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Japanese GAFers: Are you standing in line for Wii? At all? Please?
- Thread starter Ashodin
- Start date
On the Saturday morning TV show that guy from Mezamashi TV hosts (Ogura-san?), he said "I couldn't get a PS3 so I'm going to buy a Wii", then another person in the studio said, "Yeah, I can't wait to hack and slash in Zelda" and everyone started nodding. Looks like it's all over for PS3 in Japan.
Heading out to pick up mine now. Back in about an hour or so.
Heading out to pick up mine now. Back in about an hour or so.
Barf_the_Mog
powerless or are they? o_O
fusoya59 said:
Huh? The door swings both ways on this one. Sometimes North America is better, sometimes Europe or Japan.
RedLightning
Member
It's packaging. You open it and toss it out. Get over it. Though I guess with the cardboard boxes you CAN keep the packaging if you wanted to, but hell.
donkey show said:
Can you post a screenshot of your error message? Cause john tv apparently is easily able to get on the virtual console (though he's in Japan). I'm worried that people outside of Japan won't be able to use the service even if they have a Japanese VC so confirmation of whether it's possible or not would be nice (especially since I plan on importing later in order to play Japan-only VC/Wii games)
Smiles and Cries
Member
Jonnyram said:
Score!
WoW
thetrin
Hail, peons, for I have come as ambassador from the great and bountiful Blueberry Butt Explosion
Nice job, guys! I`m contemplating checking the store near my office to see if they have any Wiis in stock. I have a US one waiting for me for Xmas, but it would be a nice surprise to play a Japanese one before then.
Illuminati
Member
RedLightning said:
myDingling
Member
Impressions!
I went to the same place I bought a PS3 at three weeks earlier, a Yodobashi Camera in Shinjuku. I arrived at around the same time I did for the PS3 (5pm Friday) but to a completely different atmosphere from the scene three weeks ago. There were maybe 20 people or so hanging around the PS3 demo kiosks and not a hint of disorder or excitement that increased exponentially thoughout the night for the PS3. I walk into the store, find the lone Wii kiosk and read the sign: "Wii will be sold at 7am 12/2. For those who will be lining up, we will begin at 8pm." Ahh so that's why! There was no such system used for the PS3 launch so everyone was kind of forced to stick around until the white-vested Yodobashi minions planted a stake into the cement to officially commence the all night geek out.
So I scurried along to go kill a few hours (and that's a whole 'nother story in itself) and arrive back at 7:45. The crowd has increased...but only by about 20 people. What the ****? Ads on every damn train station, every commercial break and the power of the DS lite couldn't draw more than 40 people to stay out overnight? The white-vest says to go to the other side of the building and start the line. I praddle along with my Big Mac value meal and watch as a few make a valiant sprint for the starting line. As I turn the corner, however, I see a line bigger than 40 people. In fact quite a packed line it was and as I walk by it and its size increased, my feet picked up the pace and the mutterings of "****ing damnit!" began. Where were all these people before? Why'd they get to line up so early? Rather than assault a white-vest with a greasy big mac I decide to just let it go and rest it all on the fact that this place should be getting thousands of Wii's.
What didn't hurt were the two cute Japanese girls in front of me in the line. DS's in hand playing Pokemon and Mario Kart on and off, these girls hinted at that wider demographic Nintendo's all about fellating nowadays. In fact there were quite a lot of girls...and they weren't even Chinese girls standing next to one Chinese dude hoping to make a killing off of Yahoo Auctioning this shit (which, yes, were the people I was next to for the PS3 launch, and no I don't mean to be racist by mentioning this). There were old people and a lot of middle aged women. Still a fair share of otaku-geeks but nowhere near the cock rockin' line of the PS3.
I load up the DS and hit the pictochat to see if anyone is on. There are a couple and unlike three weeks ago they're excited and talking about stuff. People wanted Zelda and Wii Sports it seemed. They were also raving about Blue Dragon and how they wanted a 360, I shit you not. When I told them I had a 360 they freaked out and told me how cool that is. Maybe these were just the hardcore gamers but I still found it quite a shock to hear this. Watch out next week for 360 console and Blue Dragon sales, it's the last push MIcrosoft is gonna have here before its fate is sealed...maybe.
