We store cookies, you can get more info from our privacy policy.
DS

DS Preorders are Hot!

by Michael Cole - November 4, 2004, 4:26 pm EST
Total comments: 36 Source: GameSpot

GameStop has stopped taking preorders for the system, and EBGames is likely to follow.

GameSpot reported yesterday that gaming specialty store GameStop has presold its entire launch allocation and is no longer taking preorders for the Nintendo DS.

GameSpot also says EBGames is quickly approaching its limit as well, and will likely stop taking preorders soon.

Games Industry's version of the article also claims that Mario Kart DS will be available at launch in Japan and on January 10th in North America. PGC cannot confirm this, as NCL and NOA both still list their respective dates as undetermined.

Talkback

Ian SaneNovember 04, 2004

Good for Nintendo I suppose. If they can sell out of system with Super Mario 64 DS as the only first party title then I think it's fair to say that "Nintendo" is still a strong brand name in the portable market. I don't appreciate the message of "yes we'll buy N64 ports" being sent to them though but I'll live.

nitsu niflheimNovember 04, 2004

Lucky for me, I pre-ordered mine a few months ago

MarioNovember 04, 2004

I can't believe they only have 300,000 for day one. Not enough Nintendo!

DjunknownNovember 04, 2004

Word on the street is that the 3rd party games will be out 1 week before the actual system. If that's true, than that's no excuse to set aside some dough for Feel the Magic or one of EA's creations.

At this rate, can they reach the million mark before the end of '04?

MarioNovember 04, 2004

If they ship a million, then yes.

Bill AurionNovember 04, 2004

Good news for Ninty, bad news for me...I hope I can find one around here... :\

PaleMike Gamin, Contributing EditorNovember 04, 2004

I still hold that pre ordering is never needed. The best place to buy systems at launch are places like wal-mart, best buy, and circuit city. They don't accept pre orders and often get larger shipments.

KnoxxvilleNovember 04, 2004

I gotz minez on teh per-ordre!

w00t!

SaviorNovember 04, 2004

Mario Kart, sounds like it might be rushed to help the DS vs the PSP...

BloodworthDaniel Bloodworth, Staff AlumnusNovember 04, 2004

By the way reggiehead.gif confirmed the shortages, and isn't exactly happy about them. If he had another 500,000 to ship, he gladly would.

PaleMike Gamin, Contributing EditorNovember 04, 2004

So i looked at the calendar, and it turns out the 21st is a sunday? Whats the deal with that?

GoldenPhoenixNovember 04, 2004

If I recall, the GC debuted on a Sunday, so a Sunday release date for a new system definately is not a new thing.

theRPGFreakNovember 04, 2004

I preordered my system at GameStop ahead of time ^^

WuTangTurtleNovember 04, 2004

don't worry Nintendo said they would have new shipments every week or two weeks, i can't remember, but non the less if u try hard enough you'll get one, if push comes to shove, I suggest Sam goody (i work at one), we hardly ever sale any systems, so when Gamestop, EBgames, and Babages run out of systems ppl buy from us. We are like the last place anyone would think of buying a system let alone games.

WindrunnerNovember 04, 2004

The reason Gamestop has stopped taking pre-orders is not because they've filled their allocation... it's because they're nervous.

I love Nintendo as much as anyone else here, but they've consistently screwed specialty game retailers with low quantities of new systems, and shipped a boatload to stores like Toys R Us (now out of business), K B Toys (chapter 11), and some of the box stores. With every system since the SNES, Gamestop (then Neostar Inc) and EB would order a certain number of units for launch, and be promised it by N, only to get 1/2 or less on release.

I can't blame them for being nervous.. I would be too. Nintendo is focusing in the wrong markets, really.

BloodworthDaniel Bloodworth, Staff AlumnusNovember 04, 2004

er... Toys R Us isn't out of business. What are you talking about?

nitsu niflheimNovember 05, 2004

Blood is right, for instance, Amazon.com works with Toys R Us for it's toy's and videogame sales (and works with Borders for Books), and last time I checked, which was just the other day, it hasn't changed.

WindrunnerNovember 05, 2004

Actually, Gamestop is responsible for 90% of Amazon's online orders, now (soon to be 100%). That deal was announced a month ago. And Toys R Us -is- effectively out of business. Their stores will (should) be closing in January, which is why Amazon was in the market for a new game supplier.

Hostile CreationNovember 05, 2004

It's the damn giraffe's fault, I tell ya.

Anyone know how long they're bundling the DS with Hunters? I think I'll try to get this in May (aka birthday time), but it'd be nice to have a game bundled with it, particularly one like that.

Ian SaneNovember 05, 2004

"And Toys R Us -is- effectively out of business. Their stores will (should) be closing in January, which is why Amazon was in the market for a new game supplier."

Is this everywhere or just in America? I heard that while Toys 'R' Us is losing out to places like Wal-Mart over there that here in Canada (where we value selection I suppose) Toys 'R' Us continues to be successful.

theRPGFreakNovember 05, 2004

No, ive heard that they will be closing dowm ToysRus in order to add in more stores like BabysRus., and because they cant compete with stores like WallMart or Target anymore.

Myxtika1 AznNovember 05, 2004

Quote

Originally posted by: Windrunner
And Toys R Us -is- effectively out of business. Their stores will (should) be closing in January, which is why Amazon was in the market for a new game supplier.


