Toys R Us pre-orders begin 10/29, Wii Pre-orders 10/13 at EB/GS are done

[daroga]

Why does the Gamestop Wii preorder e-mail say that the Wii will have "extremely limited supplies"?

The only thing I can think of is that Gamestop will have a smaller percentage of Wii's than the big box stores....but then again that's kinda dumb because the Wii kiosks are Gamestop exclusive...what's going on?
The GS-only kiosk thing was debunked by NoA.

But I do think you're right that the Walmarts, BBs, etc. are going to get more Wiis as it would fit more into Nintendo's strategy. And I bet, unlike the 360 (and PS3?) that EB and GS will get regular shipments. You may not get one on Sunday but maybe by Thursday or Friday.

[jezebelseven]

Got to my EB at around 8:40. There were about 10-11 people in line, some had been there since 6am (And if I understood right they worked there as well but wanted their wiiiiiis). I made friends with two guys who were in front of me-- one went back to his car for a minute and decided to get in the end of the line after, putting him at what would eventually be the 9th person actually in line to buy a wii. I don't know why he didn't grab his spot back, and I'm certain he's regretting it now.

Around 9:50 the line was easily 25 people deep (mostly consisting of people who had been made to stand there for their kids), the manager came out with 8 sheets of paper, informing us they had a mere 8 preorders available. Cue angry people in the back of the line saying 'BUT YOU TOLD US YOU'D HAVE 30 ON THE INTERNETS !!!ONEONE'. They'd been telling each other that all morning but I kept telling them whoever told them that was wrong, blah, blah.

At that point I was fairly sure I was 9th in line, but it ended up a few people in front of me were just there for friends, so I actually got the 7th paper. I felt really bad for everyone else, especially the one guy who decided to get in the end of the line. :/

Traded in 3 games, preordered my wiiiiiii, preordered super swing golf and trauma center.

[leapfrogX]

Holy moly, I got to the first EB in town at 5am, place was already camped by 15 people that were there since 8pm-midnight. Went to the second and was the only one, until about 50-60 people showed up, and here's the kicker...

They had EIGHT available preorders.

^ Yikes, and apparantly that wasn't uncommon. Craziness.

[trunks982]

so i if i trade in 3 games, i'll get extra $10 and 20% towards the wii reservation?

[Zen Davis]

I'm going to the Nintendo World Store today and getting a pre-order! I'm going to meet Reggie!!!! ^_^

[leapfrogX]

I'm going to the Nintendo World Store today and getting a pre-order! I'm going to meet Reggie!!!! ^_^

Neat! Let us know how it goes!

[leapfrogX]

The opening up early is just total bullshit.

NOTE TO MAKE PEOPLE NOT HATE EB/GS FOR OPENING EARLY.

If they sold out at 9, then the line at 9 already had all the people to fill up the preorders. So if you got at there at 9:30, what difference would it make if they opened at 10 and made those people in line stand out longer in the cold? The exact same people would get the preorders.

[hack]

Holy moly, I got to the first EB in town at 5am, place was already camped by 15 people that were there since 8pm-midnight. Went to the second and was the only one, until about 50-60 people showed up, and here's the kicker...

They had EIGHT available preorders.

^ Yikes, and apparantly that wasn't uncommon. Craziness.

8 units for 50-60 people. Holy crap. That is amazingly horrible.

[jollydwarf]

The Early Nerd Gets the Wiirm.

Woke up, fell out of bed, dragged a comb across my head (and showered) at about 6:30 A.M. Was out of the house by 6:50. Stopped at a gas station, got coffee and a pack of Donut Gems, went up the street to my Gamestop. Seven at seven. As in, seven people already in line. That made me Number 8, which meant I got the last spot. Great. However, two people were waiting with someone, so I was actually Number 6.

About an hour passed before Numbers 7 and 8 showed up together. As the sun came up, it actually seemed to get colder (already literally freezing) as the wind started kicking up. Much random conversation was made, and no one else was showing up.

Surprisingly, at 8:15-8:30, the store manager shows up. Gets a head count and takes a mental picture of everyone there. Goes inside. Tells us that indeed everyone in line is set for a Wii, as whatever the employees are allotted is not factored into the eight. This sets Numbers 7 and 8 (and me, actually) a little more at ease.

Around 9, the first S.O.L. types appear. Luckily, everyone seems to gracefully accept that they're too late. We recommend other stores a mere two-minute drive away. They leave. But a funny thing happens. People start sporadically showing up just before 10, and the later they arrive, the more quietly pissed they seem about it.

Right after the store opens and we form our two preorder lines, at least five guys waltz in, assuming that they can get a Wii preorder, not thinking that "Hey, maybe there's a reason only eight other people are here before me!" Granted, maybe someone just got off their work shift or bolted over from an early college class, but HOW MANY TIMES WILL PEOPLE THINK THEY CAN WALTZ IN AND GET THEIR CONSOLE (preorder here) WITHOUT THE WAIT?? Sure, they probably assumed the store was getting 20 or more Wii, but why do people continue to arrogantly and naively press their luck?

I waited under three hours in the cold, and it was well worth it. So to those that are 'above' waiting, good luck, well, waiting until February when you don't have to, you know, wait. Idiots.

EDIT: Put deposits on the console, Twilight Princess, a Virtual Console controller, and a '2,000 Points' card. They were offering a $30 one-year extended warranty, but hey, it's Nintendo.

[Snake2715]

Wow we have a total of 7 Eb and gamestops within 10 mile radius or so here. I jetted at 9:30 to get to one and they had already opened and were sold out. 5 people took off for the last store that had them available still.

After a backtrack I hit the highway across town and am 6 on the list of 10.

All is well now. Amazon and Eb both secured I should be good to go. I find it hard to believe that Wii is going to be sold out this season but who knows.

[ckendal]

I got to one of the many local EB's this morning around 7:15am and there were already 7 people in front of me. 4 of them had been there all night since 8pm. I was #8 and my store was taking 32 preorders (28 if you count employees). I paid in FULL and am happy that I should get one on Launch Day! Long live the Wii!!!

[Doom5]

Waited 13 hours here in Poughkeepsie, NY with two friends. By 10am, there was 30 people in line. The employee let two of his friends in to pre-order the system ahead of everyone, which was bullshit. So of 14 that were supposed to go to customers, only 12 went to them. I had made a list of everyone's order in line to keep everything calm, which worked well; but, the clerk didn't tell all the people still waiting in line that they weren't going to get one. I bolted out of there as soon as I did my preorder; I didn't want to see the ensuing madness...

[Strell]

I have come to tell my story, now once said in another thread:

Before this morning, my answer would have been emphatically "yes," solid and unshaken.

But after the surreality I just experienced, I'm going on the fence, if not completely upon the other side.

As I rounded the corner to the Gamestop in the mall amongst roving bands of old people walking laps, there stood before me no less than 15 college age men, running the gamut from supreme game and anime nerd to casual Apple demographic metrosexual to, oddly enough, one guy sitting down holding a PSP of all things.

Instantly they all - pack-like - rose their eyes and pinpointed me, with ancestral, instinctual bloodlust. For I was the new prey.

Loudly, and without hesitation, one of their kind asked in a tongue known to only Nintendo fans - Eeii glok ku ler Wii? - which, if you are a Nintendo fan, translates in our broken English to roughly "Wii get?"

Knowing the history of the clans and their ancient ways, I replied with Aont me laa Wii, which our pathetic language can only directly transcribe as "Indeed, Wii get."

Their faces took a strange turn at this point, showing a common and shared motive. For they knew, based upon my mastery of the Nintendish, that my efforts would be in vain.

Ok ku laa Gamestoppu fren ti laa lu.

Immortal words resonating still, "13 Wiis get, now captured."

I was informed further, with the aid of blood rituals, that my arrival was nary a few hours late, and that several of the hunters had been in place since "chosh modash," meaning "big dark," a phrase we Englishians commonly call "10 PM."

We passed around a ceremonial feast of our enemies - melted PSP units and old XBL head sets - in commiseration with the help of a small fire, and compelted the great Iwataton in reverence to the great Reg A'Ih.

One of them noticed I had carried in a Chuck Klosterman book, provided to props give (Gungstamosh), and informed me that Sex, Lies, and Cocoa Puffs was a personal recommendation.

I remarked that "I expected this out of the PS3, but not for this." This incited much hearty laughter and speak of "tanking" and "Sony" and "bad."

I warded around with my brethren for a few more minutes, accepted my defeat, and left upon the back of a great wildebeast, which I had spotted in its natural habitat of Victoria's Secret. Her name was Cheryl, and as a beast of burden, she was no disappointment.

In short, after this morning, and learning that 16 people were at GS where only 13 units were available, that those people had been turning down newcomers since 4 AM, that another 5-6 people came and left dejected while I stood around, I have strong reason to believe that this is a little larger than I've given it credit for.

I have already informed my girlfriend that I will now, officially, be indisposed of the higest order come November 19, and have built a rather elaborate buffer of the 17-20, such that come that eventful night, my actions have been spoken for and will not be questioned or challenged.

This is due in no small part to the fact that I feel the anticipation for the Wii - which I had already seen appealing to several young men, none of whom were afraid to announce the name across a mall's interior - is greater than I originally perceived.

-Stardate 10.13.06, Captain Strell of the USS Enterprise

[Nirvanaguy777]

I plan to head over to the mall (which holds 2 ebgames and 1 gamestop) around 2 today...I have a feeling I'm not getting a reserve.

[jkam]

Got to mine at 7am and was the first person there...I decided to stay warm as long as possible so I was 3rd in line. Employee came around 9 and tells us there are only 6 pre-orders. Got mine. A lot of people seemed to show up as the store was opening and they were turning them all away. A lady in line told me they only did 4 PS3 pre-orders and there were about 35 people waiting. Got the system and the classic controller and I already pre-ordered Zelda so I should be set. Wii!!!

[mofo1115]

I got to my EB at around 8:05 and was the 12th in line. Some guy was on a lawn chair and talking about how he hears they're getting a lot, minimum of 13 or 16 or something like that. Since he was in the middle of the sidewalk, he decides to move to the back of the line and sit in a spot not in the way. (which made him 13 because another guy came)

Manager came out and handed out 11 sheets of paper. I was lucky because I was pushed to the 11th position because the guy went to the back of the line. Boy he must be pissed off lol

Hooray for me.

[hardwo0d]

I have come to tell my story, now once said in another thread:

Before this morning, my answer would have been emphatically "yes," solid and unshaken.

But after the surreality I just experienced, I'm going on the fence, if not completely upon the other side.

As I rounded the corner to the Gamestop in the mall amongst roving bands of old people walking laps, there stood before me no less than 15 college age men, running the gamut from supreme game and anime nerd to casual Apple demographic metrosexual to, oddly enough, one guy sitting down holding a PSP of all things.

Instantly they all - pack-like - rose their eyes and pinpointed me, with ancestral, instinctual bloodlust. For I was the new prey.

Loudly, and without hesitation, one of their kind asked in a tongue known to only Nintendo fans - Eeii glok ku ler Wii? - which, if you are a Nintendo fan, translates in our broken English to roughly "Wii get?"

Knowing the history of the clans and their ancient ways, I replied with Aont me laa Wii, which our pathetic language can only directly transcribe as "Indeed, Wii get."

Their faces took a strange turn at this point, showing a common and shared motive. For they knew, based upon my mastery of the Nintendish, that my efforts would be in vain.

Ok ku laa Gamestoppu fren ti laa lu.

Immortal words resonating still, "13 Wiis get, now captured."

I was informed further, with the aid of blood rituals, that my arrival was nary a few hours late, and that several of the hunters had been in place since "chosh modash," meaning "big dark," a phrase we Englishians commonly call "10 PM."

We passed around a ceremonial feast of our enemies - melted PSP units and old XBL head sets - in commiseration with the help of a small fire, and compelted the great Iwataton in reverence to the great Reg A'Ih.

One of them noticed I had carried in a Chuck Klosterman book, provided to props give (Gungstamosh), and informed me that Sex, Lies, and Cocoa Puffs was a personal recommendation.

I remarked that "I expected this out of the PS3, but not for this." This incited much hearty laughter and speak of "tanking" and "Sony" and "bad."

I warded around with my brethren for a few more minutes, accepted my defeat, and left upon the back of a great wildebeast, which I had spotted in its natural habitat of Victoria's Secret. Her name was Cheryl, and as a beast of burden, she was no disappointment.

In short, after this morning, and learning that 16 people were at GS where only 13 units were available, that those people had been turning down newcomers since 4 AM, that another 5-6 people came and left dejected while I stood around, I have strong reason to believe that this is a little larger than I've given it credit for.

I have already informed my girlfriend that I will now, officially, be indisposed of the higest order come November 19, and have built a rather elaborate buffer of the 17-20, such that come that eventful night, my actions have been spoken for and will not be questioned or challenged.

This is due in no small part to the fact that I feel the anticipation for the Wii - which I had already seen appealing to several young men, none of whom were afraid to announce the name across a mall's interior - is greater than I originally perceived.

-Stardate 10.13.06, Captain Strell of the USS Enterprise


This has to be one of the funniest things that I have ever read on this site. I don't know what it is that you do, but you should defenitely consider "writer" as one of them. The detail and humorous depictions of the Wii nerds and Nintendo fanboys and their pseudo language was top notch. I almost pissed my pants reading this, because it is soooooo true. A+ sir

[daroga]

This has to be one of the funniest things that I have ever read on this site. I don't know what it is that you do, but you should defenitely consider "writer" as one of them. The detail and humorous depictions of the Wii nerds and Nintendo fanboys and their pseudo language was top notch. I almost pissed my pants reading this, because it is soooooo true. A+ sir
Seconded. Strell, you can have my FYE preorder if you want. ;)

[bassec]

Didn't get one. :( All Tallahassee EBs and GS were out by the time I got there (at 10)

[pimpinc333]

This has to be one of the funniest things that I have ever read on this site. I don't know what it is that you do, but you should defenitely consider "writer" as one of them. The detail and humorous depictions of the Wii nerds and Nintendo fanboys and their pseudo language was top notch. I almost pissed my pants reading this, because it is soooooo true. A+ sir

I thought it as the most unfunny thing I have ever read. Maybe it's because I didn't get it. But yea "Worst Read Ever".

[leapfrogX]

I got to my EB at around 8:05 and was the 12th in line. Some guy was on a lawn chair and talking about how he hears they're getting a lot, minimum of 13 or 16 or something like that. Since he was in the middle of the sidewalk, he decides to move to the back of the line and sit in a spot not in the way. (which made him 13 because another guy came)

Manager came out and handed out 11 sheets of paper. I was lucky because I was pushed to the 11th position because the guy went to the back of the line. Boy he must be pissed off lol

Hooray for me.