Around 10:30 the line starts moving....huh? Moving? Midnight launch surprise, ftw? No actually, they were passing out the Wii tickets and launch item stock list; grab your ticket and come back tomorrow and pick it up. Anytime tomorrow. Sleep all ****ing day if you want, your Wii will be protected in our Trojan guarded defense facilities. **** yes! No delusional 4am twitching, no MacDonald's bathroom runs! It turns out the reasoning might have to do with the changing weather. 3 weeks ago I braved the Tokyo fall with only a light sweater but last night despite the addition of a long sleeved shirt and a beanie I was getting the shivering shakes real bad. Frozen customers can't buy nothing as Matt and Trey taught us.
I return the next day at 10pm. Maybe about 4 or 5 people waiting in line. I hand them the list of the stuff I want (apparently the Nunchuk, Classic Controller, and Wii Remote w/o Wii Play aren't on sale yet) and get the machine, a Remote and COMPONENT CABLES(haha!) for about $300. No pushing, no sleeplessness. The fun and simple theme of the Wii carried on through to the Japan launch.
And if you're wondering why I got not games, well this isn't my system you see. I bought it for a friend and only the remote and component cables are mine. I get to stand in yet another line in a few days when I return to the states to get myself an ass hauling, freedom fighting, American Wii. I can only hope it'll go this smoothly.
I went to the same place I bought a PS3 at three weeks earlier, a Yodobashi Camera in Shinjuku. I arrived at around the same time I did for the PS3 (5pm Friday) but to a completely different atmosphere from the scene three weeks ago. There were maybe 20 people or so hanging around the PS3 demo kiosks and not a hint of disorder or excitement that increased exponentially thoughout the night for the PS3. I walk into the store, find the lone Wii kiosk and read the sign: "Wii will be sold at 7am 12/2. For those who will be lining up, we will begin at 8pm." Ahh so that's why! There was no such system used for the PS3 launch so everyone was kind of forced to stick around until the white-vested Yodobashi minions planted a stake into the cement to officially commence the all night geek out.
So I scurried along to go kill a few hours (and that's a whole 'nother story in itself) and arrive back at 7:45. The crowd has increased...but only by about 20 people. What the ****? Ads on every damn train station, every commercial break and the power of the DS lite couldn't draw more than 40 people to stay out overnight? The white-vest says to go to the other side of the building and start the line. I praddle along with my Big Mac value meal and watch as a few make a valiant sprint for the starting line. As I turn the corner, however, I see a line bigger than 40 people. In fact quite a packed line it was and as I walk by it and its size increased, my feet picked up the pace and the mutterings of "****ing damnit!" began. Where were all these people before? Why'd they get to line up so early? Rather than assault a white-vest with a greasy big mac I decide to just let it go and rest it all on the fact that this place should be getting thousands of Wii's.
What didn't hurt were the two cute Japanese girls in front of me in the line. DS's in hand playing Pokemon and Mario Kart on and off, these girls hinted at that wider demographic Nintendo's all about fellating nowadays. In fact there were quite a lot of girls...and they weren't even Chinese girls standing next to one Chinese dude hoping to make a killing off of Yahoo Auctioning this shit (which, yes, were the people I was next to for the PS3 launch, and no I don't mean to be racist by mentioning this). There were old people and a lot of middle aged women. Still a fair share of otaku-geeks but nowhere near the cock rockin' line of the PS3.
I load up the DS and hit the pictochat to see if anyone is on. There are a couple and unlike three weeks ago they're excited and talking about stuff. People wanted Zelda and Wii Sports it seemed. They were also raving about Blue Dragon and how they wanted a 360, I shit you not. When I told them I had a 360 they freaked out and told me how cool that is. Maybe these were just the hardcore gamers but I still found it quite a shock to hear this. Watch out next week for 360 console and Blue Dragon sales, it's the last push MIcrosoft is gonna have here before its fate is sealed...maybe.
Around 10:30 the line starts moving....huh? Moving? Midnight launch surprise, ftw? No actually, they were passing out the Wii tickets and launch item stock list; grab your ticket and come back tomorrow and pick it up. Anytime tomorrow. Sleep all ****ing day if you want, your Wii will be protected in our Trojan guarded defense facilities. **** yes! No delusional 4am twitching, no MacDonald's bathroom runs! It turns out the reasoning might have to do with the changing weather. 3 weeks ago I braved the Tokyo fall with only a light sweater but last night despite the addition of a long sleeved shirt and a beanie I was getting the shivering shakes real bad. Frozen customers can't buy nothing as Matt and Trey taught us.
