darthbane2k

You sure about this? Why is it then that other retailers have been able to speciifcly confirm the number of units they will recieve on launch day?

Thanks for that. What concerns me most is the 'we'll let you know two or three days before launch' attitude.

If you pre ordered a Wii from a HMV store, be prepared for another xbox360 launch type fiasco. These jokers of a retailer STILL cannot confirm stock allocations, even though all the other major retailers can and have. They even say that Nintendo have not confirmed allocations with them yet. HMV claim that they will let customers know whether they will have a wii two or three days before the launch day. They claim that its a while before launch so theres no rush to confirm allocations yet. Of course, if two or three days before launch you find out you are unlucky, you are SCREWED.

As per thread title. Just what the hell is going on? It is less than a month from launch, and no launch events have been confirmed (Im talking BIG retailers, not indie stores).

Okay - a slight update on the HMV Oxford St pre order situation. If you preordered there CALL THEM NOW. They are ONLY getting 155 wiis in for launch. They have had more preorders than this amount and are telling customers, while they will definately get a wii, they may not get it on launch day. I am waiting for a callback from someone to verify where I am in this queue. Okay - they called back. Im f**king 60th in the queue. 60TH!! and I pre ordered really early. They now retract the 155 wii statement and say they do not know how many they are getting at launch at all. I questioned this, saying that many other UK retailers have already recieved their allocations and that being a massive retailer, I was shocked that HMV had not been contacted by Nintendo. They apologised and reiterated that my Wii is not guaranteed for launch day. What a bunch of clowns. Im going to Toys R Us tonight and pre-ordering there as a backup. This is going to be like xbox 360 all over again.

No idea mate. I too preordered from HMV and am already regretting it. They just seem incredibly discorganised with this Wii launch. They happily takes my £30 but cannot (even at this stage) confirm how many wii have been allocated to the store at launch and cannot even confirm my place. I ordered early and the best they say is that I "should be okay".

I meant instore.

Toys R Us started pre orders a couple weeks ago. £10 deposit and you get a free Plastic Wii Organiser (to hold wiimotes, Wii itself and games) at launch.

Did anyone by any chance pre order their Wii at the flagship HMV store on Londons Oxford Street? I did, and im slightly concerned now because I have heard NOTHING about stock allocations, nothing about a midnight event either.

Good point. Something thats irked me is how many mainstream publications (take the London newspapers for example) have previews PS3 and have actually LIED about the price. I have seen PS3 prices quoted as low as £250, £300 - all while comparing price and features to Wii and 360

Sorry guys, source was: http://nintendo-revolution.blogspot.com/ Sounds like a load of hyperbole to me - however if Reggie said it recently and used the word "big", I dunno... I doubt this 'secret' is hardware based or anything to do with HD.

There is one secret to the Wii to be revealed around launch and it is going to be "big", according to Nintendo of America´s president Reginald Fils-Aime. GamePro confirmed that Reggie said that at a recent GameStop event, where store managers learned more about the new Nintendo console. I can confirm that there was a GameStop retreat and Reggie did in fact say there will be another big Wii revelation around launch time. Only recently, Perrin Kaplan promised "a couple of other surprises, (...) more details on a couple of different things" that would particularly please the hardcore gamers.

thanks for the headsup! Pre-order in! Just as a backup incase the high street stores fail me, which they very well may do

http://www.britishgaming.co.uk/?p=1423 10 - 12 November Toys 4 Big Boys, Dublin Good Food Show, London 15 November Birmingham University Glasgow University 16 - 18 November Bluewater Shopping Centre, Kent Buchanan Galleries, Glasgow Bullring, Birmingham Churchill Square, Brighton 22 - 26 November Good Food Show, Birmingham NEC 23 - 25 November Lakeside, Essex 24 - 26 November UK Golf Show, Birmingham NEC 29 November Sheffield University Bristol University 30 November - 2 December Meadowhall, Sheffield Cribbs Causeway, Bristol The Oracle, Reading 1 - 6 December Clothes Show Live 2006 (what?!), Birmingham NEC 4-10 December Luton Airport Gatwick Airport 6 December Manchester University UCD, Dublin Univercity 7 - 9 December Arndale Centre, Manchester 7 - 10 December Liffey Valley, Dublin (all the following take place AFTER the Wii release) 11 - 17th December Gatwick South Stanstead Airport 13 December Trinity College Dublin 14 - 17 December The Mall Arndale, Luton 18 - 24 December Centre MK, Milton Keynes 22 - 24 December Irn Bru Carnival, Glasgow SECC The games there haven’t been 100% confirmed except Wario Ware, Wii Sports and Zelda. There are more dates to come and they may change, so remember to give Nintendo a call at 08706060247 to confirm.

