Wii Warm Up: Would you like to preorder?

by Candace Savino { Jun 8th 2008 at 10:30AM }

Gamestop is notorious for its preorder policies, but other retailers offer shoppers the opportunity to preorder as well. Do you take part in the practice? If so, do you only preorder big releases (like Wii Fit or Mario Kart) to make sure you get a copy, or do you preorder any game you're looking forward to? If not, have you ever had trouble finding a game on its release day?

Tags: preorder

Reader Comments (Page 1 of 1)

Lord Bowser @ Jun 8th 2008 10:42AM

There hasn't been a game on the Wii that I've had trouble picking up on day one. Then again us Europeans haven't got Brawl yet. But I believe pre-ordering is a waste of time. That time spent consuming could have been used to procrastinate on the internet; I believe we all know which is the better option.

Prof-Chaos @ Jun 8th 2008 10:43AM

I usually preorder big releases. The first one I didn't preorder was WiiFit. I still haven't found it. Seriously pissing me off.

ChrisCanberg @ Jun 8th 2008 11:05AM

same here bro. that shits really tough to find.

Ross @ Jun 8th 2008 12:03PM

Same here, i pre-ordered brawl but there was still heaps of it in stock the day after. But Wii Fit was impossible to find, but luckily i found one left in wal-mart

Patius @ Jun 8th 2008 10:48AM

Eh, only massive ones like MP3, MK Wii and Brawl.

I didn't do it for galaxies, but i didn't try and get that until February.

Tee @ Jun 8th 2008 10:52AM

I am a situational pre-orderer. If I really want the game but am concerned about my finances around the time of release I will pre-order the game and pay on it up until release. So I am not trying to secure the game so much as securing the purchase funds.

igorponweed @ Jun 8th 2008 11:16AM

I pre-order big games, and I pre-order others for the bonuses.

WalkingCarpet @ Jun 8th 2008 11:18AM

A lot of times I go to Game Stop and reserve a copy of a game coming out if it's a big one that I want to have on release day. I did that with Guitar Hero III. I wanted to with Smash Bros, but I was going to be out of town and I didn't have a way to pick it up. So I got up early and got to the Sam's Club right when it opened and picked up a copy. But usually I only do it with games that I am reaaaaally excited for and that I have to have on release day. Other than that not so much. And all I ever do is reserve games like at my local Game Stop. I hate paying for shipping.

THRILLHO @ Jun 8th 2008 11:36AM

preordering is worth it if it has a bonus item. preordering from gamestop/eb/whatever tho, is incredibly crappy unless you plan on picking up the game within 48 hours. for wii fit, if you didnt pick it up in 48 hours, they sold your RESERVED copy to walk-ins. I preordered wii fit from the nintendo store, and they held it for me for almost two weeks, and yes, they were sold out of the game when I went to pick mine up!

trE @ Jun 8th 2008 12:04PM

I dont pre-order and I don't go to gamestop. I buy my copy the day the ad says it will be at best buy or circuit city.

BrokenMonkey @ Jun 8th 2008 12:05PM

I preordered Metal Gear Solid 4 for the beta and to ensure I got the speicial edition, and I preordered GTA IV for the special edition and because I could get it from Amazon with free 2-day shipping and no tax. Other than that, I don't preorder games because unless it's a bundle like Wii Fit or a special edition, it almost never sells out completely. If I wait a week or two after it releases sometimes I can get a better deal or something free.

supa_s @ Jun 8th 2008 12:16PM

I dont usually preorder but I did preorder wiifit for some odd reason.. then I found out here that Amazon ran out of preorders so I feel lucky. But I think I'm gonna start preordering all my games from now on, just to be on the safe side.

mr_sauce @ Jun 8th 2008 12:18PM

Unless it's a system, there is really no reason to pre-order a game. I mean have you ever seen a gamestop run out of halo3, madden, or big games like that? Do you really think when msg 4 comes out they will only have enough copies for those who pre-ordered it? The reason I don't pre-order games is because when you put your five or ten dollars on a game it goes to their bank where they draw interest off of your money! It might be wise to reserve an obscure title that you know they won't get a lot of copies in, but c'mon madden??? Gamestop makes more than enough money, they don't needs to be making money off my 5 dollar deposit.

supa_s @ Jun 8th 2008 12:41PM

well i always preorder online; this way I keep the interest and make sure I get a copy of the game i want ;)

Chris @ Jun 8th 2008 12:45PM

Word up to that buddy.

