How And Where To Pre-order The Nintendo Wii

Now that Nintendo has announced the release dates for the Wii console, the question being asked around the gaming world is, how can I make sure I actually get one? Where can I pre-order a Wii?

Under-supply and over-promise with the launch of the Xbox 360 left even gamers who had pre-ordered and paid without a console for Christmas. That experience has left gamers even more anxious to secure a Wii, and retailers more reluctant to allow pre-orders, especially in the U.S.. Still, with Nintendo promising, according to some sources, two million Wiis in North America before the end of the year, is pre-ordering a Nintendo Wii really necessary?

People seem to think so. When Amazon.com opened its site to take pre-orders for the Wii on September 13th, they had to shut down the facility within hours. People who had only just heard about the offer were arriving at the site to find 'sold out' signs, which only aggravated the fear that there weren't going to be enough consoles to satisfy demand. Amazon had not, in fact, sold out, so far as they knew. They were simply unprepared to deal with the rush of pre-orders they received, and have closed off the offer until they receive a firm commitment from Nintendo on the number of consoles they'll have available.

Briefly, from October 13th, GameStop and EB Games stores in the U.S. were taking pre-orders for the Nintendo Wii. Most sold out of their allocation within a few hours. Gamers then found that stores were checking address, name, and phone details on pre-orders to ensure that customers had not pre-ordered more than one Wii through different stores, and cancelling the orders of those that had. Stores were asking for a deposit between US$25 and US$50. This was the first time GameStop stores had taken pre-orders for hardware, and it could well be the last.

The GameStop/EB Games offer has now closed in the U.S., though stores in Canada are still taking pre-orders. Toys R Us stores in Australia and Canada are also taking pre-orders.

U.S. Toys R Us stores have just announced in their Big Toy Book catalogue that they will be taking pre-orders from the 29th of October. This hsould cause a similar rush to the GameStop/EB Games offer.

If you're prepared to take the risk, many online retailers will take pre-orders for the Wii. EB Games will start taking online orders shortly, and also offer a free VIP card with every Wii pre-order, which will give the user discounts on a different Wii game every month, starting with Tony Hawk's Downhill Jam. You will need to sign up for their newsletter, though.

Wal-Mart's online site also offers to tell you when they will start taking pre-orders, if you sign up for their newsletter.

Lik-sang.com will take a pre-order online without a deposit, unlike most sites, who will either ask for full payment up front, a deposit, or will take your credit card details and bill you when stock comes in.

If you pre-order through GamePlanet.com, not only do they guarantee that they'll be able to supply you, and on release date too, they'll also give you a free Wii baseball cap and t-shirt if you pre-order your Nintendo Wii through them.

In Britain, HMV, Gamestation, PC World, and Argos are all taking Nintendo Wii pre-orders through their online sites, with varying terms. Sites and stores outside of the U.S. seem much more relaxed about taking Wii pre-orders, even though under-supply problems have been just as bad in other countries in the past.

Many sites and gaming blogs are still saying that gamers don't need to pre-order the Nintendo Wii, but it seems an awful lot of gamers aren't prepared to take the risk.