Slashdot Mirror
Prelaunch Wii Kiosks Only at GameStop, Pre-Order News
saintory writes to mention a Dallas Morning News article about Gamestop's annual new product conference. Employees and new vendors were given a chance to take a look at the upcoming next-gen consoles, and a few details about the Wii retail strategy were revealed. For example, Gamestop will be the only place to demo the Wii prior to the November 19th launch. More frustratingly, "GameStop has not yet decided when, or even if, it will offer pre-orders for the new systems ... Last year, at the launch of Microsoft's Xbox 360, GameStop accepted more pre-orders before Christmas than it was able to satisfy. Microsoft's manufacturing problems turned into GameStop's angry customer problems. 'We did learn a lesson last year,' said Steve Morgan, president of GameStop. 'I think the lesson is caution and optimism at the same time.'" Update: 10/03 18:20 GMT by Z : Okay, there is *some* pre-order news. I was told last week to contact the Gamestop folks today (Tuesday) for details. At least at my local Madison store, they're going to be accepting preorders as of Monday the 16th (two weeks from yesterday). One would assume they're not some sort of 'rebel' store, so this is probably along the lines of what we can expect nation-wide.
More likely game (who I've preordered with too) are just blagging it and hoping to get away with it, going to Nintendo with a "We need more stock, we're your biggest pre-order location"
Yeah, but that has issues in and of itself. Waiting sucks, it favors those who don't have jobs, and you can't simply beat line-cutters to death on the street without having to explain yourself to the police.
I'd suggest a lottery system given away a week before the release, but that has it's own problems. Do it on the internet and you have IP spoofing to get multiple tickets. Do it in person and you'd either have to card/register first (just as long/invasive) or risk people hopping store to store to get tickets.
Maybe like the old days? Mail away for a ticket, 1 per address?
Then again, we are a Capitalist Republic. You can always guarantee you get a system, as long as you have some dough.
you aren't making sense.
so someone who happens to have no time commitments on the day of launch is more deserving than someone who planned ahead and preordered (often with deposit and/or a pick-up-by time) as soons as they were able to?
online preorders are also limited, by account or even delivery address.
... you can't simply beat line-cutters to death on the street without having to explain yourself to the police.
Wouldn't waiting in line for a next-gen video game console make that obvious? I guess video game-related violence is not that wide spread as the media claims to be.
What a ridiculous comparison.
Cut him some slack; look at his user name. If bad with analogies, he's unlikly to be that good with comparasons now is he?
If I have nothing to hide, you have no reason to search me
i have no idea why, but the PS3 already has 13 pr-orders.
So they can make a healthy profit by selling the system on eBay. $2000 for a PS3 on eBay this holiday season.
You should ask if they'll let you book you pre-order in advance.