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[JoeM86]

I remember seeing a thread like this for Smash and Youkai Watch recently, figured this is interesting enough to warrant a post.

Today, pre-orders opened up for the upcoming Pokémon games, Omega Ruby & Alpha Sapphire. Series director Junichi Masuda retweeted some images of queues at the Pokémon Centers

It's insane. I remember when people said it was a fad that would die quickly, and here we are 16 years later with queues like that just for pre-orders.

 

[XenodudeX]

holy shit

 

[Tripon]

...people are lining up to pre order?!?!?!

 

[Mihael Mello Keehl]

They cant just walk in release date and buy it?

 

[Blackstarhat]

damn couldnt you just pre order from amazon i had my pre order paid off since e3.

 

[Velcro Fly]

Aren't there preorder goods for Japan?

 

[JoeM86]

To be fair, there are pre-order bonuses in Pokémon Centers. You can get the two figures, plus a poster and artbook exclusive to the Pokémon Center.

 

[zeromcd73]

Have some more!!!:

 

[TurbulentTurtle]

I should go to Japan just to pre-order my copy.

 

[botty]

Welp, that's the power of Hoenn. Gen 3 the best.

 

[SwiftDeath]

1. That's insane
2. Why do you have to lineup to pre-order?

 

[HIR0]

They cant just walk in release date and buy it?

sarcasm?

 

[tim_pkmn89]

Sure there's not an Apple Store behind it?

 

[cafemomo]

best gen deserves it all

curtain call, oras, ffex, mohu4g

what a great year for the 3ds

 

[Lernaean]

Damn!

 

[Marcus]

Welp, that's the power of Hoenn. Gen 3 the best.

we can never be friends

 

[HawthorneKitty]

Think of the streetpasses.

 

[JoeM86]

1. That's insane
2. Why do you have to lineup to pre-order?

In Japan, they do pre-orders a bit different. Pre-orders tend to have a day from which they can pre-order, and people line-up to guarantee they'll get it.

Plus there are a couple of pre-order bonuses exclusive to the Pokémon Center

 

[Nemecyst]

Is there a pre-order bonus? Will they line up for the new 3ds as well?


Edit: Thanks JoeM86.

 

[Busaiku]

Pssh, forget Yokai Watch.
The real hotness is back.

 

[JoeM86]

Is there a pre-order bonus? Will they line up for the new 3ds as well?

Yeah, there's the figures, plus a poster exclusive to the Pokémon Center and a special artbook when you pre-order both.

They're also taking pre-orders for the special ORAS New 3DSs, which are in limited supply.

Pssh, forget Yokai Watch.
The real hotness is back.

Youkai Watch is still huge. I was discussing it with a friend in Japan a while back and she mentioned that Youkai Watch is a big hit with the kids, but hasn't really expanded to the adult audience in the way Pokémon has.

 

[chaobreaker]

I might just preorder Alpha Sapphire on Amazon and hope it arrives on day 1. The hype behind X and Y was so immense that did my first midnight purchase but I can wait for this one. It will be and less same the experience I had as a preteen mixed with my young adult glee from yesteryear.

 

[Blackstarhat]

best gen deserves it all

curtain call, oras, ffex, mohu4g

what a great year for the 3ds

dont forget smash im going to be spending a shit load of time on my 3ds.

 

[Nemecyst]

Pokemon Amiibo's will make a killing

 

[Paper Sparrow]

I wish we got those figures in NA.

NoA missing out on some easy money.

 

[Mik317]

They cant just walk in release date and buy it?

yeah if you are a poser

Spoiler

with the advent of the internet and release day delivery I don't get the appeal of standing for preorders...like..you will get it eventually

 

[Zalman]

Wow, that's insane.

 

[massoluk]

I think Japan got the concept of pre-orders horribly wrong. haha.

 

[Busaiku]

I wish we got those figures in NA.

NoA missing out on some easy money.

Screw the figures, we need the artbook.

 

[Paper Sparrow]

Screw the figures, we need the artbook.

Oh man, I forgot they get that too. ='(

I guess I'll settle for posters. =I

 

[Speedwagon]

best gen deserves it all

curtain call, oras, ffex, mohu4g

what a great year for the 3ds

don't forget smash

 

[ArcaneFreeze]

Pokemon Amiibo's will make a killing

Dear god, I pray for Japan the day those get announced...

