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[neptunes]

I'd like to see the turn out for this one. :lol

Nintendo DS Midnight Launch Event
Get your DS twelve hours before boring normal people.
By David Smith

The most dedicated of fans will be able to get a first crack at the new DS handheld at midnight this Satuday, Nintendo announced today. Following Microsoft's successful Halo 2 launch party at the same location, Nintendo's hitting the EBGames store at the Universal CityWalk outside Los Angeles for a midnight DS launch party.

EB Games
Universal CityWalk
1000 Universal Studios Blvd.
Universal City, CA 91608

more info here http://1up.com/do/newsStory?cId=3136729

 

[Mejilan]

Nintendo did this for the GameCube too, ya know?

Pretty sure it happened for the Xbox as well.

 

[explodet]

Happened for GTA: San Andreas as well.
It's been a big month!

 

[Ford Prefect]

I am so bringing chips and salsa.

 

[Sho Nuff]

Yes, but this is 1 store compared to, like, 4000 or so EB's.

Besides, midnight is past most DS buyers' bedti--(strangled from behind)

 

[Mejilan]

Yes, but this is 1 store compared to, like, 4000 or so EB's.

Some stores in NY will be doing it too. My EB is still on the fence about it.

 

[GDJustin]

They aren't 'following' anything. Hardware pretty much ALWAYS has midnight launch events. It's much less common when a single piece of software causes stores to open at midnight.

Also, the DS event has the potential to be much more exciting/cool. Imagine people sticking around and getting big pictochat rooms going and trying out their new babies for the first time by challenging others are MArio 64 DS...

 

[Kon Tiki]

Another quality thread.

 

[Defensor]

Get your DS twelve hours before boring normal people.

:lol

 

[Wario64]

How can there be a party when there aren't many units to begin with?

 

[DDayton]

Heh. Megabyte should be there... he won the PGC contest.

 

[Musashi Wins!]

Most stores around here had too small a level of reserves to even think about doing it.

 

[Grubdog]

How can there be a party when there aren't many units to begin with?

Yeah seriously, it sucks that Nintendo aren't shipping enough DS's. It's pretty much impossible for DS to have lines of people waiting to get one at launch. Reggie is unhappy.

 

[Wario64]

Heh. Megabyte should be there... he won the PGC contest.

FUCK! I forgot about the contest! How many people were in the channel?

 

[BuddyC]

 

[StoOgE]

If someone who lives in LA would show up holding a sign that says "Sell, your gamecube, its all over" and lives to talk about it, I would give them a million dollars.

 

[explodet]

Now I want salsa.

 

[theo]

If someone who lives in LA would show up holding a sign that says "Sell, your gamecube, its all over" and lives to talk about it, I would give them a million dollars.

:lol :lol :lol :lol

 

[Tortfeasor]

Anyone know if any of the GS stores in Chicago will stay open Sat. night?

 

[cvxfreak]

Come on Bay Area EB's...

 

[captmcblack]

Some stores in NY will be doing it too. My EB is still on the fence about it.

Any one of the stores in Brooklyn?

 

[Mejilan]

Possibly, but I preordered by work, in Manhattan.

 

[Spiritreaver]

FUCK! I forgot about the contest! How many people were in the channel?

Quite a big turnout, though I forget how many people there were actually contestants. 40 or so? I can't remember for the life of me and I'm sure someone else has a better idea. Tough as hell though, even the questions from Kobun. I didn't manage to score anything though I was half playing half way through... I got way too discouraged. Not surprised though, never have scored a point in PGC trivia, ever.

 

[Flynn]

It will be a good night for Pictochat.

 

[sc0la]

If you guys are real slick you can score one even sooner. Its a sunday launch there is no shipping on sunday

 

[olimario]

*Nintendo DS Title Screen*
---click pictochat
*PictoChat Loads*
*Searching for Other users*
*1....2....3.....4.5.6...7.10..14...25...56....192....*
*ERROR! LOW RESROUCES*
*...264.....342.....*
*ERROR! ERROR! ABORT! ABO...

 

[Wario64]

If you guys are real slick you can score one even sooner. Its a sunday launch there is no shipping on sunday

Someone in #ga said that Nintendo sent a memo saying anyone selling the console early will get fucked up the ass

*shrug


I remember my local Toys R Us and Walmart selling GBA SP 3 days before street date though

 

[Lyte Edge]

If you guys are real slick you can score one even sooner. Its a sunday launch there is no shipping on sunday

Stores just need to go ahead and sell the unit early. It's just so dumb to me that EB, for example, which (at least locally) has completely sold out to pre-orders, is holding all games and units, which they have now, until Sunday. What's the reason for stores holding games/systems until the launch dates when they offer pre-orders? YOU ALREADY GOT YOUR MONEY, GIVE THE CONSUMERS WHAT THEY PAID FOR.