Chris @ Jun 8th 2008 12:44PM

The only game I've ever pre-ordered was Wind Waker from Wal-Mart, and it was only to get Master Quest. Pre-ordering is for the impatient and the easily-excited.

Tim @ Jun 8th 2008 1:00PM

I walked into Target and picked up WiiFit the day it came out and Mario Kart at Costco (for $43) on day one. I pre-ordered Brawl but only because I got a $10 gift card from Circuit City if I pre-ordered. Other than that...pre-ordering would have been a waste of my time.

Daniel @ Jun 8th 2008 1:15PM

I only pre-order games if I plan to get them on day one (Smackdown vs Raw every year, and GTA 4) Other than that I don't see a point because if you're not going to get it on the first day it's out then what's the point of pre-ordering?

Mr Khan @ Jun 8th 2008 1:26PM

I go with the majority, i'll preorder the big huge titles, mostly for piece of mind and occasionally for sweet bonuses, but for lesser titles i'll just walk in

+++volume+++ @ Jun 8th 2008 1:30PM

I preordered Smash Bros., that's the only one I ever have.

Palomino311 @ Jun 8th 2008 1:43PM

The only pre-order I've ever done was for Wii Fit, because I really wanted it and had a hunch that it would be rather difficult to find. And I was right...other than a few places, it's near impossible to find. I've not seen a single Wii Fit anywhere other than release day when I picked mine up at GameStop.

I don't know that I would do a pre-order for regular games, though. I read about people pre-ordering SSBB and Mario Kart, but when I was in stores several days after the release, I saw lots on the shelves.

Bag of Bees @ Jun 8th 2008 1:45PM

I generally only pre-order games I'm afraid I won't be able to get ahold of on release day. I'm obviously a poor judge of popularity though since I pre-oredered Okami for the PS2 and got a strange look from the cashier in the process. But really, I would have been pretty upset if I didn't have it on release day.

Gewurztraminer says: R.O.B. is the last Cylon! @ Jun 8th 2008 1:54PM

I pre-order to ensure Day 1 purchases or for bonuses.

It all started with FF8 for me. At a Wal*Mart no less.

Gewurztraminer says: R.O.B. is the last Cylon! @ Jun 8th 2008 1:55PM

"it all started" refers to pre-ordering, of course.

Jay @ Jun 8th 2008 2:11PM

I preorder if there's any possibility of it selling out, expecially if I might not be able to get to the store when they open.

Brawl ended up coming out when I was in Florida for spring break. Since we were drivig down overnight I couldn't time it well enough to find a store that we'd be passing around midnight so I called my sister (who works at Disney and was the main reason for us going down that week) to go reserve it at the GS by her appartment. When we got there, it was sold except for mine and the other reserve copies that weren't picked up yet......then we went over to Walmart (right across the parking lot) to pick some other stuff up and found out they had more than enough copies to go around (I'm assuming they still launched at 12 since it is a 24hour store)

Jay @ Jun 8th 2008 2:12PM

....and of course if there's a preorder bonus of any sorts (sup Dialga stylus)

Sonic_13 @ Jun 8th 2008 3:46PM

I've pre-ordered a lot of titles, but not all. Generally just the major titles that will definitely sell out quickly.