Wow, at all the camps I've been to it doesn't matter where you are, it's who got there first. That's cutthroat out there! But grats on your preorder.

[ckendal]

Some of you must live in small areas or just have stores with not a lot of foot traffic. I keep hearing you all say your store got between 6 and 15. My store got 32. Even if they don't ACTUALLY get that many, I was #8 in line so I feel safe. Although there was 29 in line by the time the store opened!

[hack]

I have come to tell my story, now once said in another thread:

...

-Stardate 10.13.06, Captain Strell of the USS Enterprise

That. Was. Awesome.

You sir, are a genius.

[Tybee]

Got to my local EB around 7:15 only to discover I was 15th in line at a store that had 14 alotted for pre-order. *grumble* The earliest guys had gotten there around 2 am and reportedly set up a tent. They maintained a written list of who arrived when, which kept things orderly. I hung around til 10:00 just in case there was a mistake in the number, but was ultimately sent packing store manager, who advised us that they quite possibly would be getting more for launch and that we should try calling every evening to see what the deal is. She also said all online preorders would be bundles and that no other B&M retailers would be doing preorders.

There were about 15-20 people in line behind me, not including 10 or so people who walked (and who knows how many driving) by and said screw it. There were a couple of the same people there who had been there earlier in the week for the PS3 pre-order (including one of the guys who actually got one), and they said that there were only 12 people there for that.

I think Nintendo has a hit on its hands.

[jwcdis]

I've been at EBgames since 12 (2nd) and came back later at 3:30am and now im (4th) its 8am now and there are about 16 in line now. Hope me and Guavazo get one he's (#5)

[leapfrogX]

Some of you must live in small areas or just have stores with not a lot of foot traffic. I keep hearing you all say your store got between 6 and 15. My store got 32. Even if they don't ACTUALLY get that many, I was #8 in line so I feel safe. Although there was 29 in line by the time the store opened!

I'm at Purdue, which has 40,000 students to its name, not to mention the populations of West Lafayette and Lafayette. Being a college town, you'd think they'd have more than 8 eh?

[Strell]

This has to be one of the funniest things that I have ever read on this site. I don't know what it is that you do, but you should defenitely consider "writer" as one of them. The detail and humorous depictions of the Wii nerds and Nintendo fanboys and their pseudo language was top notch. I almost pissed my pants reading this, because it is soooooo true. A+ sir

I graduated with a Lib Arts English degree with an emphasis on writing, and I'm looking to go to graduate school for it.

I appreciate the comments, I hopefully someday I'll earn my daily bread by putting a bunch of words down in some medium - paper or digital - to the (I hope) entertainment of some sort of audience.

:)

[utopianmachine]

First person at the mall at 7:15. By 9:30, folks had to be sent away, as the manager informed us that instead of the expected 12, they're getting ten. Preordered the Wii, Twilight Princess, classic controller, extra wiimote, nunchuck controller, and the download points. With my other preorder of Elebits and the expectancy of downloading at least one game for the virtual console, it's going to be a good Christmas.

[ckendal]

I'm at Purdue, which has 40,000 students to its name, not to mention the populations of West Lafayette and Lafayette. Being a college town, you'd think they'd have more than 8 eh?

I would think so! That sucks man. Were you one of the 8?

[Bazz]

I left house at 9:50 for a 10:00 opening (I wasn't sure if I wanted to go I was really confused , but I made it in time) if my PSO beta was working in the morning I probably wouldn't have tried my luck , but I guess luckly since the game wouldn't connect to the server I was like whatever I'm going to gamestop.

So driving to Gamestop now finally make it their. I see a line with like 20 somthing people on it & they've been open for a few minutes got there around 10:02. My first reaction is $%#^ , Well since here might as well wait. 5 min later clerk says I have 3 pre-order left so I get all 3 since few people in front me & for a second there I saw another guy there and I was like oh $hit , but luckly he was just their waiting for somone and I was able get last one.

They turned away about 7 people after me , but stupid kid in line took a pre-order sheet and didn't even want a Wii. He was there for some game I really wish I knew what game it was some 14.99 game that is mature rated that his mom had to approve of. Everyone felt bad cause this old lady wanted to pre-order one and they had to turn her away and if this kid spoke up she could've pre-order it.

My Gamestop seemed to have about 30 or more Pre-orders all sold out.

[jollydwarf]

One of them noticed I had carried in a Chuck Klosterman book,

To bring it all together, I once was 'interviewed' by Klosterman while linesitting. It was back in May of '99, for some film...the name of which currently eludes me.

Other than that, great read, especially considering how crestfallen you probably were while writing it. With things like this preorder nonsense, I always try to err on the side of sheer paranoia. I was worried before I left the house that 7 wouldn't be early enough, and I was almost right.

I do believe retail will get a solid amount of units at launch. The necessary wait will probably be at least 8 hours, though.

[botticus]

Got my preorder. I was the 4th person there at 6:45am. We all just sat in our cars (one had a DVD player, the other had an iPod, I had my DS). Around 7:15 or so, one of the former employees (now employed at the GS down the street) came around, talking to the manager on the phone. While we were all chatting, #6 showed up. Manager got there around 8:30, with #7-13 shortly thereafter. #14 and 15 (the last two spots) arrived around 9:15. With three employees there, lists were kept so there was no need to sit around in a line or any foolishness like that. Just freezing our asses off talking in a big circle on the sidewalk.

I would guess about 10-15 people got turned away from that point, bunch of moms arriving right around 10 or 10:15, obviously not understanding the gamer community.

Interesting anecdote: On the day the PS3 was preordered, this store had a total of 15 reserves, 8 of those being PS3 consoles. So 7 games, accessories, whatever. Today, the store had 45 reserves at 10:30. With only 15 of those being consoles.

Personally, I paid in full on the console, and a second Wiimote/nunchuk combo.

[leapfrogX]

I graduated with a Lib Arts English degree with an emphasis on writing, and I'm looking to go to graduate school for it.

I appreciate the comments, I hopefully someday I'll earn my daily bread by putting a bunch of words down in some medium - paper or digital - to the (I hope) entertainment of some sort of audience.

:)

As random as it is, your style reminds me alot of John Hodgman. Its got that quirky pseudo-reality pull-things-out-of-yer-ass style to it (which is a good thing.) You might have already heard the comparison, but if not you should at least glance over his writing.

[rscaramelo]

This is crazy. I had no intention getting a launch Wii. I happened to drive by my local GS at 10:15 this morning so I figured I'd check out the lines. Well, there were maybe 5 people waiting so I hopped in the line myself. The guy at the counter said that they still had "tons" of reserves left. I put $100 down on one for the hell of it. BTW, he said the funniest thing was that some poor guy had been in line since 2:30 in the morning for nothing.

RC

[xspeedracerx]

I went by the closest EB at 6:30 and the line aready had about 20 people in it. So I went to the mall like I was planning to do anyway and there was about 5 people in line. My friend waited there while I checked out the other entrances. A few others where at the front of the mall, but when I got back to my friend the mall security guy was there and said he would open this door first. Everyone went to EB while I walked right passed it and was first in line at Planet X(GameStop). :)
They only took 9 pre-orders, but only 3-4 people were turned away.

[Snake2715]

I graduated with a Lib Arts English degree with an emphasis on writing, and I'm looking to go to graduate school for it.

I appreciate the comments, I hopefully someday I'll earn my daily bread by putting a bunch of words down in some medium - paper or digital - to the (I hope) entertainment of some sort of audience.

:)
Strell,

I have always enjoyed most of what you have written.. reading that then seeing the avatar tops it all off nicely!

[leapfrogX]

I would think so! That sucks man. Were you one of the 8?

Yea, luckily! Feel bad for the tons of other guys who showed up though.

[Strell]

As random as it is, your style reminds me alot of John Hodgman. Its got that quirky pseudo-reality pull-things-out-of-yer-ass style to it (which is a good thing.) You might have already heard the comparison, but if not you should at least glance over his writing.

I have not, but I shall.

I guess I could talk about such things in this thread, but I don't want to incite the anger of the Gods, but suffice to say I'm hoping to make a career out of this one day.

Maybe I'll just make a "who likes to write" thread or something.

[tayaf69]

wtf, was able to get a PS3 no prob! I get there at 945 and there are 20 people in line. I didn't get my wii :cry: Absolutely crazy. What happened to the abundance of Wiis!

[Snake2715]

whats everyones take on the controller deal? Is it going to be hard to find them? I know some of the 360 controllers sold out and hope I dont run into that with the wii.

[Sigma]

Im the assistant manger at a Gamestop store and went in around 9 this morning to help out the store manager with the pre-orders.

When I got to the store there were already 6 people waiting outside, most of them wearing some sort of Nintendo branded clothing. A few more people showed up and I believe the total was 8 or 9 before we opened the store. I of course pre-ordered mine first thing. I was the only employee to reserve a Wii. So out of our 12 total 11 of those went to people waiting outside. Pretty much everyone reserved Twilight Princess and the virtual console controller along with the system. I left the store around 10:45 and we still had two pre-orders for the systems by the time I left.

My store isn't the biggest store in the area either so I was pretty suprised we had that many people waiting outside for the Wii. When we did the PS3 pre-orders on Tuesday we had no one waiting outside and didn't run out of our pre-orders till 2:00 and judging from the fact that no one resereved anything with the system. All, but maybe a few of the 8 PS3's we are getting will end up on ebay.

[cjhx9]

Just got back from the Coralville, Iowa EBGames. I told myself if I could wake up at around 9:50 am despite just going to bed at 7:30 am I would go … still trying to figure out how that one worked. I got there at 9:59 am and it looked like I was about the 20th person in line but then an employee came out and started counting and said this cut off line was about 15 it looked like then she started explaining something about that even through we can’t preorder something something I don’t know I just walked away since I had a preorder at FYE from about a month ago but am not sure how to tell what number I am and wanted to ensure I was at least going to get one on launch with 2 preorders… well 3 the local videogame store Videogames ETC actually has a preorder to be on the preorder list that was a few pages long but I has been in process of filling since summer of last year iirc. Good job for the people that actually stood outside for the preorder. Just going out to my car with 2 jackets on was cold enough for me

[bryankot]

!

[Tybee]

I have not, but I shall.

I guess I could talk about such things in this thread, but I don't want to incite the anger of the Gods, but suffice to say I'm hoping to make a career out of this one day.

Maybe I'll just make a "who likes to write" thread or something.

I like to write. And do write. For money even.

And when money is not available, McDonald's Beanie Babies.

[leapfrogX]

wtf, was able to get a PS3 no prob! I get there at 945 and there are 20 people in line. I didn't get my wii :cry: Absolutely crazy. What happened to the abundance of Wiis!

I reaaaally don't think this day is indicative of the Wii launch allocation - like others have said in this thread, it seems like either EB/GS is being awfully conservative, or that Nintendo decided to dump most of its resources on mass-reaching stores like Walmart.

Even though a bunch of us waited in line this morning, if you didn't get yours yet, no worries! I'm sure everyone here will get a shot real soon. Again, looking at the numbers:

Take the average allocation per store to be 18 Wiis, at 3,500 stores that's somewhere around 65,000 total. There's supposed to be millions at launch, so what we saw today was no more than a few percent of the total picture.

Again, don't fret about it :P

[Strell]

I like to write. And do write. For money even.

And when money is not available, McDonald's Beanie Babies.

You will have to teach me your secrets.

[Sigma]

whats everyones take on the controller deal? Is it going to be hard to find them? I know some of the 360 controllers sold out and hope I dont run into that with the wii.
I don't think the actual wii-mote controller will be impossible to find, but the virtual console controller will be tough to get ahold of since it doesn't come with the system. Everyone buying a Wii will at least have one wii-mote and nunchuck attachment and alot of people will only be playing Zelda so they won't need an additional wii-mote, but alot of people will want that virtual console controller and like I said in my above post, everyone who reserved a system at my store also reserved the virtual console controller.

[botticus]

I think the consensus is that they may get more consoles for launch day (or possibly additional preorders). No one seems to think that they've actually gotten solid allocation numbers from Nintendo yet.

And I guess I should add that all stores (2 GameStops and another EB) were all full before 10.

[tayaf69]

so judging by the preorders, do you guys think it will be hard to find a Wii? If so, I will wait in line a wal-mart or target because after this morning, I really want one now!!!

[neudog]

Reserved/Paid off mine today. I was second in line right behind Wolve22. Speaking of, enjoy your leave Wolve you deserve every minute of it. Line wasn't bad, but did build up closer to opening. The store I reserved only had 11 and the last person ended up being this 12-15 year old kid, which I was happy to see. Even though I know gaming has gone to the adults it is always nice to see a young gamer developing there skills. Also while in line two guys drove buy and one screamed out "I pre-ordered my Wii online hahahahahaha". Everyone in line had a good chuckle.

so judging by the preorders, do you guys think it will be hard to find a Wii? If so, I will wait in line a wal-mart or target because after this morning, I really want one now!!!

This is YMMV, but Wolve22 told me that when he spoke to a GS/EB employee they told him anyone coming in should get a Wii. Now I'm guessing since the store we reserved at only had 11 for launch the employee meant that everyone would have a Wii before/by Christmas.

[Rodimus]

wtf, was able to get a PS3 no prob! I get there at 945 and there are 20 people in line. I didn't get my wii :cry: Absolutely crazy. What happened to the abundance of Wiis!

I was told by my friend who was taking preorders at Gamestop that the Wii preorders are more crazy than the PS3. Maybe cause most people actually plan on keeping this system instead of selling it off.

I show up at 9:30 and was 12th in line. My store's getting 28 systems so I got lucky, I guess.

[screwkick]

Got to Gamestop @ 9:55 this morning. Was 8th in line to pre-order the Wii.

The guy at the store wasn't sure of how many units they would receive though.

[FantasiaWHT]

AAAAAAAAAAARGH

My store only got TEN! And they had 16 PS3's!!! And of course I was #11... grrr

Manager told me this was because Nintendo hadn't sent out firm allocation numbers yet, so it might go up. Better call in later.

[Tybee]

You will have to teach me your secrets.

Step One: Prepare your soul for sale on the open market.

Let me know when you're ready for Step Two.

[Sigma]

so judging by the preorders, do you guys think it will be hard to find a Wii? If so, I will wait in line a wal-mart or target because after this morning, I really want one now!!!
No, I can tell you know that Gamestop/EB expect more systems than what they took pre-orders for, but they really want to push the fact that people will be able to walk in and get the system if they try hard enough.

On November 19th expect about the same amount, if not more of the Wiis to be avilable for walk-in customers.

[lovemybernard]

Just got back from GameStop in Kansas City. I got #9 of 11 preorders. Got there at 9:15am. Other people were there since 7pm last night! There was a line out the door by the time we all got our Preorders in.