The DS Sunday launch just seems so stupid to me...bump it up to friday at least.

 

[Wario64]

I remember getting the SNES about 2 weeks before street date. That was awesome

 

[cvxfreak]

I remember getting the SNES about 2 weeks before street date. That was awesome

Super Famicoms don't count

Spoiler

j/k

 

[Socreges]

How stupid. No one will show up. The launch is on a school night.

 

[cvxfreak]

How stupid. No one will show up. The launch is on a school night.

Um, what?

 

[Wario64]

I guess your school sucks then :lol

 

[sc0la]

Someone in #ga said that Nintendo sent a memo saying anyone selling the console early will get fucked up the ass

*shrug

I meant if you have a cool friend no ones selling anything before the date.

to lyte, I know you want your hardware as soon as possible, honestly I understand. I would want it now too if I had enough cash for it at launch. Pre-orders are not to take money early from you, they are not some kind of promise that you will get product early, they serve two purposes, to hold the item you want for you (assuming they don't fuck it up which is entirely possible) and to ensure you return to that store at a much higher rate. They don't really gain anything by giving you the unit early if it got nintendo breathing down its neck. Do I believe pre-orders should incentivize the consumer a little bit more? yes. Do I think nintendo will stop giving a shit at the cost of having an "unorchestrated" launch? unfortunately no.

technically that money they got from you is in limbo since you can get it back at any point.

 

[Link316]

Following Microsoft's successful Halo 2 launch party at the same location, Nintendo's hitting the EBGames store at the Universal CityWalk outside Los Angeles for a midnight DS launch party.

Nintendo following MS' moves, how times have change...

 

[cvxfreak]

Nintendo following MS' moves, how times have change...

I thought the PS2 launch set the precedent here.

 

[kiryogi]

I think my Gamestop said monday D: I plan to harass them sunday morning or saturday night tho :/

 

[izakq]

I thought the PS2 launch set the precedent here.

Wait, didn't the DC have a midnight launch as well?

 

[borghe]

episode I toys had a midnight launch... DC copied that.

 

[fugimax]

I thought the PS2 launch set the precedent here.

Midnight launches have been going on as long as I can remember in the entertainment industry..

 

[Diomedeskun]

Midnight launches have been going on as long as I can remember in the entertainment industry..

And software. Windows 95 was the first midnight launch at the Media Play I worked at in high school. Later came movies and music.

 

[borghe]

kudos on Win95.. that is the first one back to that I can remember....

though my friends and I always referred to it as the Mechwarrior 2 midnight launch being we were already running Win95 by then. :lol

 

[vireland]

Originally Posted by CVXFREAK:
I thought the PS2 launch set the precedent here.

Wait, didn't the DC have a midnight launch as well?

Yes, but the difference was that SEGA PR got caught PAYING people to show up and stand in line at places media were to be filming to create the impression of a much larger "buzz" for Dreamcast launch than was actually there. Sony didn't have to pay anyone to be excited, or to show up and stand in line at staged locations.

 

[Kobun Heat]

OMG VIC POSTED IN A DS THREAD

LUNAR 3 FOR DS CONFIRMED

SOMEBODY GET FOLDER

 

[DarienA]

Yes, but the difference was that SEGA PR got caught PAYING people to show up and stand in line at places media were to be filming to create the impression of a much larger "buzz" for Dreamcast launch than was actually there. Sony didn't have to pay anyone to be excited, or to show up and stand in line at staged locations.

OMG VIC STILL HATES SEGA!!!! E3 WE WILL NEVAH FORGET!!!!

 

[Suikoguy]

we have Street Date 21st in the systems at work, which makes me think the stores will get them friday to sell them sunday

 

[paul777]

Oh, I'm going. I already have it preordered at that very EB, and I'll be there in the morning anyway (got free tickets to Universal Studios). I went there for San Andreas midnight launch and got me a bunch of free swag and an interview with Adam Sessler. We'll see how Nintendo stacks up.

 

[Minotauro]

I really wish they were doing this around the country. I wasn't able to participate in the Halo 2 midnight deal because it was on a work night. Now, they actually launch something on a Sunday which would be perfect and they don't do it. Boo.

 

[The Faceless Master]

i hope that some store... any store... in nyc breaks the street date

 

[fugimax]

And software. Windows 95 was the first midnight launch at the Media Play I worked at in high school. Later came movies and music.

Nah...midnight launches have existed as long as consumer whores have existed. THe furthest one back I personally remember is Metallica's Black Album...but I'm positive that was not the first. I'd bet that midnight launches were happening in the 70s/80s as well.