I have a kick ass 5.1 system and love to use it when watching movies. However I CANNOT stand having it on (its fairly powerful) when watching regular TV, even though my sky+ box has optical out. The same applies when im gaming, if the 5.1 is on, it'll give me a headache. I will not miss the omission of 5.1 output from wii.

erm, as it happens I have a 1st degree in marketing, media and communications

you really dont need to make exaggerated movements with the wii. At the recent UK press event, nintendo went out of their way to reassure this by not only setting up wii pods, but mock bedroom setups where a wii was there and you could play the likes of wii sports while lying on a couch.

you dont need much space to play the likes of wii bowling, tennis or golf. Wii boxing and baseball on the otherhand could pose a problem. agreed about keeping things civil. sorry If I offended. However you seem adamant that nintendo do no need to (any time soon) establish awareness of the wii with the general public. And by the public I mean joey consumer and not the likes of you and I who are aware of it and who frequent gaming sites. My initial qualm was with the fact that nintendo sponsored a video gaming event, and in the section 'the future of video gaming' there was no mention or preview of the wii at all.I thought that was a dumb and irresponsible move. If you disagree, I would like to hear your reasons why.

You're just being ignorant now. The laptop market is saturated and forever changing. There are tons of different models and people tend to choose at the time they want to buy. Video games consoles are different, there are only three main companies in the market - you are damn niave if you dont think people are considering their christmas purchases now, especially kids planning what to ask their mummys and daddies to get them. Nintendo NEED to let people know that wii exists and what it does, and I cannot understand why you would disagree with this. Marketing is the key, otherwise we will have another Gamecube on our hands. Sony messed up by delaying the PS3 launch in Europe. Nintendo shoul exploit this. If I hadnt already sampled wii, I would be damn frustrated by now

Erm? but isnt the basis of this thread that NoE ARE doing something, in Germany? Some people just like to be hostile and miserable I guess..

No offence, but why do you come across as such a cynical sod?

I dont really understand your examples (eg tescos, etc). the Wii is a hardware product, it is technology - not a loaf of bread. If you want to convience the public to buy this over christmas, you must show them what exactly it is and what it does BEFORE the busy shopping period begins. Like I said, many gamers at the Game On event were asking about Wii. The organisers said they wanted wii there, yet Nintendo themselves declined. There is an increasing buzz about PS3, simply because Sony has started the hype already. Many people do not know what wii is, what it has to offer etc.. if nintendo dont start the hype until december 8th, that leaves them with only 17 days to convinence the general public to put wii on their christmas lists. Now what nintendo are currently doing in japan (tv adverts, tours in tokyo), THATS what should be happening here.Remember wii doesnt even get released in japan until december too.

Its not a matter of 'spoiling' things, its a matter of promoting the product, getting the general public (who dont frequent gaming sites) interested in it, letting people sample it, showing them its potential, its capabilities. Nintendo simply cannot sit back idolly and assume that wii will sell itself without any promotion. The event I mentioned was an IDEAL opportunity.It was sponsored by Nintendo themselves, and in the future of video gaming section - no wii.Not even a video showing the wiimote (like the ones on the website), according to the exhibition, the future of gaming didnt involve nintendo, only xbox360. Once again, did I mention that Nintendo SPONSORED the event??!!

I have already discussed in a previous thread how I am unhappy with Nintendo for allowing the US and Japanese public to testdrive Wii, but not us Brits.Fortunately I played with wii over 6 hours at a press event, but members of the public have not been so fortunate. Playing really is believing, which is why Nintendo MUST let the public try Wii NOW. So today I went to the GAME ON event in the science museum London.This is is exhibition about the history of video gaming, you can play hands on with consoles/games from past to present. Oh, and did I mention that this event was sponsored by NINTENDO??!! Anyway, you walk your way though the end and reach a 'future of video gaming' section - what was there? Freaking guitar hero and rockstar table tennis. Not a mention of the wii at all, not a dummy wii behind a glass cabinet, not even a freaking video showing games and the wiimote. As I played my way through the various classic arcade machines and consoles, I must have heard aloud a dozen times from a dozen different people "wheres the Wii?", I eventually asked a member of staff why Wii wasnt there, their response? "we tried to ask Nintendo to display the Wii but they declined". Wii is released DECEMBER 8th, just over a month away, yet most of the general public dont know what the hell it is, what to expect. They know all about Playstation 3 and Xbox360 though. Just WHAT is Nintendo playing at?

LOL! I had 5 hours with Wii at the London event a month or so ago plus loads of free booze at my disposal! But I agree, Nintendo NEED to start letting the public try this.