[dmaul1114]

Just got back from the local gamestop. Got there at 9:45 and was #14, they took 29 reserves I belive (started sending people in line away after 29).

Reserved the console and an extra wiimote/nunchuck and paid in full (store credit for most of it, only $61.61 out of pocket).

Don't need a virtual console controller right away as I'll be busy with zelda, and I'd like to wait and see if you can just use the gc controller.

[0192837465]

Wow my store (71st and Memorial - Tulsa, OK) only had 6 systems come in. I got there at 9:00 (5 people there already) and immediately after about 15 other people showed up and when the doors opened up the GS employee said this guy (me) is the last one in line to reserve, we only got about half of what we were expecting. I felt immediately bad and thrilled at the same time. Maybe it was because of the free starbucks coffee that was given to us by this cute woman but nonetheless, worth waking up early for. SWEET!

[tayaf69]

it's amazing how not getting to preorder a system (I have preordered all systems since the ps2) makes me really want it. I wasn't expecting to wait in line on Nov 19, but I guess I will now. Just went to IGN to look at the Zelda pics and I really want it!

[H-Town Info]

i showed up at 9:30 and was number 6 in line. i can't believe some of them could pre-order 2 Wii's. From the way it looked, i was number 7 or 8 on the list.

[elot]

I woke up at 9am, looked around, felt sad about what my life had become, set my alarm for 9:30, and got their in time to be the 15th or so person in line. Supposedly the store is getting 38 wii's. The 13th person in line got there at 7:30, so i feel pretty good about that.


eLOT

[Billservo]

For the PS3 no one showed up until 8 or so. Today I show up at 8:30 and I'm 7th in line.

Wondering if it's the price factor or that everyone's skittish after the PS3 surprise.

[joseraul]

I haven't got any other reports from stores here in PR, but I was 7th in line to the store I went to at 8:50AM (they open at 9AM here). About 8 others arrived after me. I called a friend afterwards, and he had forgotten about the preorders. At 10AM he made the list, like the 19th position. I'm guessing the store still has a few spots available (they'll have 32 systems), but by lunchtime they'll probably be filled.

[leapfrogX]

i showed up at 9:30 and was number 6 in line. i can't believe some of them could pre-order 2 Wii's. From the way it looked, i was number 7 or 8 on the list.

Maybe if they don't get enough units they will cancel the second orders of those people? bleh?

[Sarre]

I was 13 in line (on Friday the 13th!), for one of the 36 allocated to a store in Brooklyn. But after I left I checked my reciept and they got both my first name and last name wrong, as well as my phone number (all by one letter/digit). Plus they stiffed me $2 on trade-in credit. Oh EB/GS...

Anyone know if I'll lose my place in the preorder line in their system when I go in to update all this info? I think the names don't matter (I paid in full and have a reciept saying so), and I don't care enough about $2 to bother with the hassle of fixing it (which I guess makes me not so cheap-ass?), but I want the phone # to be accurate at least, so they can call me if there's any complications, or to let me know if they're doing a midnight release.

[Khaman]

So here's my song of battle.

I initially set my alarm for 9 am so I could wake up, throw on clothes, and take the 15 minute drive to a Gamestop that is NOT set in the middle of a major shopping centre and where the guys working there are not total douchebags. That second part is the harder one, guys, but there really is one out here, so that is the one I chose. Please note - I still believe/know that the company itself is filled to overflowing with douchebaggery.

The cat woke me up about an hour and a half early, and only two hours after my husband had gone to work. So, fine. I end up going out the door about a half hour earlier than intended. I decline to kill the kitten.

When I arrive at the GS at 9:10, there is a line of cars next to each other in the lot, all filled with people. Please note: It is 30 degrees out there (Michigan), or less with windchill. Policing the lot, I find, are two buddies who are absolute professionals at line-wrangling. They are Star Wars movie-line vets. One even looks vaguely like the love child of a hippie and a Wookie. That said, very nice guys. They inform me that I'm number 10 to arrive.

Number 11 shows up two minutes later. Another half dozen slowly trickle up as we tick towards ten.

At approximately 9:40, we abandon our cars en masse and choose to suffer the final 20 minutes with growing lack of feeling in our extremeties. I envy the Floridian hardcore today. We maintain our line numbers. It is astonishingly civil. The line is evenly made up of both the gamer elite and the crazy Christmas prepped Moms. #12 is grumbling slightly in the back. She has a baby with her. In the freezing cold. Wrapped about as well as Mel Gibson's current sanity.

Numbers are tossed around. They're getting 10-12, they're getting 16, they're getting 30-60.

In 10 minutes, the manager arrives. His assistant follows later. He's asked how many. 10, he says. Holy crap, I have to be indebted to my kitten, I think. I decide instead of death, she may have a new toy. Those after me do not leave.

When the store opens, we file civilly into the warmth, in order. The manager repeats again, 10. #12 decides then to slightly flip out. "I've been waiting all this tiiiime in the cooold! We should have been told earlier! We called yesterday and heard 16!" Lady, you WERE told when the guy walked up! And further, WHY DID YOU BRING YOUR DAMN BABY?

After some huffing, most after me leave. The occasional walkup is turned away.

The final twist is whoever closed their store last night borked it up and killed their computers. They are unable to physically take prepaid reservations. Instead, the manager personally takes a list with names and phone numbers and says he will keep us updated and as far as he is concerned, the 10 of us, including me, ARE reserved so long as we pay the reservation once they get the system going again.

I got a call 25 minutes ago. The system will be functioning tomorrow. I'll stop by before work and get it squared away. As I say, this store I've had good experience with. But if it goes wonky, there are options. I'm not worried.

Weird morning.

[tayaf69]

found a gamestop nearby with 6 left. Going to check it out

[Dead of Knight]

Today was fucking INSANE. Got there around 7:15, there was no one outside. So I went into Panera (right next to EB) and there were four nerds hanging around looking outside to make sure no one got in line. After two people got in line, we decided to go out. So I was #7. As I previously posted, the store got 14 (18-4 for employees), which I was told on the phone. This turned out to be correct, but people insisted they were told 18. It didn't matter at that point, since we were all under 14. After I went outside to stand in line, a couple, who were both getting Wiis, came out of their car to stand in line. Been there since 6:30. More people quickly showed.

If you showed up after 7:45, you weren't just fucked, YOU WERE FUCKED. I'd say at least 40+ plus showed, and they all stayed like morons. I think all of them stayed even AFTER the employees said they were only getting 14. It was pretty sad. I paid in full for my Wii and hauled ass to my 10:30 class with time to spare.

I played Mario Kart DS with people in line and talked to other people about Wii and the other next-gen systems. The time went by pretty quickly, and it wasn't TOO cold, about 30, and I had a ton of layers on.

I figured there'd be a huge crowd, as we do have the 3rd largest campus in the country, and this EB is pretty much right on campus. I just can't believe so many people stayed even after there was absolutely no hope of them getting one.

EDIT: Oh yeah, there was this huge black guy there, who turned out to be the BOUNCER for the line and wasn't getting a Wii. He showed up around 7:15. CRAZY!

[Zoglog]

lol, I stopped by EB on my way to work this morning @ 8:30 and there were arleady 18 people in line. The people in front even slept overnight.............

Man some people are just nuts -_-..........
At least with the ps3 there's a nice hefty profit involved......

[jollydwarf]

it's amazing how not getting to preorder a system (I have preordered all systems since the ps2) makes me really want it. I wasn't expecting to wait in line on Nov 19, but I guess I will now. Just went to IGN to look at the Zelda pics and I really want it!

And that's...how it works.

Reasons why the PS3 preorders were so lackluster in comparison to the Wii's:

--The price difference.

--The deposit amount difference.

--The repeated ramming of foot into mouth by any and all of Sony's talking heads over the last six months.

--The Wii60 equation has no "P", "S", or "3" in it.

--Even the Taliban is freaked out by Nintendo zealots' fanaticism.

--People getting a swift kick in the ass when they learned that the average store's allotment wasn't even half of what they expected.

--Twilight Princess.

--Virtual Console.

--People who got shut out of a PS3 are going with 'Plan Wii'.

Any more?

[WyldRyce]

Showed up at 6:30 A.M. and I was actually first in line. We had 18 reservations all together and they were all gone by 9 A.M.

[dsg_gt2004]

i got there(GS) at 10:45am and i was the last one on the list...this gamestop one is getting 12

[Zoglog]

either way EB is being majorly conservative with the Wii preorders. There will most likely be a hefty stock so worrying about preording the wii is pointless.

[toneroni]

lotta people waiting at 86th in nyc. Went pretty fast

[jollydwarf]

either way EB is being majorly conservative with the Wii preorders

But why? And if the numbers are based on their guesstimates to ensure every preorder gets filled on Launch Day, why not just make every store eight preorders? They have to know something about what they're getting to disperse amongst their stores nationwide. I may very well be proven wrong a month from now, but I really believe Nintendo is behind this, not EBGamestop.

[O_o]

I showed up at 9:55 and was the third person in line. More people showed up after the store opened though. Might have something to do with the fact that we have three Gamestop stores in a quarter-mile radius.

[Zoglog]

either way EB is being majorly conservative with the Wii preorders

But why? And if the numbers are based on their guesstimates to ensure every preorder gets filled on Launch Day, why not just make every store eight preorders? They have to know something about what they're getting to disperse amongst their stores nationwide. I may very well be proven wrong a month from now, but I really believe Nintendo is behind this, not EBGamestop.

Well I wouldn't be suprised if Nintendo held back units to create hype but I find it a bit unlikely. The production process of the Wii should be relatively simple and fast which is why I'm not worried at all about getting a wii before christmas.

It'll be really funny if BB actually does break the street date and sells wii's on OCt 30 (though incredibly unlikely) and the eb people who waited overnight.... well yeah

[Javery]

I love my GameStop. I showed up at 9:40 and was 3rd in line. Within the next 20 minutes about 25 more people showed up and most of them got shut out. When the lady came out she said they were getting 18 and 5 were already taken by employees. I paid for mine in full along with Zelda.

I can't believe I'm 2 for 2 this week without really trying (I spent a total of 35 minutes waiting in line for both the PS3 [4th] and the Wii [3rd]). I also can't believe how many more people showed up for the Wii - at least triple what showed up for the PS3. The weird thing (and it definitely doesn't bode well if this is the trend) is that everyone that waited for a PS3 was between 18-35 and this morning I was the ONLY one there buying it for myself. Every single other person was a mother waiting on line for their kid.

[purduealum91]

Well, I just got back from the EbGames in Oswego, IL. They had 32 machines available for pre-order! I was #16. I showed up around 9:25 am. When I left, there were maybe 4 unspoken for.
We braved 40 mph winds and the temp is in the low 40s! We froze our @$$es off! When they opened at 10, they initially only let in 4 @ a time! They eventually wisened up and just let us all pile in. We each had a # so it wasnt like we were going to rush the register.

[fff398]

went to a somewhat pointless lecture for statistics...called at 10:30, sold out....meh Im camping out launch day at best buy to get one then

[munch]

Today was hilarious.

I didn't even go to pre-order a Wii. I just wanted to trade in some crappy k-mart clearance games. Anyway, I thought EB opened at 9AM. I got there about 9:40 AM, thinking the wii line would be gone. There were about 15 people waiting. Every one of them a stereotype. The store opened at like 9:55. ONE person went in, then they declared their pre-orders were up.

Now here comes the funny part. I shit you not, at least 2 fully grown men looked like they were going to cry. I then go inside the store with my crappy games, and the manager, who takes his job way to seriously, was apologizing to the customers saying Nintendo had manufacturing problems and that's why the store didn't get more. :rofl: I then asked him how many units he got in. He said, "Can't tell you. Loss prevention." The fuck? Apparently if word got out that EB was getting 10 wii's the place would get jacked :lol: Whatever. I found the experience to be amusing.

[jollydwarf]

Here's how I put it elsewhere:

My prediction: big shortages for Launch Day, with random and frequent shipments all the way up through the end of the year. This will keep both Hope and The Buzz alive simultaneously, and Nintendo probably wouldn't have it any other way.


They just don't want Sony to get all the hysteria-based headlines that weekend, but they do want people to get their Wii sooner than their PS3s. They want the (channels Sammy Hagar) best...of...both worlds! The immediate sellouts of these preorders will fuel their Hype Machine for a good week alone.

[monstericreated]

Got my Wii pre-ordered! Yay!

[munch]

The weird thing (and it definitely doesn't bode well if this is the trend) is that everyone that waited for a PS3 was between 18-35 and this morning I was the ONLY one there buying it for myself. Every single other person was a mother waiting on line for their kid.

Where I was, there was only one kid. The rest were ran ranged from high school kids to clearly over 40.

[Dead of Knight]

Where I was, there was only one kid. The rest were ran ranged from high school kids to clearly over 40.

Pretty much everyone was a college student, it seemed. There were a couple people who MAY have not been and were a little older, but it was hard to tell.

[Number83]

Now I know why I married my wife...

OK, a couple pages back, when I got to work I had a meeting request for 10:00 am...No Pre-Order for me! STRIKE ONE! So I called my wife, and asked her if she would do me a solid and go to the local Gamestop and get one for me. No problem...well she rolls out of bed and get there around 9:30 only to find out that they opened early for the pre-orders and that she was SOL. STRIKE TWO!

My wife, ever dilligent, decides to head to the mall where she knows that there is another Gamestop and EBGames, one on each level. Heads to the EBGames, and is told they are Sold Out, however...FOUL TIP!!!

The Gamestop on the 3rd floor has 36 of them, which I don't understand because it is literally a janators closet of a store...so she hauls a$$ up the steps and...HOMERUN!!!! Number 18!!! Scores One for the good guys!!!!

And to boot they gave her two packs of Star Wars Trading Cards!!!!

And tonight, after the kids are asleep, I will reward her with the best two minutes of her life!!!

[nikkai]

I got there a little past 5. Boy was that a mistake. Didn't really need to get there till 6:30. Then the line shot up to about 30'ish

[GarrettJD]

I was torn whether or not I actually wanted a preorder, so I got up and drove by my first choice of Gamestop at about 8:00.

There were, by my estimation, at least 20-30 people waiting outside. So I kept driving to the EB Games about 5 minutes away.

I got there at about 8:05 and was #4 in line.

The manager of this store handled things very well. She was already there at 8:00 and was giving out numbers for everyone, along with a list of all the launch games and accessories. She had us highlight what we wanted on the sheet.

I don't know the exact number, but by 9:30 there were no preorders available.

At 10:00 they began leting us in the store in numerical order to do our reserve. I reserved the system, Zelda, Excite Truck, Monkey Ball, and an extra controller and nuchaku.