 

[JoeM86]

Dear god, I pray for Japan the day those get announced...

Pokémon actually led the charge of NFC figures on Wii U, with Pokémon Rumble U figures...in gacha machines.

 

[orochi91]

I think Japan got the concept of pre-orders horribly wrong. haha.

I seriously wanna see the line-ups for FF15 come release day. It will be glorious.

 

[watershed]

While Nintendo still sucks with accounts and digital purchases, I would download day one over waiting in line like that.

 

[oti]

Now imagine the lines for a Special Pokémon iPhone Edition.

 

[ohlawd]

I seriously wanna see the line-ups for FF15 come release day. It will be glorious.

it's gonna be like the pic in the OP divided by 4

 

[JoeM86]

Now imagine the lines for a Special Pokémon iPhone Edition.

There wouldn't be any because it'd be a) digital and b) fictional

 

[Mariolee]

Now imagine the lines for a Special Pokémon iPhone Edition.

Like, are you saying an iPhone with Pokemon design or a game? Either way, there would be no line and it would reduce the value of the franchise.

 

[JayEH]

Wow, all this just to pre order? Weird.

 

[AllenShrz]

Ive never seen a game run out copies here, except for youkai watch.

 

[Floridian]

Japan knows master race 3rd gen is not an opportunity to miss. #TeamSapphire

 

[Louis Cyphre]

While Nintendo still sucks with accounts and digital purchases, I would download day one over waiting in line like that.

Is this the genius of marketing for Nintendo? Make the online purchases unbearable while taking pictures of people lining up.

Makes no sense in this day and age that we have people wasting their time standing in line. Sell all games online, therefore games will never be sold out. While of course still selling retail copies to those who want physical copies. If you get some exclusive stuff then I could see people wanting to wait in line but it would be smarter to do that for online purchases to get consumers to switch over.

 

[JoeM86]

Is this the genius of marketing for Nintendo? Make the online purchases unbearable while taking pictures of people lining up.

Makes no sense in this day and age that we have people wasting their time standing in line. Sell all games online, therefore games will never be sold out. While of course still selling retail copies to those who want physical copies. If you get some exclusive stuff then I could see people wanting to wait in line but it would be smarter to do that for online purchases to get consumers to switch over.

No? They can preorder the digital version here too, and it can be preordered online.

I really do think people here overblow the account issue.

 

[Firestorm]

Is this the genius of marketing for Nintendo? Make the online purchases unbearable while taking pictures of people lining up.

Makes no sense in this day and age that we have people wasting their time standing in line. Sell all games online, therefore games will never be sold out. While of course still selling retail copies to those who want physical copies. If you get some exclusive stuff then I could see people wanting to wait in line but it would be smarter to do that for online purchases to get consumers to switch over.

Why would it be smarter to keep people out of the stores with other merchandise to buy (especially when they own those stores)? There's a reason they keep teaming up with GameStop, GAME, and other retailers even though their would rather do it from home.

 

[Louis Cyphre]

Why would it be smarter to keep people out of the stores with other merchandise to buy (especially when they own those stores)? There's a reason they keep teaming up with GameStop, GAME, and other retailers even though their would rather do it from home.

Isn't it better for companies like Nintendo for us to buy digitally? After all didn't Nintendo sell Zelda earlier online? This way they can gain more profits, control piracy and curb used game sales. I would think this is the big push for all of them. Of course the retailers will also have to be part of the plan too add they are the ones who sell the hardware.

A bit off-topic but does anyone think they will sell pokemon on the console?

 

[cafemomo]

What's wrong with waiting in a line? Plus you get to meet others who share an interest in the same thing you like

 

[QuixoticNeutral]

Think of the streetpasses.

Enough to deplete a full battery before you make it to the front of the queue.

 

[Auron_Kale]

Though I'm personally gonna delay my purchase of sapphire until probably Black Friday instead of day 1 (will be playing Persona Q instead), if I was in Japan right now, I'd probably be in one of those lines just for the chance to get the art book.

Oh and build up my street passes.

 

[JoeM86]

A bit off-topic but does anyone think they will sell pokemon on the console?

No. Pokémon is a handheld franchise and the developers have stated as such. A large part of Pokémon is the portability, and it's a large part of why it's so popular. To remove that to put it on a home console with no benefits other than "more power" would be a horrific decision, both in concept and business. Higher budget for less money? Nuts to that.