The State Of Wii Preorders

1up has a hilarious article up looking at the state of Wii Preorders across the U.S.. Despite the fact that preorders began (and likely ended) this morning at EBs and Gamestops across the country, the employees of the megalithic game store were less than fully prepared. From the article: "WEST VIRGINIA: GameStop #1330: 'We don't know. I mean, we're gonna be doing reserves. We're just waiting for them to tell us we can.' WISCONSIN: EB Games #4626: 'It looks more like we'll just sell that one. Because there will be 2 to 4 million units available on launch day, and EB/GameStop will be getting 70% of them that first come first serve would be doable. Even a smaller store like ours could be getting upwards of 50 units day one.' WYOMING: EB Games #4294: 'Any day now, man. Any day now.'" Despite my wife's best efforts, I missed out on a preorder by three people in line. Stupid cross-country trips.

Monday for Canadian Wii preorders

[Frag-A-Muffin]

I went into EB today (I live in Canada), and they said they're doing pre-orders for PS3 and Wiis on Monday morning. You can only get 1 system. Not one of each, they're making you chose!

You need $50 in trade-in credit or $200 cash down.

They're expecting a line up too.

My question: WTF?! :) I don't remember having to line up for a pre-order. Isn't that what a pre-order is suppose to prevent?!? The need to line up on launch day!

This is getting a little out of hand. What's next? The Wii2 launch will require you to line up to get a # so that you can line up to pre-order, and then line up again to pick up on launch day?!

Problem is, I was going to maybe pre-order a PS3 to sell on ebay :) Use that money to buy a Wii! But now they're only letting me pre-order 1 of the systems! Grrr ... I might have to take a risk and get the PS3 anyways, in hopes that I'll be able to find a launch party line up the night before the Wii launch. Afterall, there's supposed to be a lot more Wiis right?!

Re:Not certain about the Wii

[Anonymous Coward]

Zelda: Twilight Princess. The gamecube version won't hit until a month later.

Trauma Center.

Others I'm more, or less, interested in seeing how they turn out: Red Steel. Elebits. Rayman.

Pretty organized

[ShadowsHawk]

I opted for the mall since there was an EB and a Gamestop (and it's indoors). Despite getting there at 9:15, there were lines of over 30 people for each. While I was walking up to the first shop, the manager came out and announced that they would only have 14 units. I hopped back in car and decided to stop by a Gamestop that is on the way back to my house. There was ten people in line already. A few minutes later, the manager came out with donuts and told everyone that they would have 14 units. Very organized over all. They were pressing hard on the pre-ordering of accessories, but that was to be expected. The only confusion was from parents waiting in line. The gentleman behind me knew that his son wanted a Wii, but he had no idea on what it was or what to purchase with it.

Wii: $50
Remote: $10
Zelda TP: $5
Classic controller: $10

Uh.. Zelda?

[xenocide2]

I guess some people have a fascination with serial input busses, but for the rest of us, Zelda on launch is like candy for breakfast.

You're right though: a lot of the other titles are widely ported mass market games. But many of them seem to be somewhat modified -- the Wii version of Madden allows you to use the motion sensor to control the gameplay. Ubisoft is making a racing game using the remote. They put out a plastic steering wheel and you put the remote in it, at which point it can detect you turning it one way or the other. Tom Clany's double agent is well anticipated, but many people I think would rather get it now on another platform than wait a month for the Wii version. There's also Trauma Center, a Wii exclusive and definately not a game that surrounds itself with the familiar; it's a surgery simulation game.

Re:Three reasons

[ivan256]

Where did you get the $50M from? $50 down on 1M units? My understanding is that Gamestop has 3200 stores, which, if each sells 30 pre-orders is roughly 100k units. That knocks your estimate down by an order of magnitude.

Somewhere else in this thread are people claiming that EB/Gamestop are getting 60% of the initial shipment of 2 million units; small stores would be getting 15-30 units. Larger stores in big cities would presumably get many times that.

Obviously, if that is incorrect my point is based on a flawed assumption.

Re:Monday for Canadian Wii preorders

[MrJynxx]

Here's a tip for Canadian's pre-ordering the Wii.

GOTO ZELLERS!!!

Believe it or not Zellers has been quietly doing Wii pre-orders. I ordered mine on the 6th and just recieved a call from Zellers headoffice asking for the date of purchase because the person forgot to put the date of purchase in their book (they could of checked the receipt but i'm sure a call was easier).. But anyways, that followup call confirms I'll have it on the 19th..

Cout your local Zellers and they may have some avail, I think it was 15 per store.. Good luck!

MrJynxx