By 10:15 I was out and on my way home. 11/19 can't get here soon enough.

[banzaiwolfe]

The line I was in ended up being about 26-27 people, and they only took 14 for preorders. I was 4th in line. I think we had the full range of people from ages 18-70. It seemed like the majority of the people were there to get it for themselves.

[Dead of Knight]

Now I know why I married my wife...

OK, a couple pages back, when I got to work I had a meeting request for 10:00 am...No Pre-Order for me! STRIKE ONE! So I called my wife, and asked her if she would do me a solid and go to the local Gamestop and get one for me. No problem...well she rolls out of bed and get there around 9:30 only to find out that they opened early for the pre-orders and that she was SOL. STRIKE TWO!

My wife, ever dilligent, decides to head to the mall where she knows that there is another Gamestop and EBGames, one on each level. Heads to the EBGames, and is told they are Sold Out, however...FOUL TIP!!!

The Gamestop on the 3rd floor has 36 of them, which I don't understand because it is literally a janators closet of a store...so she hauls a$$ up the steps and...HOMERUN!!!! Number 18!!! Scores One for the good guys!!!!

And to boot they gave her two packs of Star Wars Trading Cards!!!!

And tonight, after the kids are asleep, I will reward her with the best two minutes of her life!!!

Awesome! I read your previous post and felt bad. I'm so glad things worked out. :D

[Tybee]

I can't believe I'm 2 for 2 this week without really trying (I spent a total of 35 minutes waiting in line for both the PS3 [4th] and the Wii [3rd]). I also can't believe how many more people showed up for the Wii - at least triple what showed up for the PS3. The weird thing (and it definitely doesn't bode well if this is the trend) is that everyone that waited for a PS3 was between 18-35 and this morning I was the ONLY one there buying it for myself. Every single other person was a mother waiting on line for their kid.

See, it was the opposite at my store. Of the 40 or so people on hand, there were two dads with their sons, but the rest of the line was college through middle age guys and a couple gals all clearly buying for themselves (many said as much).

[strayfoxx]

Got at the store at 5am, 1st in line....

Met some pretty cool people, including a customer who worked right next door to the Gamestop at a restaurant and called in late while in line...

[botticus]

I love my GameStop. I showed up at 9:40 and was 3rd in line. Within the next 20 minutes about 25 more people showed up and most of them got shut out. When the lady came out she said they were getting 18 and 5 were already taken by employees. I paid for mine in full along with Zelda.

I can't believe I'm 2 for 2 this week without really trying (I spent a total of 35 minutes waiting in line for both the PS3 [4th] and the Wii [3rd]). I also can't believe how many more people showed up for the Wii - at least triple what showed up for the PS3. The weird thing (and it definitely doesn't bode well if this is the trend) is that everyone that waited for a PS3 was between 18-35 and this morning I was the ONLY one there buying it for myself. Every single other person was a mother waiting on line for their kid.You apparently have the hardcore parents there. All the parent-types showed up after 10, while everyone in line was between 16 and 40, one girl, and the random 50 year old woman preordering for her husband.

Hell, one of the high school kids was just waiting there to have a spot in line, his mom showed up around 10:15 with a check for the deposit. :D

[animemaniac14]

i got to my eb round 7:25 AM and no one was there...so i just sat in my car cuz it was 51 frikin degrees outside...then round 8 2 guys popped outta no where and just stood in front of eb with their DS lites or w/e...and i was like...eh if a couple more people show ill emerge from my car...sure enough another person showed up round 8:45...then 2 mothers showed up round 9:15..and i immediately got out...then 4 more people showed up after me...the guy comes out and says that they are only taking 8 pre-orders...and thats it. So he writes numbers on little sticky notes and gives them to each of us. Some ASSHOLE kept arguing with me saying he was gonna order 2..one for him and one for his friend...and it was damn ridiculous...cuz there were a grand total of 8 people in line up until 5 mins before opening time...and he wanted to jip the guy at the back for his friend that "wasn't able to be there"...luckily the store owner told him 1 per household, no exceptions. Though i was 6th in line...i got #8...so im all set to get a Wii on launch day :-D

[dmaul1114]

Well I wouldn't be suprised if Nintendo held back units to create hype but I find it a bit unlikely. The production process of the Wii should be relatively simple and fast which is why I'm not worried at all about getting a wii before christmas.


I'd be surprised if they held back units. I wouldn't be surprised if they held them from the game stores so they can put a ton in Wal-marts, targets etc.

They're trying to sell this to casual gamers and non-gamers to expand their market. The way to do that is to make sure there are plenty in wal-mart, not the gamestores where only gamers shop.

[Zoglog]

Now here comes the funny part. I shit you not, at least 2 fully grown men looked like they were going to cry.

lol gamers

[Javery]

You apparently have the hardcore parents there. All the parent-types showed up after 10, while everyone in line was between 16 and 40, one girl, and the random 50 year old woman preordering for her husband.

Hell, one of the high school kids was just waiting there to have a spot in line, his mom showed up around 10:15 with a check for the deposit. :D

yeah, I live in one of those towns where all the kids are spoiled and none of the mothers work so it kind of makes sense. The 2 ladies in front of me were laughing about how it would be pathetic if they were waiting on line for themselves since video games are so obviously a child's toy.

[jollydwarf]

They're trying to sell this to casual gamers and non-gamers to expand their market. The way to do that is to make sure there are plenty in wal-mart, not the gamestores where only gamers shop.

Which, ironically, will just lead to more Nintendonuts descending on the Wal-Marts and Best Buys and causing Soccer Mom and Casual Dude to have a bad experience and possibly/probably not even get a console because they don't know what they're up against. They should let the gamers get their consoles at the game stores, so they won't be as much of a factor/nuisance when it comes time for the non-gaming crowd to enter the fray.

EDIT: The 2 ladies in front of me were laughing about how it would be pathetic if they were waiting on line for themselves since video games are so obviously a child's toy.

"Ha-ha...obviously! Ta-taa!!"

[Tybee]

i got to my eb round 7:25 AM and no one was there...so i just sat in my car cuz it was 51 frikin degrees outside...then round 8 2 guys popped outta no where and just stood in front of eb with their DS lites or w/e...and i was like...eh if a couple more people show ill emerge from my car...sure enough another person showed up round 8:45...then 2 mothers showed up round 9:15..and i immediately got out...then 4 more people showed up after me...the guy comes out and says that they are only taking 8 pre-orders...and thats it. So he writes numbers on little sticky notes and gives them to each of us. Some ASSHOLE kept arguing with me saying he was gonna order 2..one for him and one for his friend...and it was damn ridiculous...cuz there were a grand total of 8 people in line up until 5 mins before opening time...and he wanted to jip the guy at the back for his friend that "wasn't able to be there"...luckily the store owner told him 1 per household, no exceptions. Though i was 6th in line...i got #8...so im all set to get a Wii on launch day :-D

Which EB was this, Cid? I was over at Edgewood.

[robbart914]

Met some pretty cool people, including a customer who worked right next door to the Gamestop at a restaurant and called in late while in line...

I nominate that guy for fan of the year for that one.

[Bazz]

Now I know why I married my wife...

OK, a couple pages back, when I got to work I had a meeting request for 10:00 am...No Pre-Order for me! STRIKE ONE! So I called my wife, and asked her if she would do me a solid and go to the local Gamestop and get one for me. No problem...well she rolls out of bed and get there around 9:30 only to find out that they opened early for the pre-orders and that she was SOL. STRIKE TWO!

My wife, ever dilligent, decides to head to the mall where she knows that there is another Gamestop and EBGames, one on each level. Heads to the EBGames, and is told they are Sold Out, however...FOUL TIP!!!

The Gamestop on the 3rd floor has 36 of them, which I don't understand because it is literally a janators closet of a store...so she hauls a$$ up the steps and...HOMERUN!!!! Number 18!!! Scores One for the good guys!!!!

And to boot they gave her two packs of Star Wars Trading Cards!!!!

And tonight, after the kids are asleep, I will reward her with the best two minutes of her life!!!Only 2 min

[Khaman]

Casual Mom who goes for this will already be a veteran of the TMX Elmo Wars of 2006, possibly bearing the Purple Heart for trample damage. She can take it.

[Tybee]

yeah, I live in one of those towns where all the kids are spoiled and none of the mothers work so it kind of makes sense. The 2 ladies in front of me were laughing about how it would be pathetic if they were waiting on line for themselves since video games are so obviously a child's toy.

Did you inform them that the Wii-mote vibrates?

[pimpinc333]

Did you inform them that the Wii-mote vibrates?

Oh Snap!

[Dead of Knight]

This was posted on another forum:
I am officially not getting the Wii.

I woke up early this morning, about 7 AM to go pre-order the system. I get to Gamestop about 8 AM, to find that there's about 10-11 people in line. Okay, cool. I figure I'll get one. About 8:45 AM, one of the managers comes out and starts handing out tickets. I figure this is good, I get my name on a ticket and I can go home, come back later when it's not 25 degrees out. I was in the back of the line, and as he moved down the row I noticed that stack getting less and less. So he stopped at the lady in front of me and I noticed that his stack was gone. He looked at me and said "Sorry man, you might want to try EB". I was somewhat disappointed. Being early still, I decided to try.

I got to EB at about 9 AM, I was about 11th in line. Ended up talking to a bunch of guys in line about my escapades with Gamestop, and how I missed the system by one person. They said that it sucked hard. At about 9:45 AM, a manager of EB came out and started handing out tickets. There were two of them, and I thought that they had a lot more than Gamestop. When they got the 10th person (the guy right in front of me), I said to the guy, "So I'm guessing that is the last one?" He turns to me and SMILES and says, "Yep". So I walked off cursing under my breath.

I am not getting a Wii.

[obijuan71]

Thanks everyone for the heads up, I secure a Wii and Zelda for my Wife today, had to visit 4 diferent ones in Irving, Tx to get one but finally got it at the GameStop in Plaza del Sol in Irving Blvd.

Cant wait to play it :bouncy:

[ZForce]

Got in line at 9AM at my local EB, was #2 in line, only behind a guy who was there since 6:30. A Winner is me!

[Z-Saber]

After reading a bit, it seems these sold out pretty quick as well. Technically, I still can't go until maybe 2:00 PM or so, meaning there's no chance there will be any left.

So it looks like I'm camping out at Wally World. Not too disappointed since that was original plan anyway, and technically I'd be at EB around the same time, waiting for the big midnight release and all that, so it's not too bad.

[jPoD]

Mine is pretty insane. We are in the top five for sales in the country. We had 40 preorders. My mom got there at 10:45 am. They opened at 10. I got preorder #29/40 :)

[Reality's Fringe]

Got a Low "C" or so on my exam, but I got the last Wii preorder at GS. Hawt for me, I don't need Philo anyway.

[Dead of Knight]

Mine is pretty insane. We are in the top five for sales in the country. We had 40 preorders. My mom got there at 10:45 am. They opened at 10. I got preorder #29/40 :)

That's not pretty insane. For a top store, that's a pretty shitty turnout.

[Empyrical]

I slacked pretty hard, and still got one. Got up at 9:30, left for the mall at 9:50 (EB opens at 10am), got there at 10 and there were only 12 people ahead of me, the EB I was at got 32 Wiis, and I was number 22. (woot!) They also got 16 PS3s on Tuesday which is a lot but only 6 were actually able to sell to the public (staff reserved them all, I was told by a clerk, rofl).

Wii ftw!

[o0achilles0o]

I got the 8th out of 9 at the EB by Portland State University.

[lordwow]

Got a Low "C" or so on my exam, but I got the last Wii preorder at GS. Hawt for me, I don't need Philo anyway.

man, philo is kicking my ass too.

[nekobi]

Got to my local EB at roughly 8:30am, there was one other person waiting in thier car, but I decided to stay out in the freezing cold to secure my #1 spot. X3 The guy was actually nice enough to let us in pretty early and got my preorder in for #1. The scary thing was, they only had FOUR preorders available! (I'm assuming it was really 8 and the first 4 went to the employees..but still!) They also had 8 PS3 slots on preorder day. Craziness!

[drfunk85]

Overslept so I didn't get any....looks like I'll be somewhere bright and early on the 19th!

[pinoy530]

I'm number 6 out of 9. The wii actually sold out quicker than the ps3 at my EB. I'm number 1 of 7 for the ps3, but there were two spots left when the store opened at 10. Today, all the spots were gone by 9:50.

[Lan_Zer0]

Number 3/31. Got there at 7 am, it was me and two other guys for one hour, and then people started coming in at around 8am. About 25+ people in line when the store opened up. Still made it to my 10am Physics class.

The manager also handed a list of updated release dates. Wario Ware is 07.

[slipkornotpsu]

I got the store around 9:40 and I was 9th in line. As it got closer to 10 more people started to line up. This is when all the crazy christmas moms showed up. There was also two grandfathers in front of me preordering for their grandsons, which I thought was pretty cool. The store only got 14 preorders so Iwas number 9 on the list yeah.

[sasukekun]

18th outta 8 (4 already reserved by employees) =(

[wjhard63]

Thanks to all the CAG's that broke this news! I just got the e-mail from GameStop about the Wii after I got back from waiting in line for the pre-order, so I wouldn't have known without this board. I was #6 in a line of 14 for the 14 available to non-employees.

Christmas is coming early - midnight at Nov. 19!

[Sgt Grumbles]

So, I set three separate alarms for myself this morning, to make sure that I wouldn't oversleep and miss out on preorders for the Wii (pwii-orders?). As it turns out I only really needed the first alarm as I managed to drag myself out of bed a little before 5:30 am. I showered, dressed, ate and set out for Gamestop at 6:00 am. When I arrived and saw no one lined up at the door, I initially thought I had maybe been a little overeager in arriving so early. Once I parked though I discovered that there were, in fact, other people that arrived there before me. Four of them in fact. They had all agreed to wait in their respective cars until a couple hours before the store would open.

The first person had gotten there around 3:00 am and had been drinking vodka from a bottle in the trunk of his car since he arrived. He continued to do so until a little before 8:00. He was pretty well inebriated by the time the store opened. The second person in line was a teacher from the local high school who had taken the day off. He arrived around 3:30 and was trying to get a Wii for his son's birthday. Numbers 3 and 4 were students from the local high school who arrived at 5:00. Luckily for them, the teacher was more than okay with skipping class for the Wii. For two hours, I was at the end of the line as number 5. My friend showed up at 8:00 and managed to be sixth in line. From that point the line slowly grew until all of the 18 Wiis allocated to the store had been spoken for.

By around 9:30 the Gamestop staff began taking preorders. I've got mine. Now I just have to wait until November 19th. And wait, and wait, and wait.