I find that strange, because they've just opened up a new new store in my town. Couldn't have been more than 2 weeks ago.

PaleMike Gamin, Contributing EditorNovember 05, 2004

Windrunner, the fact that you are pissed at nintendo for not supplying stores like gamestop with more orders astounds me. I praise nintendo for sending most of their inventory to stores that don't pressure you into preordering games that aren't even officially announced yet, don't lie based on whichever company is giving them more money that week, and don't pressure you into buying a strategy guide with each purchase. Everyone should buy from stores without high pressure sales in order to make that concept go away. Its damn right disgusting..... So piss off ebgames and gamestop..the only thing you are good for is a reliable online store where I don't have to talk to shmuck sales people..

WindrunnerNovember 05, 2004

Quote

Originally posted by: PaleZer0
Windrunner, the fact that you are pissed at nintendo for not supplying stores like gamestop with more orders astounds me. I praise nintendo for sending most of their inventory to stores that don't pressure you into preordering games that aren't even officially announced yet, don't lie based on whichever company is giving them more money that week, and don't pressure you into buying a strategy guide with each purchase. Everyone should buy from stores without high pressure sales in order to make that concept go away. Its damn right disgusting..... So piss off ebgames and gamestop..the only thing you are good for is a reliable online store where I don't have to talk to shmuck sales people..


Yays for being a schmuck! That is teh me 4 teh win!

No one is pressured into pre-ordering games, or buying strategy guides... people are asked, and that is all. You're going to get that in every store you go into... K B has their batteries, Best Buy/Circuit City will sell you a service plan on a key chain. Heck, even the local grocery store has their new "Item of the Week" which they make sure to tell everyone at checkout about.

At any rate, the reason that Gamestop gets pissed is that they are the #3 retailer of Nintendo brand products, but end up #5 or 6 on the supply list. A lot of companies get extra stock and never sell it, meaning Nintendo -is- sending too much to said stores. Guess I'm the only one who sees a problem with that...

BloodworthDaniel Bloodworth, Staff AlumnusNovember 05, 2004

http://phx.corporate-ir.net/phoenix.zhtml?c=120622&p=irol-newsArticle&t=Regular&id=605991&

Sorry, but Toys R Us still has a long way to go before they close their doors. They did announce that they've sold off the Kids R Us clothing franchise, but the bread and butter is staying around despite some challenges.

WindrunnerNovember 05, 2004

Aye, that was in August. They are shutting the doors on the Toys R Us outlets, and keeping Babys R Us around, because that has -become- their "bread and butter."

Again, that's why Amazon's switched their game sales to Gamestop, and, quite frankly, why most Toys R Us stores look like ghost towns (well that, and because no one likes the remodel they did last year.. it's like a bloody maze).

BloodworthDaniel Bloodworth, Staff AlumnusNovember 05, 2004

Look you're going to have to show me some kind of back-up before I buy the idea that the market leader has to close up shop. I know that the Amazon deal dissolved, but I'm quite sure that it has nothing to do with Toys R Us closing its brick and mortars.

PaleMike Gamin, Contributing EditorNovember 06, 2004

You're right about about service plans...they absolutely suck..and are high pressure situations...Hell circuit city is now selling service plans on games and that isn't even a lie.... That is why toys r us and wal mart are the best places to buy that crap...or like i said, an online store...ebgames.com is THE best place to buy online games, hands down. The other reason Gamestop and ebgames are fricken scam artists is because of what they do to used games...and I'm sure I dn't have to explain that to you.

RennyNovember 06, 2004

Nein! Hitler doesn't like the stickers!

KDR_11kNovember 06, 2004

... uh, Renny, WTF? Trying to invoke Godwin's Law?
Pale: Toys 'r' Us has a bad selection and high prices, would you really pay more just to avoid one question?

PaleMike Gamin, Contributing EditorNovember 06, 2004

KDR, i find just the opposite on both accounts??? Best selection in town and they update their prices to the latest MSRPs more frequently than any other store???

Confused....

RennyNovember 06, 2004
Ian SaneNovember 06, 2004

I find the absolute best place to buy games is Willow Video. They have the lowest prices, they NEVER bug you about pre-orders at all (because they don't take them), and they have a good selection of used titles that have the prices significantly marked down. But they're a local chain so most of you can't shop there. HA!

PaLaDiNNovember 06, 2004

I do believe I hear the sound of gloating... well then allow me to join.

I've got an EB 3 minutes' walk away, and I'm a regular so they treat me well.

So, whenever I feel like buying a game I just hop on down to the store and get to playing it within about 10 minutes.

KnowsNothingNovember 06, 2004

Yeah? Well I have a Best Buy, Walmart, Target, Circuit City, and Gamestop all within vicinity of each other, and on three seperate occasions none of them had had the item I was looking for. Beat that face-icon-small-cool.gif

by the way, join the anti-walmart brigade. Last time I checked Eternal Darkness was still 50 bucks, also they decided it was smart to launch Pokemon Fire Red and Leaf Green a week after it was launched at competing stores. Yet they're still running all opposers to the ground D=

nitsu niflheimNovember 06, 2004

I have a Wal*Mart and a K-Mart (laughing). I order everything online either from Gamestop.com or Ebgames.com. To get to an actual brick and mortar I have to go completely out of my way and go into either Waldorf of Annapolis.

Got a news tip? Send it in!
Advertisement
Advertisement