I return the next day at 10pm. Maybe about 4 or 5 people waiting in line. I hand them the list of the stuff I want (apparently the Nunchuk, Classic Controller, and Wii Remote w/o Wii Play aren't on sale yet) and get the machine, a Remote and COMPONENT CABLES(haha!) for about $300. No pushing, no sleeplessness. The fun and simple theme of the Wii carried on through to the Japan launch.
And if you're wondering why I got not games, well this isn't my system you see. I bought it for a friend and only the remote and component cables are mine. I get to stand in yet another line in a few days when I return to the states to get myself an ass hauling, freedom fighting, American Wii. I can only hope it'll go this smoothly.
Haunted
Member
myDingling said:
Very nicely written, glad it worked out so well for you (or your friend
) How many people do you think were in your line in total when you got your ticket?Man, there's nothing better than launch stories like this to get me hyped for a console - I can't wait for the 8th!
myDingling
Member
Haunted_One said:Very nicely written, glad it worked out so well for you (or your friend
Man, there's nothing better than launch stories like this to get me hyped for a console - I can't wait for the 8th!
Thanks! And I can't really say how many were in line. I wouldve gone to check it out later in the night had we been forced to campout but thankfully that wasn't the case. I'll say that had to have been as big as the PS3 line at least! And we're looking at well over a 1000people for that one (that's right, this one store got 1/80th of Japan's initial PS3 stock:lol ). So in conclusion: lotta people!
Also forgot to mention the drunk business men and ladies walking past the line. There were several "oh it's the Wii comments!" Brand recognition ftw! These are the folks who wont get it at launch but do show some interest in the system.
myDingling
Member
cvxfreak said:
Holy shit, all those pics are from the Yodobashi I went to! And these are the two girls I was standing next to! I saw when they were getting their pictures taken and I'm sure I came out in some of them but I guess they didn't want a dirty foreigner in the press release
krypt0nian
Banned
Haunted_One said:
This was only funny before the DS blew the **** up.
Okay, went out looking for more stuff, and ended up buying a Classic Controller (because of the 5000 Wii points included) and S-Video cables. Some of the GC games I want are still way too high priced, so I'm not going to bother with them right now.
Yamada Denki #1 was INSANE. This store is also packed on the weekend, but there were a lot of people in the gaming section buying Wii stuff. Games, points, remotes, you name it, it was being bought by people of all ages.
Yamada Denki #2 was empty. Almost deserted.
100man Volt had a nice Wii section up next to their PS3 stuff. It was also empty. But they did have DS Lite web browers for sale, so I grabbed one.
GEO had the tinest little Wii section up...barely anything in stock.
Tsutaya had even less than GEO. You'd never even know the system came out. But then again it was like that (and still is) with the 360 and PS3 at this store. They just pimp out the PS2, PSP, and DS, and give everything else the shaft.
My experience at all these stores basically mimics what it was like when the DS Lite was out. If Nintendo can keep this kind of momentum up and make the Wii like the DS, they are going to kick the crap out of Sony. We'll see what happens.
So NOW I'm finally going to hook the system up and play it.
Yamada Denki #1 was INSANE. This store is also packed on the weekend, but there were a lot of people in the gaming section buying Wii stuff. Games, points, remotes, you name it, it was being bought by people of all ages.
Yamada Denki #2 was empty. Almost deserted.
100man Volt had a nice Wii section up next to their PS3 stuff. It was also empty. But they did have DS Lite web browers for sale, so I grabbed one.
GEO had the tinest little Wii section up...barely anything in stock.
Tsutaya had even less than GEO. You'd never even know the system came out. But then again it was like that (and still is) with the 360 and PS3 at this store. They just pimp out the PS2, PSP, and DS, and give everything else the shaft.
My experience at all these stores basically mimics what it was like when the DS Lite was out. If Nintendo can keep this kind of momentum up and make the Wii like the DS, they are going to kick the crap out of Sony. We'll see what happens.
So NOW I'm finally going to hook the system up and play it.
JoshuaJSlone
Member
For comparison, going by Famitsu numbers it took GameCube from its September 14 launch until the week of November 19 to pass 400K units sold.BorkBork said:
imastalker co.
Banned
no pics of everyones favorite japanese game store employee?
akachan ningen
Member
nevermind.
Dynamite Shikoku
Congratulations, you really deserve it!
Why is sonic there?