36 Days 11 Hours 33 Minutes and 28 seconds until Wii Day

[tayaf69]

finally found one! I was number 14 of 14. There was a 100 year old lady in front of me getting it for her grandson. He employee kept telling her to get games and she was like "I need to ask my grandson." He told her that the grandson would be happy with zelda, monkey ball, red steel, etc. She put money down for all of them....Evil gamestop employee and rich and/or stupid gradma!

The employee also tried to get me to buy an extra controller because he told me...quote "it is only coming with the nunchuck. It doesn't come with the remote." What an idiot

[MadFlava]

wtf, was able to get a PS3 no prob! I get there at 945 and there are 20 people in line. I didn't get my wii :cry: Absolutely crazy. What happened to the abundance of Wiis!

I think there was more time for the word to spread about the Wii preorder. I think the info was leaked as early as Tuesday or Weds. The final word on the PS3 preorders came out on 3PM on Monday. Plus people that missed out on PS3 preorders and then seeing the preorder numbers available knew to get there really early.

[Bujdasz]

Dont know why you people are arriving at 5:30 or something becuase i got there 20 minutes before opening and still was #9 out of 15...guess im just lucky. =)

[utopianmachine]

Right now I have it on Excite Truck, but I think I'm going to change it to either Super Monkey Ball, Metal Slug, or Elebits.

Elebits FTW! Seriously, though, the game looks like quirky fun. Katamari, Chibi-Robo-esq. My type of game.


Woohoo! Just sold my FYE preorder on ebay for 600. I was #2 at FYE. That was for 1 wii and 1 zelda. Guess there is some ebayability to these after all.

Has your eBay account been closed yet? From what I hear, it's against eBay's policy to sell something that you can't guarantee will ship within 30 days. God knows we can't even guarantee they'll be in our sweaty hands come November 17th...

Goddamn, I can't sleep at all and I'm getting up in 7 hours for the damn Wii.

I'm so glad to see someone else type about this. I had the hardest time sleeping last night too. Felt like a kid at Christmas. Kept waking up every few hours to check the time. I got up at 5:30, half an hour later than I meant to. But being a girl means I had to get girled up, you know. And long hair is a well-bred female dog to blow dry. Still got to my GameStop by 7:15.

God, this thread has exploded ten pages since last night. I don't even want to know how many more pages will be tacked on when I get home from work. Hefty reading.

[Wolfpup]

I'm sure my stores are out of them. I'm hoping I can just walk in to a store and buy one on launch day. Baring that, I bet there will be decent bundles available online.

Not AS excited about Wii since it dosen't support VGA :(

[Bazz]

Dont know why you people are arriving at 5:30 or something becuase i got there 20 minutes before opening and still was #9 out of 15...guess im just lucky. =)I got really lucky I was their and it was 10:02 I was the last to get one. I was so scared walking up cause so many people their , but my gamestop had like 30 I had no idea they were such a big store.

[DustBoogie]

By 9:00 all 12 people who were going to get a preorder were lined up.. must have been about 25 people by the time 10 o'clock rolled around.

I milled around in the back of the store and got my employee spot once everyone had left. Yay!

[nekobi]

Hey, want to have some wifi action whlie waiting?? Just tell me what games to bring. *charges DSL*

EDIT: I gotta comment on the Boo beanie, its god damn awesome. To be honest, I searched Ebay right away for it.
Check ebay in about 12-24 hours. ;D I'll be making another one!
http://img168.imageshack.us/img168/2702/boobsm5.th.jpg (http://img168.imageshack.us/my.php?image=boobsm5.jpg)

Anyone else have only 4 preorder spots availabe at thier GS/EB? I mean, the store I went to was small...but only FOUR? o.o;

[jollydwarf]

finally found one! I was number 14 of 14

Congratulations!!

Anyone else have only 4 preorder spots availabe at thier GS/EB? I mean, the store I went to was small...but only FOUR? o.o;

8 Wii allotted to store - 4 Wii skimmed by employees = 4 for linesitters.

[nekobi]

finally found one! I was number 14 of 14

Congratulations!!

Anyone else have only 4 preorder spots availabe at thier GS/EB? I mean, the store I went to was small...but only FOUR? o.o;

8 Wii allotted to store - 4 Wii skimmed by employees = 4 for linesitters.
Thought so! Any idea if the employees get first pick, or customers? I'm assuming the employees... =\

[dmaul1114]

Thought so! Any idea if the employees get first pick, or customers? I'm assuming the employees... =\

Employees.

Stores were allowed to set aside 2 PS3s and 4 Wiis for employees.

[jollydwarf]

I have to believe the employees get 'first dibs'. The one I went to (and was successful at) had 8 Wii for consumers. For awhile, all of us in line were wondering if that was before or after the 2 or 4 the employees were probably going to get. Based on the fact that eight of us got preorders and the sly answer from the manager as he arrived, I'd say a couple employees were already hooked up.

(Refrains from uberlame 'eight is enough' jokes.)

Also:

I found it interesting but not at all surprising that there didn't seem to be any other "Wii60" types there besides me. While no one bashed the 360 or Microsoft, everyone seemed pretty ignorant to how Live Arcade works and how points can be purchased. I don't think anyone's pulse quickened even one beat when I brought up Gears of War making that an already crazy weekend for me. These were fanboys, through and through, even if the lack of message board anonymity concealed their true malice.

I was amused by the trend that guys' hair got more stylish the later they showed up after the cutoff point (I had a hooded sweatshirt on and my still-wet hair got fucked up pretty good once I flipped it up). Hell, by the time I was getting ready to place my entire preorder list, an almost dead ringer for Chris Carrabba (Dashboard Confessional...not a fan) amiably strolled right into the bad news. Were these people so late because they have lives or because they think they're too 'cool' to camp for even an hour? Discuss.

[icarwngs55]

Dont know why you people are arriving at 5:30 or something becuase i got there 20 minutes before opening and still was #9 out of 15...guess im just lucky. =)

Yea, you were lucky...I got there at 5 and by 6:30am all 14 spots were taken....they turned away 22 people at 9am

Mike

[biggyfries]

damn!!! went to 3 diffrerent stores, and all sold out. one store opened @ 915, then closed again. well, it looks like i am playing my ds in line on the 18th.

[blueweltall]

I got my wii preordered! I felt so much better today. I was bum out all week for missing the PS3 preorder.

[blue_volvo]

I arrived at the EB in the nearest mall at 9:10 to be number 10 in line out of 13. The 13th person showed up around 9:35 then no one else til 6 or so more thought there would still be pre-orders if they showed up at 10am. Silly them.

The first guy in line supposedly showed up at 7:30. Knowing that, I don't mind the 50 minutes I spent in line to pre-order. Nov 19th can't come soon enough.

[B:L]

8th out of 25 or so.

The first six got there at midnight. The 7th guy got there at 6:30.

I arrived and plunked down at 8. 8-)

[TahoeMax]

#13 outta 30. We had over 40 people in our line by the time the store opened, so a few got sent home. Interesting to note that the manager thought the system came with a classic controller, no wiimote, and no nunchuk. Apparently a Nintendo rep told her this a couple days ago, but i'm taking it with a grain of salt since Nintendo's site says otherwise.

[jfunkdpg]

Got to the store at about 9:50 and was 13th out of 14th in line.

Shit yes.

[jollydwarf]

Anyone who linesat for four hours or less and secured a preorder will come to learn that they got a real time investment bargain come November 18th/19th. Many will disagree, but I honestly believe that.

[silks]

I can report that, in Atlanta, these Gamestops are out of Wii pre-order slots as of 2pm 10/13/2006:

Lenox
Sandy Springs Promenade
Buford Hwy
Perimeter Mall

The Buford Hwy one opened at 10am, and I checked at 10:30am and they were all out. But from what I've heard, quantity was based on sales, and that Gamestop probably doesn't have a lot of sales (like, say, the one based in Lenox Mall would).

[hothitter]

I was told yesterday my store would have 14 units...

I got to said store @ 745am, people had been there since 430am.


I was # 8 in line but there were two couples ahead of me, so i got the #6 system.

What was intresting was the fact that @ 930 a eb employee came out and said " we got an email from corportate, and we're only getting 7"

Whew... just got mine :)

[anderton]

#3 out of fucking 7?!?!?! at Litchfield Park EBGames.

Waited about three and a half hours.

[jollydwarf]

What was intresting was the fact that @ 930 a eb employee came out and said " we got an email from corportate, and we're only getting 7"

I'll bet the email address was hookusupbro@clerksbuds.com.

[Mezmoron]

I was #7 out of 14. The employee said that they got 18, but the employees were allowed to take up to 4. I'm so excited that I got one! I waited for about 3 hours.

Ken

[Lobsterjohnson]

Got there at 10:10 and got the last reserve.

[Tenchi-kun]

Alright, so here's my story...going back to when the email came out yesterday....

So I get the email from GS/EB stating that the preorders started 10/13, confirming everything I'd been reading on CAG up to that point. I'm thinking to myself "Cool, things are all going according to plan..."

I give my wife a call and let her know that I plan on going to GS early to preorder the Wii. She tells me, "OK, so you can take the van and fill it up with gas and take the kindergartener to school." Still, I'm thinking to myself "OK, that should be good. He's got to be at school at 8, so I can make it over to GS about 8:15 or so."

Things suddenly take a turn for the better, as when I get home, I find out that he didn't have to be at school today, as school was out. Score for me! Means I can wake up earlier and get out for the preorder. Then I watch the weather on the late news. They were predicting it was going to be about 25-30 overnight with a chance of frost. Brrr....

So I get up at about 6AM this morning, get ready and head out to get gas in the van and head over to GS. I get there at about 6:45AM and there's 10 people waiting in line already. There was a group of like 4 or 5 kids that looked to be 12-14 years old, along with two mothers with them, and then a 20-something woman with her younger sister, then two guys that looked to be mid to late 20's, and then I came up. I started talking to the two guys in front of me, and they said that the way it was looking, I was the 10th person in line. A few minutes later, a guy who had just gotten off working overnight @ Wal-Mart came up.

After that, it was probably close to 8am before someone else came up, but by 9am, there was close to 25 people waiting in line.

About 9:30, the manager came out and started handing out the preorder list of the games and was counting how many were actually getting one. It ended up that I was #7 in line, because all of the kids at the front were together, and they were only getting one.

At 10:00, the manager opened the doors and started letting people in 5 at a time. I was in the second group of people that went in.

I had enough credit that that I was able to fully pay off the Wii, Need for Speed Carbon and Trauma Center: Second Opinion. I also preordered an extra Wiimote, but I only had $5.28 in credit, so I actually had to pay $4.72, but that's all that I had to pay when I went in. Of course, I forgot to get the extra Nunchuck attachment for the extra Wiimote, along with the Virtual Console controller. I am planning on trading in my gamecube along with a couple more ds games, so I'll use the extra 30% coupon from GameInformer on those trade-in.

All in all, I'd have to say I had a good time. I definitely didn't expect there to be that many people there when I showed up, but then again, I hadn't planned on there being no school today for the public schools either.

Now the countdown to 11-19-06 begins. :lol:

Edit: The main reason why I wanted to go ahead and get it preordered now is because it's going to be a lot colder in November than it was this morning, and I'm not really a big fan of standing out in the cold if I don't have to. ;)

[Billservo]

Anyone who linesat for four hours or less and secured a preorder will come to learn that they got a real time investment bargain come November 18th/19th. Many will disagree, but I honestly believe that.
QFT.

I only waited for 1.5 hours. I figure:

1. Even if stores are giving freebees with a Wii it's probably going to be shite stuff I don't care about.
2. I won't have to drive around looking for which store has some of the ubiquitous Wiis Nintendo is able to reproduce left.
3. It's not oppressively cold now- though I live in AZ so I can't talk :D.

Whatever- worst case I wasted 1.5 hours for nothing.

[mkm1998]

Got to the GameStop in Escondido (Auto Parkway), CA at around 8.30am. There was about 8 people in line before me. Think at the end they said they had about 18 units to sell.

What was interesting was they told us reservations were NOT going in order or by how much you put down. That at midnite launch, it's just going to be first come, first serve. That's because they are only pre-ordering 18 PERIOD. No more launch pre-orders. If they get allocated, they're going to call everyone and warn them that it's first come first serve again.

Ended up preordering the system, Zelda, Truama, Nunchuk, Classic Controller, and 2,000 points. Figured I wanted to get everything I wanted at launch so I didn't have to go anywhere else.

But man, no way to pre-order the component cables, so I'm still gonna have to make that trek eventually.

[judyjudyjudy]

Sad, my bf didn't arrive early in time to get a preorder at the EB by SJSU. That store only had 18, and my bf was like 18th in line, so they cut it off at 3 people in front of him. He went there at 9AM.

[Ikohn4ever]

the whole few preorders is so fishy to me, i dont know Nintendo said it was poppin out the Wiis like crazy and such tiny preorder lots.

so its either eb hoardin to cash in on preorder bundles online, nintendo is not givin them that many, they think Nintendo wont have that many and are being cautious, or they are holdin them to have another preorder who some sort of midnight madness

[silks]

I just called all the other Gamestops in Atlanta and they're all sold out of pre-orders.

[Bananaboi4]

Showed up at 7am for the San Francisco EB, 14 people were in line already and 30 more came afterwards. They gave out 31 preorders. Cant believe so many people came early to preorder. Crazy!

[furyk]

Stopped by at an Ormond Beach EB at 10. There were about twelve-fifteen people in line, but I decided not to wait. I think I'll get a group together to wait over night for the Wii (assuming my Amazon pre-order didn't get cancelled).

[integralsmatic]

dam im thinking of just waiting it out and purchasing one later in the year.......im just tired of going through the system hunt again...atleast this will give me some time to save up and make a mass buy later when things are somewhat available.

[tayaf69]

what controller does the wii come with?

[Diiz]

I got to my local Gamestop at the same time I did for the PS3 (about 8:45am) and there was already a line wrapping around the building. I got in at #23 of allegedly 36 pre-orders. The good news was that the manager said we were numbered in the system, and would be issued consoles based on our place in line today. I asked if this also applied for the PS3, and he said yes. Finally, I met another CAG there (Potato Head) so it turned out to be a decent way to spend a Friday morning.

[Billservo]

What was interesting was they told us reservations were NOT going in order or by how much you put down. That at midnite launch, it's just going to be first come, first serve. That's because they are only pre-ordering 18 PERIOD. No more launch pre-orders. If they get allocated, they're going to call everyone and warn them that it's first come first serve again. I would call corporate and have them confirm that. My EB is telling me that I have 48 hours to get mine (PS3 and Wii).

But man, no way to pre-order the component cables, so I'm still gonna have to make that trek eventually.Same boat. EB didn't have a SKU for it. The guy at my EB was not even aware that you need an extra Wiimote if you buy an extra nunchuck. I think everyone ahead of me that preordered a nunchuck did not get an extra Wiimote.