- ExciteTruck (launch)
- Madden NFL 08 (launch)
- Red Steel (launch)
- Star Wars: The Force Unleashed
- Super Mario Galaxy
- Super Smash Bros. Brawl
- The Legend of Zelda: Twilight Princess (launch)
- WarioWare Smooth Moves
- Wii Fit

Mario Kart is a big exception because I had to study for finals the week it came out, so I wasn't going to be able to play it anyway for at least two weeks. (Although I then had trouble finding it when I did try to pick it up).

tacoman @ Jun 8th 2008 4:54PM

Has to be something big, or a game they may not get unless it's preordered. These days I usually just wait for games to go on sale before picking them up.

bentendo @ Jun 8th 2008 5:28PM

I haven't preordered anything since Ocarina of Time. In my town, you can pretty much find a new release with no trouble as long as you get to the store within an hour or two of opening. I've gotten Smash Bros, Mario Kart, and Wii Fit all on release day.

I never, ever buy from the local Gamestop, though. We have a local grocery/department store that I pick up games at. Always a great selection, and always in stock.

Haohmaru @ Jun 8th 2008 5:34PM

I preordered Street Fighter IV for the artbook. It's usually the incentives like that one that determine whether or not I preorder.

grp110nyr @ Jun 8th 2008 9:05PM

I will preorder a game if it is on my personal hot list. Otherwise I will wait for the game to come to stores. Example: I love Madden and I know without a doubt that the Gamestop store I visit will have extra copies. I guess my only reason for this is to help the two Gamestop employees I usually deal with. Most people talk negative about Gamestop but the one I visit is great and the staff does not hassle you for pre-orders.

Fiefdom @ Jun 8th 2008 10:17PM

I pre-order imported games for the bonus stuff, but the only North American releases I've pre-ordered were Wind Waker (for the Ocarina of Time Master Quest disc) and Arcana Heart (to ensure that a copy was shipped to my state). If I go to GameStop and am told that they can't sell me a game because they sold all their pre-orders then I go to the Wal-Mart next door and buy it for a dollar or two less. This special technique has never failed me.

Garst @ Jun 8th 2008 10:45PM

I have never have preordered a game, but I did preorder the DS and the Andromeda Slipstream Collection DVD box set. I haven't bothered preordering anything since. Most of the time it's not worth it. The only time it is, is when you can only get a specialty item with a preorder.

MidnightScott @ Jun 9th 2008 2:45AM

Yeah I usually only preorder big games, or atleast games I know I want on Day 1 or ones that I know that will be sold out for a long while.

I also have had trouble finding games on release day such as Mario Strikers Charged.

It's not like they are making money off of you when you preorder, because that money is going toward the price of the game.

Deozaan @ Jun 9th 2008 4:51AM

Oddly enough the only games I seem to preorder these days is the (proper) Pokemon games. Not because I think they'll be hard to find, but usually just for the collectable crap they give you when you preorder.

Besides Pokemon, I haven't preordered a game since... I dunno, some GameCube game.

Omen @ Jun 9th 2008 7:42AM

I never pre-order and I cheerfully tell them 'No, I do not want to pre-order anything thank you." Before they even ask me.

I've thought about a shirt that says the same.

chefgon_ign @ Jun 9th 2008 9:01AM

I have preordered exactly two games in my lifetime. Wind Waker (to get the free disc) and Wii Fit. Wii Fit is the only time I have ever preordered a game out of fear of not being able to find a copy on release day.

All other games I have ever wanted have always been easy to find at any store on launch day. Almost always in plentiful numbers.

Reed @ Jun 9th 2008 7:27PM

Pre-ordering is the biggest load of crap I've ever smelled. You're basically paying them in advance for letting them sell something to you. I've never had any problem getting any realeases on the first day. That includes GTA IV, Super Mario Galaxy, and Super Mario Kart.

Mountain Man @ Jun 10th 2008 7:19PM

I really don't understand what people have against preordering. It costs nothing extra, you can always get your money back in full if you change your mind, and it guarantees you'll have your copy on release day. Of course that only applies if you're dealing with a reputable business, but in my experience, you're pretty safe going with national chains.

As for me, I generally preorder if I know I'm going to buy a game and I have the money for it.