Topic: E3 Best Buy Demo Locations Revealed

[Ian Sane]

The timeframe is really limiting and odds are the BC location will be in Vancouver which is a little out of the way for me to make a special trip.  If it was the Abbotsford Best Buy that would be perfect as that is like two minutes from my house.

A downloadable demo would be way better though if they feel the need to limit the timeframe of availability the download option would probably run into problems with too many people trying to download it at once.  But why even limit the demo?  So people can play the demo months before the game comes out.  So what?  Games like FFVII and MGS2 had demos shipped in earlier games months before release and those had no negative affect on the sales.  If anything they just built up MORE hype.  With the Wii U having jack **** to play right now, these demos would attract a lot of attention from the existing userbase.  Out of necessity they would play the crap out of them and, if they liked the game, would be chomping at the bit when the full game came out later.  But Nintendo probably thinks that people will get BORED of the demo and thus lose interest in the game, and they are the only company in the entire world that thinks that.  The demo model has worked wonders for decades.

because E3 demos don't show the game in any semblance of a completed state

Most demos of any sort are released before the game is finished so typically it wouldn't matter.  But then there have been E3 demos where if you fall into a pit the game has to be reset because they have not put in the way to get out yet.  These Best Buy demos are going to be supervised by Nintendo staff that can help out if some demo breaking bug gets found.  That's a good point.  A publicly released demo needs a certain amount of QA that a supervised demo does not and Nintendo might not consider that worth the cost.  At an E3 demo you can just tell the players "don't go in that room or the game will crash".

[Vrgin X]

Lynnwood,huh? Considering that the majority of the Best Buys in my state are on the West side of the Cascade Curtain (Yakima and Kennawick only locations on my side), seems Eastern Washington gamers (like everything else) get the shaft once again.

[broodwars]

Well, look at that: Nintendo's not bringing the E3 demos to the Orlando area. Really, why would you want to bring your demos for your failing console to one of the biggest tourist destination areas in the world?  ::)   Granted, it's Best Buy, but it's not like we're a small town here.

In any case, this looks like yet another empty gesture from Nintendo. Outside a handful of folks on the internet, people are NOT going to be driving for hours to another city it not another STATE to play E3 demos for games that were supposed to be out by now, and that's assuming they even know this is happening. And if people can't play your demos and your demos are barely even available at the few locations that will have them, what's the ****ing point of making a big deal about this?

Just another Wii U failure to add to the list. I think I have my card almost filled out here, & then I get a free small ice cream cone w/ the purchase of a New Super Mario Bros. expansion pack!  :P: :

[ShyGuy]

They want Handlers to be their.  That is the only reason to put the time limit on them.

There are only 110 Nintendo Ninjas in the clan serving Lord Yamauchi

[Hail23]

I rather them be time limited than not having them at, as well as having them in a limited amount of stores than not at all. This is still good for the people that can't make it to the E3 event, but can make it to at least one of the BestBuys hosting these games. Another good thing to note for the people that can't make it to these BestBuys, chances are you know someone who can that are into the same things as you to go and try these games out and tell you about it. If not then, oh well.

[jvgsjeff]

Unfortunately, my Best Buy isn't among those listed. I thought it was going to be at all Best Buys, but oh well. I don't care about the demos that much anyway, I don't mind waiting for the real games.

[EasyCure]

Nice, West Nyack is just a few minutes from my job. I might stop by during lunch :)

[nickmitch]

I live near one of those! Huzzah!

[ejamer]

For people saying "oh, I'll stop by during lunch", good luck with getting to the demos before your lunch break is over.  There probably won't be a line or anything since the demos are available from so many locations.


(Just bitter because there probably won't be a store with demos within 5+ hours drive, one way, of my home.)

[pokepal148]

first world problems, :D

[Plugabugz]

All Best Buy UK stores closed in 2012. This is of no use to me at all.

[TJ Spyke]

All Best Buy UK stores closed in 2012. This is of no use to me at all.

Considering Nintendo had already announced it would only be US and Canada stores (meaning none of the Mexico stores get it), I would hope you didn't expect it anyways. LOL

[Shecky]

Sounds like a Nintendo rep will be monitoring this whole event and is likely the reason for the limited locations and hours.

[Plugabugz]

All Best Buy UK stores closed in 2012. This is of no use to me at all.

Considering Nintendo had already announced it would only be US and Canada stores (meaning none of the Mexico stores get it), I would hope you didn't expect it anyways. LOL

Listening to Nintendo say things is not always a good idea given they've outright u-turned sometimes. Not having a Best Buy in the entire country is a good way to make sure.

[Retro Deckades]

Canadian locations can be found here:

http://www.bestbuy.ca/en-CA/nintendo-e3-demo.aspx

I suppose that as it is only a two minute drive from my house, I really ought to check out these demos -- if they announce any that I feel compelled to try (read: an X or a Smash Bros., though I'm not holding my breath).

Perhaps I'll run into Ian at the Langley location.

[TJ Spyke]

They have apparently reduced the number of locations in the US down to like 53. The closest one to me is a 3 1/2 hour freaking drive.

[broodwars]

Sure, remove 4 stores out of 6 from the state of Florida. It makes sense. I mean, we're only one of the largest, most populated states in the United States. It makes perfect sense why you'd cut back on your Wii U demo kiosks here when your coverage was already pretty pathetic. Man, what a waste of a potentially cool idea.

[LudicrousDa3ve]

Damnit. I'm two minutes away from the St. Louis location I was hoping it would be... now it's more like 30-45 mins.

[ejamer]

This just keeps getting better and better.  Nice work, Nintendo!

[Vrgin X]

Lynwood Best Buy's the one in the Northwest Region doing the promotion now... damn.

[jglonek]

Not only did they drastically cut back on how many stores are doing this but they are only going to have ONE demo station? This is embarrassing at this point. And still no word on being able to download demos to play at home for people who have Wii U's?

[Vahne]

Well the Galleria is in Houston, so I guess they're trying to limit locations to one per city, even in major cities.

[UncleBob]

Wow.  This sucks.

Hm.  Something to note - the Missouri one IS still in St. Louis.  Just at the "South County" location.

Same address as originally listed.

[Hbomb]

Sure, remove 4 stores out of 6 from the state of Florida. It makes sense. I mean, we're only one of the largest, most populated states in the United States. It makes perfect sense why you'd cut back on your Wii U demo kiosks here when your coverage was already pretty pathetic. Man, what a waste of a potentially cool idea.

Yeah. I'm just outside of Fort Myers. Not only is that off the list, so is everything within a three-hour drive (not that I would, but I guess I don't even have that option any more). This stinks. And no explanation, either. No apology. Thanks a lot Nintendo and Best Buy. :(

[nickmitch]

I wonder if Nintendo was having a staffing problem or if it's something worse, like the demos are few in number and low in quality.