preorders. The took 29.

Unless you spoke to the store manager, I never put any stock in what they say. And even with the managers I'm generally pretty skeptical, though the one at my local GS seems ok and fairly reliable so far (I hadn't been in their until the past month when I started trading stuff to build up credit for the preorder).

The Monkees

How are they sold out before they open?

Neither of the two stores I went to, they weren't sold out before they opened. They were, however, shortly after they opened.

cerial442

Took money while people were outside and then handed them tickets. Someone on another board said their store did the same thing.

When the 19th comes I'll go and try to find one. If I can good, if I can't oh well. I did cancel my Zelda preorder today though, because if I won't be able to get a system there is no way I'm paying for a game.

I wonder if Gamestop/EB were holding onto systems so they could sell overpriced bundles on the internet.

Josh H

I doubt they took money, they just gave out fliers of the list of game and accesories that could be preordered at mine. Then went through the line and numberd them, and when they got to 29 they sent everyone else that came away as that was all they were taking.

From reports on other boards, a lot of stores did that to save people from waiting and being pissed when they didn't get one.


Took money while people were outside and then handed
I wonder if Gamestop/EB were holding onto systems so they could sell overpriced bundles on the internet.[/QUOTE]

I'm sure they saved a sizable chunk for that purpose.

cerial442

It was the store manager that told me they wouldn't get any more.

But then again she also told me that DQH: Rocket Slime would be impossible to find if I didn't preorder. Yeah.

The one good thing to come out this, I'm offically washing my hands of Gamestop/EB.

cerial442

It could have been done that way, the guy on the phone told me they sold out by 8 am.

Josh H

Ironically, this is the first time I've used a gamestop/eb in a long time, and the trade in experience and the pre-order experience went well for me at this store, so I'll be more likely to pop in everyonce and a while and look for deals on used games etc.

I'd gotten very annoyed with the stores in the last couple of towns I'd lived in, but this one seems ok---for a game store.

Kind of funny as it's probably in the worst area of any of the stores I've frequented.

Talzin

At this point I have not decided on buying a Wii but as there is an EB next to Borders I popped in after picking up a book around noon. It would appear my area either has more than a sufficient number of gaming stores as once I was done looking over the NDS games a worker informed me they had sold through their pre-orders around 11:30.

If I do decide to pickup a Wii it will probably be from Wal-Mart as there was no issue buying a NDSL when it came out. In fact they sold slowly enough for me to return the morning of release and exchange mine for one without dead pixels.

darkside

I was unable to skip work to preorder so I had to pass. I'll decide on the 19th if I want one. I have no doubt there will be plenty on launch day. However, I looked at the list later and was shocked to see the $59.99 price tag on the component cables.

Josh H

I think that was proved false. The official nintendo one is just over $20 in Japan (they just announced the prices over there, 2500 yen IIRC).

tpc

I simply couldn't get out of work to preorder. I'll just hit the local walmart at midnight on the 19th. Not too worried about it. if they don't have one, it's a short hop to the next walmart, and then there are best buys and targets and circuit citys. I have little concern at this point that i'll be playing on the 19th with the rest of you.