[Snake2715]

Anyone who linesat for four hours or less and secured a preorder will come to learn that they got a real time investment bargain come November 18th/19th. Many will disagree, but I honestly believe that.

Quoted as I am still on the fence about this thought.. However I thought it was NOT an issue before today..

A few things come into play here.

First the PS3 preorder recently happened and people didnt get in. So the buyers want to be prepared in case of a sellout.

Secondly the PS3 news wasnt leaked as early as the Wii news... I was reading the 13th as early as late Tuesday early Wednesday... So more time to prepare as well as the pS3 shutout.

Thirdly I am thinking EB/Gamestop could do this to build hype for an eventual bundle online.. This way 'we are sold out in stores your last chance to avoid the sellout is preorder our bundle' can become a selling point online.

Time will tell.

[botticus]

what controller does the wii come with?Remote and nunchuk.

[1SwtDeception]

I broke down. Skipped my class and waited about 1.5 hours for the Wii. #5/17.
Should have brought my camera for fun, but a guy from warcry.com took some pictures.

Site: http://www.warcry.com/
Freeezing...

[KiySeph]

I got out of class at 10:30pm, went home and went to sleep at 12:00am. Woke up at 3:00am, took a shower and went to the Cupertino Gamestop (the one in front of the Target) around 3:30am.

It was only 4 people until 7:30am. 25 people were in line at 10:00am. Most of them arrived around the 8:00 - 10:00 window. I was #3 out of the available 11 units. I reserved the system, an extra nunchuk and wiimote, Trauma Center, Red Steel, Zelda, Excite Truck, and Elebits.

Then I hurried onto work which is where I'm currently typing from.

Now that I look at the above sentences, it looks like a math problem...

[Diiz]

Got to the GameStop in Escondido (Auto Parkway), CA at around 8.30am. There was about 8 people in line before me. Think at the end they said they had about 18 units to sell.

What was interesting was they told us reservations were NOT going in order or by how much you put down. That at midnite launch, it's just going to be first come, first serve. That's because they are only pre-ordering 18 PERIOD. No more launch pre-orders. If they get allocated, they're going to call everyone and warn them that it's first come first serve again.

Ended up preordering the system, Zelda, Truama, Nunchuk, Classic Controller, and 2,000 points. Figured I wanted to get everything I wanted at launch so I didn't have to go anywhere else.

But man, no way to pre-order the component cables, so I'm still gonna have to make that trek eventually.

Wow, the esco store is doing a midnight launch? The Temecula manager told us that there was "no way" he'd be doing a midnight launch on the PS3 or the Wii.

[Snake2715]

what controller does the wii come with?

the wii mote and nunchuck attachment... The seperated those two as some only require the remote, as well as the point of you possibly breaking, losing, dog chewing just one portion no need to buy more than whats wanted.

[sonderiaom]

Posted in my little area of the net.

There is a preorder for the New Nintendo console. I decided I want one and instead of waiting with a mob of people when they release it, I would wait with the smaller mob to preorder it. In any case, I get up at 6 and eat some breakfast and throw on some clothes. I check the mall first as it's heated not thinking too many people would be there, but there were already a lot of people there. Instead, I head to Sunset and check there as I was told that they would get more. I show up and they tell me that the guy after me will be the last guy.

A while goes by while we're all bsing when the last guy shows up. I tell him that he's it and he gets happy stating how he's glad he didn't go back to his house to get a sweatshirt. This was at 7:30. After a half hour goes by, a guy shows up but we tell him it's all over, there's no more left. He wishes us good luck and goes on his merry way. A half hour goes by again and another guy shows up and we tell him the same but he waits in line anyway; "doesn't hurt". After that people show up after every 15 minutes and stays, even after we tell them that there is no more. All the while we're all discussing the consoles, playing video games against each other; it was fun. We start seeing people show up and go to the front of the line, cutting in front of us it seems, but when the crunch time came, they left to go somewhere else. A gal from starbucks came around twice and gave us each little shot sized coffees and I gave her 2 bucks tip just for being cool like that. The door opens and we all file in, I'm barely inside and we're still talking games. the 15th person in line, the one who would've been the first without a console, says that he can see the sheet of how many are left and he'll be the last one. Thinking that he didn't realizing that the guy in front of me was preordering for his friend as well, I got kinda sad for him. As it turned out however, 2 people whom we thought were getting a system each were a couple and were only getting one; leaving him a chance to get one. After it became official, we told the people behind him and they started muttering and some left. I then put down my money and told the cashier what I wanted and walked out the door a happy man.

# 16 btw

[Midnite]

Finsihed my mid-term at 9:20, got to GameStop at 9:45, walked away at 10:30 with a pre-order. About 10 people showed up right at 10 to try and secure a Wii, and 2 people were like "WTF, we just want Mortal Kombat."

[Lan_Zer0]

The interesting thing here is that most of this preorder madness is from people actually wanting to play the Wii.

[jollydwarf]

Someone ought to start a Wii information sticky thread here called "Wiikipedia". Or is that incredibly obvious idea already a reality elsewhere?

The interesting thing here is that most of this preorder madness is from people actually wanting to play the Wii.

The only thing that makes me happier than this very accurate assessment is that I will be playing one this November.

[jlindsay26]

tried the two store in Bellingham EB told they had sold out before I got there. Went to Gamestop waited a bit before I found out they were also sold out. I'm just going to try costco at launch.

[Bujdasz]

Finsihed my mid-term at 9:20, got to GameStop at 9:45, walked away at 10:30 with a pre-order. About 10 people showed up right at 10 to try and secure a Wii, and 2 people were like "WTF, we just want Mortal Kombat."
Lmao we also had this guy just walk in and buy a dvd....just so random.

[Tybee]

I got really lucky I was their and it was 10:02 I was the last to get one. I was so scared walking up cause so many people their , but my gamestop had like 30 I had no idea they were such a big store.

Don't take this the wrong way, but I want to smack you "Well, golly, I just rolled out of bed at 9:45 and got one!" people endlessly until your eyes pop out and roll across the floor and get coated with hair and a mouse eats your corneas and a dog bites the dangling stalks and meanwhile a cat is clawing your testicles.

And also I would pee on your eyeballs.

But really. I'm happy for you.

[Bujdasz]

Don't take this the wrong way, but I want to smack you "Well, golly, I just rolled out of bed at 9:45 and got one!" people endlessly until your eyes pop out and roll across the floor and get coated with hair and a mouse eats your corneas and a dog bites the dangling stalks and meanwhile a cat is clawing your testicles.

And also I would pee on your eyeballs.

But really. I'm happy for you.
Lmao I didnt even have to get out of my car 10 mins before the store opened.. I had the luxury of heat!!!

[shrike4242]

Stolen from Slashdot:

This little gamer went to Gamestop.
This little gamer went to EB.
This little gamer got a preorder.
This little gamer got none.
This little gamer cried "Wii Wii Wii" all the way home.

[integralsmatic]

The interesting thing here is that most of this preorder madness is from people actually wanting to play the Wii.

well you would think they would want to play it right? hence the madness.
i mean most of the community here has been waiting two years for it to come out. alot of wallets will be hit but alot of people will be happy. i want to play it too...but im physically too burnt out from work and school to go through the madness. i wouldnt even have any time to put in to the system until later in the year. good luck to all the CAGs who got their pre orders in.

[judyjudyjudy]

Stolen from Slashdot:

This little gamer went to Gamestop.
This little gamer went to EB.
This little gamer got a preorder.
This little gamer got none.
This little gamer cried "Wii Wii Wii" all the way home.
Ugh... :cry:

[Strell]

Stolen from Slashdot:

This little gamer went to Gamestop.
This little gamer went to EB.
This little gamer got a preorder.
This little gamer got none.
This little gamer cried "Wii Wii Wii" all the way home.

...

Punches are in order.

[Javery]

Don't take this the wrong way, but I want to smack you "Well, golly, I just rolled out of bed at 9:45 and got one!" people endlessly until your eyes pop out and roll across the floor and get coated with hair and a mouse eats your corneas and a dog bites the dangling stalks and meanwhile a cat is clawing your testicles.

And also I would pee on your eyeballs.

But really. I'm happy for you.

heh, I'm one of those guys. I rolled up at around 9:40 and was third on line. I actually had to wait 5 minutes longer than Tuesday when I got my PS3 but I was only 4th on line that day. I even made the 10:25 train to the city on both days! ;)

[jzerot1437]

Yeah--I got up and arrived at the mall at around 9:30, and I got one. Guess it's just a perk of living in a smaller town.

[Tybee]

...

Punches are in order.

You hold. I'll swing. We'll do it for about three hours, as that's how long I had to wait before getting the shaft.

heh, I'm one of those guys. I rolled up at around 9:40 and was third on line. I actually had to wait 5 minutes longer than Tuesday when I got my PS3 but I was only 4th on line that day. I even made the 10:25 train to the city on both days! ;)

I think we've found our first contestant.

[afedock]

I was #12 out of 11 so I failed. BUT, my awesome mom went and waited at a store at about 8 30 and got one for me! I love her.

[tayaf69]

nobody really ever talks about Monkey Ball. IGN had a full article on it a couple of days ago and basically said it was amazing (50 mini games is a ton!). That is my number 2 game after Zelda...

[goldeneye64]

The Gamestop I went to opened at 10am. I got there at 9:40 was 21th person on line. They gave out around 30. Cause I was 25th on the list the girl had and there like 5 people on line after me. So I guess the people that worked there were the 1st four on the list. They didnt start to let people in to aroiund 10:30 and turned about 10 people away when I was there. I just preordered the system and Zelda.

I heard the day before they only let 6 people preorder the PS3? That was from someone on the line cause the girl wouldnt say how many they did but said it wasnt many.

[anch]

The GS store I went was ridiclous, but in the good way. :applause: 16 PS3 (didnt know the date, missed it) and 32 Wii.

I got there at 7:10~, counting the seats and ppl, I was #25. But I dont think my memory serves me correctly, I remember I am #16 or 17 on the written list. Preorder extra nunchuck, wiimote, along with LoZ and Trauma Center (first one to place that order, lol)

I got pictures, wait up.

[Ispep Aloc]

I was at the Naperville/Route 59 Ebgames. Got there about 7:45am and there was only 5 other people in line ahead of me. They had 11 preorders there and the manager did a nice job keeping everything organized, as well as some of the early arrivals. I think one or two people were there at around 5:30am. There was this one woman came at about 9:50 and couldn't get a system because all the preorders were done. She was mad because no one called her or her son about the preordering and threatened to cancel all her preorders.

[marten]

Sometimes, I love travelling to the obscure Gamestops. Drove down to the Federal Way GS, went by at 8:45 and saw nobody waiting. Figured I had time to go to the bank and grab a coffee. 9:15, and I ended up being 4th in line. By the time 10am rolled around, the line had grown to 40 people. 32 preorders - 4 for employees = another successful preorder.

[sonderiaom]

tried the two store in Bellingham EB told they had sold out before I got there. Went to Gamestop waited a bit before I found out they were also sold out. I'm just going to try costco at launch.

Heh, I was at the Sunset one. When did you get there?

As well, Costco won't have any at launch. I'll check again in the computers today, but I doubt it.

[Technique]

Anyword on if FYE is really going to be getting them on launch?

[jPoD]

That's not pretty insane. For a top store, that's a pretty shitty turnout.

Because no one camped out? They were sold out of preorders within the hour. BTW, we had 36 total, 32 for customers, 4 for employees. :) I love my mommy.

[bjschre]

I went to the Fox Point Wisconsin EB at 8:30 and ended up #8 in line, glad I got up eariler than I intended because there were only 10 systems for preorder. Now I can rest easy, and with a four day weekend when the system releases I'm set!

[deadite76]

I ended up being number 6 out of 12! Congrats to everyone who was able to get their PO in!

[anch]

http://img107.imageshack.us/img107/1061/dsc00036kh0.th.jpg (http://img107.imageshack.us/my.php?image=dsc00036kh0.jpg) sorry if you have to see a douche in the picture, but thats me and the line infront of me.
http://img483.imageshack.us/img483/1007/dsc00037zq8.th.jpg (http://img483.imageshack.us/my.php?image=dsc00037zq8.jpg)Line after me like a hour later

http://img103.imageshack.us/img103/4635/dsc00039yv9.th.jpg (http://img103.imageshack.us/my.php?image=dsc00039yv9.jpg) Finally going in!! The manager gives the first 32 a price list, those without price list areturned down. But strangely they are still in line for some reason.

Overall, I am very lucky to be in the store with 32 Wii, met some good people like Bwolfson, he treated me a donut.
(http://img103.imageshack.us/my.php?image=dsc00039yv9.jpg)

[Strell]

So long as I'm around here, anyone from Bryan/College Station TX running around in this thread?

I highly doubt it but I thought I'd ask anyway.

[Chokle]

I went by at 6am just to check on lines and there were about 10 people there so I got out and asked if anyone knew how many they were getting, they said 30 so I started to head back to my car to wait for the line to get longer when I overheard some guys trash talking in Mario Kart so I ended up breaking out my DS and really just having fun playing random games with folks.

A guy ahead of me that got a PS3 preorder from the same store said that the lines for the Wii were 100 times more social and fun than the Sony one; he said the Sony one felt like work; real tense and anti-social.

One question: I just ordered the console and Zelda; think it will be necessary to preorder a wii-mote and nun-chuk too? I would imagine those would be plentiful, but stranger things have happened... I'll probably go back and pre-order the controller soon, but if the general consensus is not to bother, I won't make it a priority...

[Javery]

Does anyone know the final specs on the sensor bar? I am really worried about where I'm going to place it. I've got a plasma TV hanging on the wall and right underneath it is the entertainment center. My center speaker is directly below the center of the TV so I really don't know where I'm going to put the sensor bar. I was hoping to rest it on top of the center speaker but I don't know if I can...

[hegemonyhog]

Our Wii preorder was orderly and efficient, and all the systems were claimed by 10:30.

I think the best part was the fact that the clerks weren't BSing us on accessories and games - get your system, reserve what you want, and come back by tomorrow to take advantage of the ridiculous trade-in offers.

Speaking of which, I need to stop by a Circuit City tonight to bargain shop and then head back in...

[Tybee]

So we head to the local Chili's (best burgers around, period) and eat at a very leisurely pace, and I read most of the the USA today.

They're partly to blame for all this madness. I guarantee you the PS3 preorder didn't get a write up US of Fucking A Today.

http://www.usatoday.com/tech/gaming/2006-10-12-wii-preorder_x.htm?csp=34

[jollydwarf]

Hmm...I seem to recall hearing about the PS3 getting similar treatment in USA Today (but obviously not...today).

