GameStop To Begin Taking Wii Pre-orders Friday

According to an email notification sent to its customers, major U.S. video games retailer GameStop has confirmed that it will begin taking pre-orders for the "extremely limited supply" of Nintendo's upcoming Wii console starting Friday, October 13. According to the retailer, reservations, which will occur at GameStop and EB stores in the United States, will be taken on a first come, first serve basis. They will require a $50 deposit, that can be funded with cash, credit, or trade. However, due to the aforementioned extremely limited supply, the retailer notes that it expects to reach its limit very quickly, “most likely in minutes”. Customers are advised to call their local store for more information on possible pre-order availability. In addition, GameStop notes that a reservation will not guarantee a customer the availability of a console on the launch day, as it “cannot control production and shipping issues by the manufacturer.” The note adds that a “limited online pre-order program” will be announced at an unannounced later date, once more information concerning available software and accessory availability details are confirmed. Additionally, EB Games Canada stores will begin accepting limited pre-orders for the PlayStation 3 and Wii consoles on Monday, October 16. These reservations will require $50 CDN in trade or a $200 CDN cash/credit reservation deposit. This announcement comes shortly after the GameStop pre-order window for PlayStation 3, during which existing pre-order slots for the console's November launch ran out in a matter of minutes.