Post by: Jonnyboy117 on October 12, 2006, 09:55:28 AM
Gamestop/EB Games has just announced that they will begin accepting Wii pre-orders at their U.S. retail stores starting Friday, October 13th. These pre-orders will be registered on a first-come, first-serve basis, and a $50 deposit is required (this deposit amount can come from cash, credit, or trade).
You can also trade in 3 Xbox/PS2/GameCube/DS/PSP games and get $10 extra credit towards reservation of a Wii, or get 20% more trade-in value for games traded in towards a purchase of a Wii console or the Wii version of Legend of Zelda: Twilight Princess.
EB Games Canada will begin taking Wii pre-orders on Monday, October 16th. For a reservation you either have to pay $200 CDN in cash/credit, or trade in $50 CDN worth of games.
For both countries there is a limit of 1 reservation per household.
Note that this round of pre-orders are for Gamestop/EBGames' retail stores ONLY - online pre-ordering will take place "at a later date". They strictly state that a reservation does not guarantee receipt of a system, saving themselves from customer heat like they had last year when they wound up taking more Xbox 360 pre-orders than they could fill.
Post by: Ian Sane on October 12, 2006, 10:12:26 AM
"They strictly state that a reservation does not guarantee receipt of a system, saving themselves from customer heat like they had last year when they wound up taking more Xbox 360 pre-orders than they could fill."
It's like that Seinfeld episode where they reserved his rental car but couldn't give it to him because they ran out of cars. "But the reservation holds the car here."
Post by: vudu on October 12, 2006, 10:17:30 AM
Agent: Yes, we do, unfortunately we ran out of cars.
Jerry: But the reservation keeps the car here. That's why you have the reservation.
Agent: I know why we have reservations.
Jerry: I don't think you do. If you did, I'd have a car. See, you know how to take the reservation, you just don't know how to *hold* the reservation and that's really the most important part of the reservation, the holding. Anybody can just take them.
Post by: Smash_Brother on October 12, 2006, 10:37:04 AM
Still, better a relatively warm october than the dead of NH winter November...
Post by: couchmonkey on October 12, 2006, 10:55:02 AM
I suspect they will honour the reservations, they are probably just covering their butts in case Nintendo shorts them between now and November 19th.
Post by: Rhoq on October 12, 2006, 10:55:30 AM
Post by: Jonnyboy117 on October 12, 2006, 11:28:29 AM
With one million units on launch day, WHAT IS THE POINT OF PRE-ORDERING? It makes plenty of sense for GameStop/EB (they get some money early and lock down a sale, possibly also offload some bundled junk), but it makes no sense for the consumer. No one who wants a Wii should have any trouble finding one on launch day. I will be at my local Wal-Mart on midnight of the launch day and will get my system as soon or sooner than anyone who forks over fifty bucks to GameStop now, and I won't have to buy any extra crap with it if I don't want to.
Post by: vudu on October 12, 2006, 11:35:03 AM
Post by: Smash_Brother on October 12, 2006, 11:59:54 AM
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Originally posted by: Jonnyboy117 I will be at my local Wal-Mart on midnight of the launch day and will get my system as soon or sooner than anyone who forks over fifty bucks to GameStop now
No offense, Johnny, but you just answered your own question. :P
I'd prefer not to be standing outside of a Wal-Mart at midnight, listening to the unmistakable sound of my nether regions freezing over.
Of course, if you live in Alabama, you won't have the temperature issue, but for those of us who live in the frozen wastes, I'll pick it up at 10 the next morning.
Post by: Karl Castaneda #2 on October 12, 2006, 12:06:01 PM
Like Jonny, I don't see much point in pre-ordering. I won't be there at midnight, though - don't get me wrong. I'll be swinging by my neighborhood GameStop after school, and get to playing Twilight Princess soon afterward. 1 Million Wiis in the U.S. + Miami's Usual Apathy for Video Games = Easy Times on Launch Day.
Post by: Smash_Brother on October 12, 2006, 12:09:39 PM
I have $580 in store credit at GS, and that's with RedSteel, Zelda and Excite Truck all paid off already. I'll be paying off the Wii and 3 controllers tomorrow so I can literally spend under 2 minutes in the store.