[Mr.FoodMonster]

Now that I'm seeing all these stories, I'm thinking I probably should've reserved one. A couple friends of mine want to camp out, but the point that someone mentioned of 'It was cold this morning, but it's going to be colder in November.' kinda just hit me. Oh well, I'm a trooper and I think I'll live with camping.

[CheapAssAsian]

even if we dont reserve it, there will be systems available on the launch day no?

[trunks982]

Does anyone know the final specs on the sensor bar? I am really worried about where I'm going to place it. I've got a plasma TV hanging on the wall and right underneath it is the entertainment center. My center speaker is directly below the center of the TV so I really don't know where I'm going to put the sensor bar. I was hoping to rest it on top of the center speaker but I don't know if I can...

i think its 12inches

[jkam]

Does anyone know the final specs on the sensor bar? I am really worried about where I'm going to place it. I've got a plasma TV hanging on the wall and right underneath it is the entertainment center. My center speaker is directly below the center of the TV so I really don't know where I'm going to put the sensor bar. I was hoping to rest it on top of the center speaker but I don't know if I can...

I don't know the final specs but I think its actually going to be pretty small.

[FriskyTanuki]

Got to my EB at 8:30 and there were about 20 guys ahead of me, with the store taking about 28 preorders at that time. Didn't preorder any games since I want to see if Fry's will be putting any good ones on sale before the launch.

[Tybee]

The problem is, I don't have any friends who are gamers. I'm 32 and married and respectable. I suspect most of my friends and neighbors would consider a man of my age playing video games -- especially ones that involve flinging ones arms about like a wounded seagull or David Byrne -- to be A) horribly sad, B) developmentally challenged, C) a pedophile, or D) all of the above. And actively making the choice to set my sorry ass out on the curb on the evening of Nov. 18 is not going to help assuage any of those misgivings. At best, I'll be able to convince my wife to accompany me out of pity. She's indicated her willingness after hearing my tale of woe from this morning. But still...



Aw fuck it. Who wants to be respectable when there is Wii to be had?

[Strell]

i think its 12inches

Yes.

I am.

[Tybee]

Yes.

I am.

Yes, but are you bluetooth compatible?

[Snake2715]

The problem is, I don't have any friends who are gamers. I'm 32 and married and respectable. I suspect most of my friends and neighbors would consider a man of my age playing video games -- especially ones that involve flinging ones arms about like a wounded seagull or David Byrne -- to be A) horribly sad, B) developmentally challenged, C) a pedophile, or D) all of the above. And actively making the choice to set my sorry ass out on the curb on the evening of Nov. 18 is not going to help assuage any of those misgivings. At best, I'll be able to convince my wife to accompany me out of pity. She's indicated her willingness after hearing my tale of woe from this morning. But still...



Aw fuck it. Who wants to be respectable when there is Wii to be had?

put the bandanna on and they may not recognize you.

[Reality's Fringe]

Yes.

I am.

Does it have built in rumble?

[Tybee]

put the bandanna on and they may not recognize you.

I tried that in Tijuana.

It didn't work.

[Wolfpup]

The Wii remote? Yep, it's got rumble...which actually could be very useful judging by how good the "feel" of WarioWare Twisted is on the GBA. I don't like that version a whole lot, but some of the games make it "feel" like you're physically clicking something in to place, which is impressive.

[MSI Magus]

I called around this mourning just on the off chance a store hadnt sold out(didnt want to sit in line at 30 degree weather for 4 hour)and after hearing no everyone as expected I asked them about the low shipment numbers and if they were getting more systems. I also pointed out that its weird that the Wii and PS3 have about the same number of pre orders available despite Nintendo supposedly launching 2 million systems vs Sonys 400k. Most people said they didnt know but one guy said he wasnt supposed to give this info out but they are not supposed to get any more systems in. He said that Nintendo is holding back ALOT of their consoles for the week after launch. They want to launch with numbers similar to Sony then the next week release another flood into the market.

In other words.....if you want a Wii at launch your either SoL or you better get one online.

[Strell]

Yes, but are you bluetooth compatible?

Come now! Wiis don't mix well with teeth.

Does it have built in rumble?

I think everything should have built in rumble.

Like myself.

[Wolfpup]

The problem is, I don't have any friends who are gamers. I'm 32 and married and respectable. I suspect most of my friends and neighbors would consider a man of my age playing video games -- especially ones that involve flinging ones arms about like a wounded seagull or David Byrne -- to be A) horribly sad, B) developmentally challenged, C) a pedophile, or D) all of the above. And actively making the choice to set my sorry ass out on the curb on the evening of Nov. 18 is not going to help assuage any of those misgivings. At best, I'll be able to convince my wife to accompany me out of pity. She's indicated her willingness after hearing my tale of woe from this morning. But still...



Aw fuck it. Who wants to be respectable when there is Wii to be had?


That strikes me as strange. I mean I can see people in their 50s or older, maybe even their 40s (maybe) thinking it was weird, since they don't know what games are. But people our age? I'd assume everyone our age, even if they don't play games, would at least GET what games are, and not think it's weird.

Or maybe just the people camping out are young? (Although the people I saw camping out last year at Best Buy mostly looked a LOT older than me.)

[Tybee]

I called around this mourning just on the off chance a store hadnt sold out(didnt want to sit in line at 30 degree weather for 4 hour)and after hearing no everyone as expected I asked them about the low shipment numbers and if they were getting more systems. I also pointed out that its weird that the Wii and PS3 have about the same number of pre orders available despite Nintendo supposedly launching 2 million systems vs Sonys 400k. Most people said they didnt know but one guy said he wasnt supposed to give this info out but they are not supposed to get any more systems in. He said that Nintendo is holding back ALOT of their consoles for the week after launch. They want to launch with numbers similar to Sony then the next week release another flood into the market.

In other words.....if you want a Wii at launch your either SoL or you better get one online.

That's the biggest load of B.S. I've heard all week. First of all, GS/EB would love everyone to believe they're the only game in town. But they're not. Come launch day, any given BB, WalMart, TRU, Target, Circuit City, you name it will have 3 - 5 times the alottment EB/GS will have (and I am firmly convinced even they will have twice the number they put up on the block this morning). The manager I spoke to this morning said as much. She even said they may do additional preorders.

Despite my frustration with today's events, I am under no illusions that the Wii will be as scarce as I'm sure EB/GS would have us believe. If you make a concentrated effort to get one on Nov. 19, you will get one.

[jollydwarf]

The problem is, I don't have any friends who are gamers. I'm 32

And you may ask yourself..."My God, why am I posting here?"

Really, though, I feel your pain, especially when some totally oblivious 16-year-old offers his remedy for Xbox Live assholes (can I say that word here?) by chiming in with the ol' "That's why I just play with my friends" standby cliche. Of course, he and his friends probably are the assholes we seek to avoid, so...

Damn, the preorder adrenaline is wearing off. Crashing hard.

P.S. Mark me down for defining a "concentrated effort" as involving waiting at least six hours outside a store. No matter who's culpable concerning the shockingly low EBGamestop preorder quantities, it's still going to be a tough ticket opening weekend.

[slipkornotpsu]

I don't think there will be a problem getting on the week of launch, but this is just makes me happy that I don't have to go hunting on launch day. Plus I had credit at EB so that is on of the main reasons I went and preordered today.

[tayaf69]

to be such a cheap ass, I sure am spending a lot on my Wii (no puns intended). Zelda, Monkey Ball, Red Steel, Super Swing Golf, extra $60 controller, HD cables...I better make a fortune on my PS3 ebay sell when the time comes.

[Javery]

That strikes me as strange. I mean I can see people in their 50s or older, maybe even their 40s (maybe) thinking it was weird, since they don't know what games are. But people our age? I'd assume everyone our age, even if they don't play games, would at least GET what games are, and not think it's weird.

Or maybe just the people camping out are young? (Although the people I saw camping out last year at Best Buy mostly looked a LOT older than me.)

I agree - I'm 32 as well and none of my friends play video games but they totally understand me and my obsession. Although the people I was on line with this morning were ALL mothers (late 30s early 40s) waiting to get one for their kid and one made a comment that it would be pathetic if they were actually on line for themselves because video games are a kid's toy or something alogn those lines. Whatever. :roll:

[jollydwarf]

We can debate if Nintendo's withholding consoles and just how many and how hard they're going to work the Short-Term-Shortages-Propel-Long-Term-Sales, but if this console becomes the Holiday '06 'It' item as I could very easily see happening, then the 'where and when' of the console distribution will be academic. Trust me.

EDIT: Moms have their own 'toys', I'm sure. Maybe the Wiimote hits a little too close to home for them.

[Billservo]

The problem is, I don't have any friends who are gamers. I'm 32 and married and respectable. I suspect most of my friends and neighbors would consider a man of my age playing video games -- especially ones that involve flinging ones arms about like a wounded seagull or David Byrne -- to be A) horribly sad, B) developmentally challenged, C) a pedophile, or D) all of the above. And actively making the choice to set my sorry ass out on the curb on the evening of Nov. 18 is not going to help assuage any of those misgivings.
Same here, 31, wife, kids. If I'm lucky I can get my bro to make the 5 hour drive to visit me for the weekend for some gaming. Actually, I'm lucky that I have any time to game at all.

BTW- I had my 3 and 2 year old in line with me this morning for about the last 40 minutes :). They weren't all that into it. Hoping they come around one day.

[botticus]

to be such a cheap ass, I sure am spending a lot on my Wii (no puns intended). Zelda, Monkey Ball, Red Steel, Super Swing Golf, extra $60 controller, HD cables...I better make a fortune on my PS3 ebay sell when the time comes.Oh well, look at it relatively... while someone was talking about how crazy it is to spend $700 to play MGS4 or whatever on PS3, one of the employees was certain he'd end up spending $700 today. And he did. But it net him a console with a full complement of four controller sets, a classic controller, and five games.

[MSI Magus]

That's the biggest load of B.S. I've heard all week. First of all, GS/EB would love everyone to believe they're the only game in town. But they're not. Come launch day, any given BB, WalMart, TRU, Target, Circuit City, you name it will have 3 - 5 times the alottment EB/GS will have (and I am firmly convinced even they will have twice the number they put up on the block this morning). The manager I spoke to this morning said as much. She even said they may do additional preorders.

Despite my frustration with today's events, I am under no illusions that the Wii will be as scarce as I'm sure EB/GS would have us believe. If you make a concentrated effort to get one on Nov. 19, you will get one.

I dont think EB/GS will be the only game in town and in fact I go out of my way to not buy from them when possible. However, even if the full 2 million Wiis are shipped I think its gonna be a bit of a challange or atleast annoying to get one this year. I dont know about you but I DO NOT want to step foot into any retail chain that close to Christmas....especially not for a video game system and especially not for the only system this season thats reasonably priced. How many parents do you think are going to be there hoping to get their hands on a Wii or even a PS3 and settle on a Wii? Personally I think that even if there isnt a shortage there will not be an abundant amount of systems nor will they be pleasent to get.

[tayaf69]

I agree - I'm 32 as well and none of my friends play video games but they totally understand me and my obsession. Although the people I was on line with this morning were ALL mothers (late 30s early 40s) waiting to get one for their kid and one made a comment that it would be pathetic if they were actually on line for themselves because video games are a kid's toy or something alogn those lines. Whatever. :roll:
I'm 21 and in high school my friends never played games, but somehow college has gotten them all addicted. I always thought it would be the other way around...

[Dhuk]

I am not sure if the Wii is popular here. I went to my local EB, and they had were taking pre-orders around 12 pm. Then again, that was the onyl EB that still had them.

[jollydwarf]

I dont know about you but I DO NOT want to step foot into any retail chain that close to Christmas....especially not for a video game system and especially not for the only system this season thats reasonably priced. How many parents do you think are going to be there hoping to get their hands on a Wii or even a PS3 and settle on a Wii? Personally I think that even if there isnt a shortage there will not be an abundant amount of systems nor will they be pleasent to get.

True that!...

http://shockingbird.com/glomer2/members/upload/double_true_narnia_rap.jpg

(<<<Shameless about referencing long-expired, way played-out pop culture jokes.)

[dmaul1114]

to be such a cheap ass, I sure am spending a lot on my Wii (no puns intended). Zelda, Monkey Ball, Red Steel, Super Swing Golf, extra $60 controller, HD cables...I better make a fortune on my PS3 ebay sell when the time comes.


I did quite good at being a cheap as and getting what I wanted.

I reserved the Wii, and extra wiimote and nunchuk and Zelda. After store credit from trade ins, and cash from selling a couple games online, my after tax out of pocket cost was $61.61.

I bought another back of recharable Nihm batteries at Target for $10.49 after tax to have some that can stay in my Wimotes.

So that puts me up to 72.10 out of pocket. Only thing left to buy is an S-video cable, so it's looking like $85-100 out of pocket for me to get everything I wanted for launch. Not to shabby.

[Tybee]

Same here, 31, wife, kids. If I'm lucky I can get my bro to make the 5 hour drive to visit me for the weekend for some gaming. Actually, I'm lucky that I have any time to game at all.

BTW- I had my 3 and 2 year old in line with me this morning for about the last 40 minutes :). They weren't all that into it. Hoping they come around one day.

The sad thing is, my one friend who does still play video games actually does fit a lot of those stereotypes, as he's 31 and still lives with his parents. In all other respects, a really nice normal guy. But I look at him and think, "God, I hope no one thinks I'm like that." :roll: But my wife is very understanding about it an will occasionally try to play, such as on Lego SW. The only game she became certifiably addicted to was Animal Crossing for the GCN, however.

One of the reasons I really want to get a Wii the week of launch is so I can take it down to the big reunion my family is having Thanksgiving weekend and see my parents and my uncles and aunts actually have a go. I think that would be great. And my brother will be flying in from L.A., and we usually wear out a few games when he's in town.

[MSI Magus]

I agree - I'm 32 as well and none of my friends play video games but they totally understand me and my obsession. Although the people I was on line with this morning were ALL mothers (late 30s early 40s) waiting to get one for their kid and one made a comment that it would be pathetic if they were actually on line for themselves because video games are a kid's toy or something alogn those lines. Whatever. :roll:

Those people were lucky it was you not me. Id have first said mam if your gonna insult someone then insult me directly not through your snobish friend. THen id have said besides id rather be an adult that plays video games then a snobish judgemental bitch.

[MSI Magus]

The sad thing is, my one friend who does still play video games actually does fit a lot of those stereotypes, as he's 31 and still lives with his parents. In all other respects, a really nice normal guy. But I look at him and think, "God, I hope no one thinks I'm like that. :roll: But my wife is very understanding about it an will occasionally try to play, such as on Lego SW. The only game she became certifiably addicted to was Animal Crossing for the GCN, however.