Like I said, it just makes far more sense for me.
Post by: Caliban on October 12, 2006, 12:10:54 PM
However if the FS closest to me (it's in an open area) will be having preorders I might actually put some cash down for the Wii, but even if they don't I think I have a really high chance of getting a Wii and everything else right from the get-go/day one.
Post by: Jonnyboy117 on October 12, 2006, 12:51:50 PM
Under two minutes in the store? I doubt that will be the case if you get there at midnight. You won't be the only one there to pick things up, so you'll have to stand in line and wait for the retail process to churn through...which is exactly what I'll be doing at Wal-Mart, too.
Better hope your EB or GameStop is open at midnight or you could be waiting nearly twelve hours to pick up the system, pre-order or not.
Post by: Caliban on October 12, 2006, 01:14:47 PM
It would pretty cool if they would do a midnight launch for the Wii, I would be first in line for such an occasion.
Post by: NWR_Lindy on October 12, 2006, 01:25:11 PM
I'll still swing by Gamestop tomorrow morning, since I have $100 credit there.
Post by: Smash_Brother on October 12, 2006, 01:53:04 PM
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Originally posted by: Jonnyboy117Under two minutes in the store? I doubt that will be the case if you get there at midnight. You won't be the only one there to pick things up, so you'll have to stand in line and wait for the retail process to churn through...which is exactly what I'll be doing at Wal-Mart, too.
I mean the next day, not at midnight.
I don't think GS will be having a midnight sale, but if they are, it'll still go faster with the preorder.
Besides, like I said, I have a pile of store credit already.
Post by: Bloodworth on October 12, 2006, 04:56:01 PM
Post by: Svevan on October 12, 2006, 05:02:57 PM
Post by: Smash_Brother on October 12, 2006, 05:09:53 PM
Post by: Djunknown on October 12, 2006, 05:46:26 PM
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With one million units on launch day, WHAT IS THE POINT OF PRE-ORDERING?
Smash Brother pretty much answered this question. I'll be doing something similiar, trade my 'Cube w/GB Player, 2 controllers, 2 memory cards, S-Video and Component cables (Will GS accept them?) and 9 games. For a broke bum like me, that should be bring the Wii down to at least half price.
Though it begs the question: Which is the better deal (Somewhat rhetorical because of GS lowballing trade values by default...) extra $10 for every three games or the extra 20% per game?
Post by: Adramalech on October 12, 2006, 06:00:03 PM
Quote
Originally posted by: Silks
Here in Atlanta, the only problem with waiting in line on a Saturday night in November is that I may get arrested for public drunkenness. Temperature is the least of my worries.
I'll still swing by Gamestop tomorrow morning, since I have $100 credit there.
Just thought of this after your post. The Wii launch is two days after my 21 birthday. This should be the best birthday ever, regardless of me buying my own present.
Post by: Jonnyboy117 on October 12, 2006, 06:46:30 PM
One. Million. Units.
Post by: ShyGuy on October 12, 2006, 06:55:22 PM
Post by: NWR_Lindy on October 12, 2006, 08:15:51 PM
Evan, there are plenty of places in L.A. where I'd love to be at midnight. Just not Wal-Mart. ;-)
Post by: Svevan on October 12, 2006, 08:53:26 PM
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Evan, there are plenty of places in L.A. where I'd love to be at midnight.
Sure, your clandestine love affairs with Jonny are well documented.
Post by: Smash_Brother on October 12, 2006, 08:56:00 PM
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Originally posted by: Jonnyboy117
I can understand why you'd want to buy a Wii at GameStop if you have a lot of store credit, but you still probably don't need to pre-order a system to get it on launch day at one of those stores.
Come time, I'd probably line up, frozen nuts and all, to get one at midnight because I will have been waiting for it for that much longer.
It's more an issue of $$$ for me than anything, not really fear of not getting one.
Post by: KDR_11k on October 12, 2006, 10:20:28 PM
Post by: Spak-Spang on October 13, 2006, 06:17:09 AM
Its not like supply is going to be so limited you can't get one.
Post by: UltimatePartyBear on October 13, 2006, 02:57:23 PM