One of the reasons I really want to get a Wii the week of launch is so I can take it down to the big reunion my family is having Thanksgiving weekend and see my parents and my uncles and aunts actually have a go. I think that would be great. And my brother will be flying in from L.A., and we usually wear out a few games when he's in town.

Try finding something she likes and playing it with her as a wind down before bed. Its worked amazingly with my fiancee. Before she would randomly pick up a game like Brain Age or animal Crossing and be addicted for a week or two then not touch a game for a few months. We decided recently to cuddle up together and play KH before bed for an hour or two as a wind down....right after finishing she wanted to start KH2. She loved the games, but loved the time we spent too. Its been a great thing.

Heheh plus I get credit for spending time with her...while not having to put down a controller!

[Tybee]

Those people were lucky it was you not me. Id have first said mam if your gonna insult someone then insult me directly not through your snobish friend. THen id have said besides id rather be an adult that plays video games then a snobish judgemental bitch.

I would have gone with, "You know, that attitude is precisely why you're here and your husband's at work giving it long and hard to Jenny in accounting."

And THEN I would have told them about the vibrating Wang-mote.

[MSI Magus]

I would have gone with, "You know, that attitude is precisely why you're here and your husband's at work giving it long and hard to Jenny in accounting."

And THEN I would have told them about the vibrating Wang-mote.

That would have been my B comment. If she got an attitude thats when id have made a comment like that or found something like her ass which I knew would be a sore subject. Personal attacks are low...thus I keep them back up ;)

[Tybee]

Try finding something she likes and playing it with her as a wind down before bed. Its worked amazingly with my fiancee. Before she would randomly pick up a game like Brain Age or animal Crossing and be addicted for a week or two then not touch a game for a few months. We decided recently to cuddle up together and play KH before bed for an hour or two as a wind down....right after finishing she wanted to start KH2. She loved the games, but loved the time we spent too. Its been a great thing.

Heheh plus I get credit for spending time with her...while not having to put down a controller!

That's actually a good idea. I'll try that with Lego Star Wars II tonight. No better prelude to sweet, sweet lovin'.

;)

[kell]

BTW- I had my 3 and 2 year old in line with me this morning for about the last 40 minutes

You brave, brave man...

[MSI Magus]

That's actually a good idea. I'll try that with Lego Star Wars II tonight. No better prelude to sweet, sweet lovin'.

;)

Hope it works. My fiancee actually loves them and the time together so much that we are going to get matching KH tattoos. For some time we have wanted to get a tattoo that links the two of us together but we didnt just want to get our names and wanted it to be something special. We were thinking Nightmare Before Christmas but she hates that its so popular nowdays(I dont mind)so that went out. After playing the two KH's together she now has suprised the hell out of me by saying she wants to get a Sora with my name under it and the words my sanctuary above it. Could have knocked me over with a feather.

[Tybee]

Hope it works. My fiancee actually loves them and the time together so much that we are going to get matching KH tattoos. For some time we have wanted to get a tattoo that links the two of us together but we didnt just want to get our names and wanted it to be something special. We were thinking Nightmare Before Christmas but she hates that its so popular nowdays(I dont mind)so that went out. After playing the two KH's together she now has suprised the hell out of me by saying she wants to get a Sora with my name under it and the words my sanctuary above it. Could have knocked me over with a feather.

Wow. That's hardcore. We're not tattoo people, but we're big Miami Ink fans, so make sure you get it done there so we can all see it go down. ;)

Don't know if you'll find this encouraging or just proving your fiancee's point, but I have a Jack Skellington head decal on my rear windshield. Although I got it in Italy, so it's not like I half-assed it down at the Disney Store. ;)

[MSI Magus]

Wow. That's hardcore. We're not tattoo people, but we're big Miami Ink fans, so make sure you get it done there so we can all see it go down. ;)

Don't know if you'll find this encouraging or just proving your fiancee's point, but I have a Jack Skellington head decal on my rear windshield. Although I got it in Italy, so it's not like I half-assed it down at the Disney Store. ;)

Well I know its commercial....I mean just walk into any place that goth, punk or just general outcasts hang out and every single one of them will have something NBC....and Hot Topic and other commercial punk places always have tons of NBC stuff.

I just personally dont care if its commerical or not. Something going commercial doesnt make it bad....just makes people that follow it mindlessly idiots.

[shadowknight]

A guy ahead of me that got a PS3 preorder from the same store said that the lines for the Wii were 100 times more social and fun than the Sony one; he said the Sony one felt like work; real tense and anti-social.



Does this surprise you?? 90% of the people preordering the PS3 ARE working... damn EBAY sellers!!

[rscaramelo]

The problem is, I don't have any friends who are gamers. I'm 32 and married and respectable. I suspect most of my friends and neighbors would consider a man of my age playing video games -- especially ones that involve flinging ones arms about like a wounded seagull or David Byrne -- to be A) horribly sad, B) developmentally challenged, C) a pedophile, or D) all of the above. And actively making the choice to set my sorry ass out on the curb on the evening of Nov. 18 is not going to help assuage any of those misgivings. At best, I'll be able to convince my wife to accompany me out of pity. She's indicated her willingness after hearing my tale of woe from this morning. But still...



Aw fuck it. Who wants to be respectable when there is Wii to be had?

I'm 33 with 2 kids and no gamer friends too. The wife doesn't get my gaming stuff. I'm stuck playing in the basement at around 11pm when everyone is sleeping. Most of my friends are into things that require visits to Home Depot, I go to GameStop.

Sounds like we should start our own support group.

RC

[eraser813]

YES!!! I'm glad there are other adult gamers here in the same situation as me. I'm about 10 years older than Tybee and Rscaramelo with 3 kids. Thank goodness 2 of them play video games! My friends do know to come to me if they want any info on good electronics. I'm usually everyone's tech support guy.
To stay on topic, I got my WII preorder in today. 7th out of 12.

[jollydwarf]

Interesting side anecdote from my preorder waiting experience: the Alltel store next to the Gamestop apparently was having a big meeting at 9 or so. A bunch of twenty and thirty-something white guys (who by and large looked like frat guys still trying to adjust to not wearing rugby shirts and backwards baseball caps) marched in, none of them seeming to know what a Wii was and most of them not even acknowledging us. While there were only a handful of very harmless-looking fellow Caucasians waiting in this line, our presence seemed to make them uncomfortable.

A few minutes later a very pleasant and pretty black woman shows up in her business attire and, with a very genuine smile, asks us "So what game is comin' out today, guys?" We explained it was the Wii, and she said something sincere like "Good luck!" and entered her store. Not an ounce of condescension or pretense. I could spell out to you what I took from all that, but you draw your own conclusions.

[Tybee]

Well I know its commercial....I mean just walk into any place that goth, punk or just general outcasts hang out and every single one of them will have something NBC....and Hot Topic and other commercial punk places always have tons of NBC stuff.

I just personally dont care if its commerical or not. Something going commercial doesnt make it bad....just makes people that follow it mindlessly idiots.

Well, in the case of NBC, I feel like it's something that, at it's core, has a heart, no matter how much they've figured out how to capitalize on it over a decade after the fact. I would even extend that out for Disney as a whole: For all its crass commercialism, there's a heart there, a grain of something worthwhile, and THAT is why it continues to engage so many people. At least I hope so.

And to drag this thread somewhat back on topic, I think that's why a lot of us still love Nintendo as much as we do. I think someone previously in the thread mentioned how this morning felt FUN, even for those of us who wound up with bupkiss. Compare this to reports of the PS3 lineup, which sounded more like a line for a hernia check. Lots of edgy looking people making as little eye contact as possible.

It was discussed at our line this morning: Nintendo is fun and brings people together in a real way (or at least tries to), as opposed to Sony and Microsoft, which seem content to come up with new ways for people to assault each other. One guy kept saying, "I don't know why it makes me happy to think that Nintendo is going to make SO MUCH MONEY, but it just does." And we all agreed that the now very real possibility of Nintendo reclaiming the top spot this generation was a sign of hope and goodness in the world.

Reading back over that, I'm surprised none of us got our asses kicked this morning.

[io]

Got my preorder done, but - d'oh - both me and the manager forgot my Edge card scan when trading in some games at the same time. I turned around and went back when I realized this but he didn't want to void and redo the entire transaction. So now I have to go back in this weekend and trade some stuff and get a $5 extra bonus to make up for it.

Oh well, at least I got the preorder in. I couldn't think of what else to get (already had Zelda and Elebits preordered) so I got a Wiimote. I held off on the classic controller as I'm hoping for the bundle like Japan has. I also held off on a second Nunchuck because I figure most of the multiplayer games (Wii Sports and Elebits in particular) won't use the Nunchuck (I don't think the second player in Elebits needs it).

There was a fairly substantial line - I was VERY surprised. They sold out within 1/2 hour of opening. The manager was convinced it is a Nintendo plot to create a false shortage so they can be like Sony and proclaim a sellout of preorders. This store had 8 PS3's and 14 Wii's for what it's worth.

Oh, and another surprise - most of the people in line were considerably older than me. And I'm 38! It was wierd, it was either 40's and up, or teenagers. No 20-somethings to be seen (ie, most of CAG).

[Poopfacedoo]

Gather round kids, I got me a story to tell.


I get to Ebgames at around 9:30 a.m. to about a crowd of 13 people. The crowd ranges between moms, children in hand, the fanboys, and some college guys. So everyone is in some faux line, more of a jumble, near the door. The manager is outside chatting it up with some curious moms. Now, at around 9:55 am the line starts to take shape. A kid, about 11 years old, and his mom walk into the line ahead of me. No big deal. I'll let an excited kid in front of me. Soon enough more people cut in front of me. By the end of the thing Im number 17 with only 16 slots. To say the least I was a tiny smidge angry at the crowd but more than a lot'a smidge angry at myself for not saying a word. Oh well, guess I can try Target or CC.


Now that, thats vented I have a question. Is there a way to get my Trade-In Credit into cash? Say I buy a bunch of games and return them with a gift recipt, would they give me another card or money?

[loserboy]

Well, to drag the thread further away from topic--

My 40th birthday is in two weeks, I'm married with two kids, luckily I hang with the ubergeek adult crows (we all have PS2s, DSs, 360s) and we regularly get together for Halo or some other such thing...BUT

I teach 7th and 8th grade in Chicago, left my school during my prep and managed to snag the LAST preorder of the Wii today at about 10:30 this morning. I also plan on "cough-cough" being sick on November 20th...me, Zelda my wife at work, my kids at school, my substitute handling 31 14 year old kids, and me sitting on my fat 40 year old ass playing videogames...ahhh...

[MSI Magus]

Well, in the case of NBC, I feel like it's something that, at it's core, has a heart, no matter how much they've figured out how to capitalize on it over a decade after the fact. I would even extend that out for Disney as a whole: For all its crass commercialism, there's a heart there, a grain of something worthwhile, and THAT is why it continues to engage so many people. At least I hope so.

And to drag this thread somewhat back on topic, I think that's why a lot of us still love Nintendo as much as we do. I think someone previously in the thread mentioned how this morning felt FUN, even for those of us who wound up with bupkiss. Compare this to reports of the PS3 lineup, which sounded more like a line for a hernia check. Lots of edgy looking people making as little eye contact as possible.

It was discussed at our line this morning: Nintendo is fun and brings people together in a real way (or at least tries to), as opposed to Sony and Microsoft, which seem content to come up with new ways for people to assault each other. One guy kept saying, "I don't know why it makes me happy to think that Nintendo is going to make SO MUCH MONEY, but it just does." And we all agreed that the now very real possibility of Nintendo reclaiming the top spot this generation was a sign of hope and goodness in the world.

Reading back over that, I'm surprised none of us got our asses kicked this morning.

Ya, it does have heart...and its just quality besides. Honestly if something is good thats all that matters. I got cracked on for liking alot of the stuff I like, especially if people get ahold of my MP3 player. I'v become friends with a kid in my speach class because his speed reading class is an hour wait just like my Soc class. While sitting and talking last Wensday he asked what was on my MP3 player and when I told him I had everything from underground hip hop like Atmosphere to country to old metal like pantera to newer pop like Kelly Clarkson he burst out laughing and started making jokes. I get that alot and it really makes no sense to me, I mean it does because people are mindless drones that fit themselves into roles they force themselves to live in....but I mean I cant understand how they cant recognize it and move on.

If something has heart, or if its just good it doesnt matter if its commerical or not.

That said Nintendo is a great example. They do have that heart and they were commerical and hopefully will be again. But you know, if they put out the same quality it shouldnt matter. Iv loved them since I was in first grade and will continue as long as they put out quality. Now with THAT said, while Sony is getting far too arrogant they ARE putting out quality(not hardware but software)so ill eventually have to grudging support them too.

[Tybee]

I teach 7th and 8th grade in Chicago, left my school during my prep and managed to snag the LAST preorder of the Wii today at about 10:30 this morning. I also plan on "cough-cough" being sick on November 20th...me, Zelda my wife at work, my kids at school, my substitute handling 31 14 year old kids, and me sitting on my fat 40 year old ass playing videogames...ahhh...

The new plan: SOME Children Left Behind

[MSI Magus]

Gather round kids, I got me a story to tell.


I get to Ebgames at around 9:30 a.m. to about a crowd of 13 people. The crowd ranges between moms, children in hand, the fanboys, and some college guys. So everyone is in some faux line, more of a jumble, near the door. The manager is outside chatting it up with some curious moms. Now, at around 9:55 am the line starts to take shape. A kid, about 11 years old, and his mom walk into the line ahead of me. No big deal. I'll let an excited kid in front of me. Soon enough more people cut in front of me. By the end of the thing Im number 17 with only 16 slots. To say the least I was a tiny smidge angry at the crowd but more than a lot'a smidge angry at myself for not saying a word. Oh well, guess I can try Target or CC.


Now that, thats vented I have a question. Is there a way to get my Trade-In Credit into cash? Say I buy a bunch of games and return them with a gift recipt, would they give me another card or money?

Wow dont see how you could let that happan. A few people with kids ya....but man to let 16 people cut in front of you. My ass would have been sitting AGAINST the door to make no mistakes im first in line.

[loserboy]

The new plan: SOME Children Left Behind


Only for a day...besides my students are ecstatic they have a teacher who is addicted to videogames....

[Bujdasz]

I dont understand where you guys find these type of friends that dont share the same interest as you. All my life every single one of my friends is as greatly into gaming as me. I also go to school for Game Developent and i have guys twice as older as me in class. you have to realize that "adults" or moms can say what they want becuase gaming is a enormous industry and anyone in the gaming industry has made way more money than those that work normal jobs. Making great money and playing games your entire life...It doesnt get any better.