November 19, 2006 marked the day of the Nintendo Wii launch, and many Seattle–area stores held midnight launch parties to pacify the many Nintendo fans. Many Toys ‘R’ Us and Gamestop stores opened their doors before midnight, but would not allow anyone to purchase a console until 12:01am on Sunday. Gamestop only opened their doors to those who pre-ordered and were able to show their sales slips.
The story was the same with Fred Meyer (a semi-national grocery and department store), who did not take pre-orders. Several people started forming a first-come-first-served line early Saturday, and the line grew to over one-hundred as the witching hour approached. Management confirmed that there were 90 consoles available, and those in line quickly counted to see which spot they had. As I took interviews down the line, I noticed that several 8 to 9-year-old boys had dragged their parents out for the midnight party, so there was not a 1-to-1 ratio of people vs. consoles… there was still hope for those in the back of the line.
Several parents stood in line with their children, who somehow persuaded the escort to the midnight party. When asked how they felt about standing in line, some responded that it brought back memories of standing in line for Duran Duran, Rock Monster, and other concerts when they were their children’s ages. Many of the children were unable to sleep last night, knowing that they would be playing the new console in less than 24 hours. For them the experience is something they will always remember: this is their Star Wars, their Kennedy Assassination.
Although there were several elementary-aged children in line, there were many other high-school and college students. One group of friends (Kevin, Max, Chris, Koichi, and Theo) all went to the University of Washington, and grew up with the original NES (Nintendo Entertainment System). Kevin even took the time to study up on his Biology class while he waited in line.
Another group of friends, Ana, Dennis, and Andrea, got in line around 7:30pm. They were line veterans, as they stood in line to watch Star Wars Episode I when theaters opened their doors several years ago.
Things were more laid back at the Best Buy in Lynnwood, WA, who was waiting until Sunday morning before selling Nintendo’s next-generation console, but confirmed that 84 units were available. Only twelve people were in line, all high-schoolers or older. They knew they were in for a good night’s wait, as they all brought sleeping bags, and 4-person tents.
Some youths brought a TV and several consoles, playing out of the back of a car. They hooked up a deep-cycle marine battery, much more resilient than standard car batteries. The marine battery, they said, could easily drive a TV and console for at least 8 hours.
When asked what they would do to pass the time, several Englemore high school students responded “I dunno… maybe tell ghost stories. We’re all really here for the experience. I wouldn’t be anywhere else right now, but probably won’t ever do this again”. The students (Mikeal, Devin, and “Butters”) said that many people asked them what they were doing, because they had no idea the Wii was launching or even what a “Wii” was. They added “The Wii is the only ‘real’ next-gen console because it has a completely new way of playing games. They even allow you to use standard SD cards for saves instead of custom memory”.
I returned to Fred Meyer at 11:15, where the scene had gotten a little more tense. Management had already passed out tickets, and one disgruntled customer (who was #91 out of the 90 tickets available) began a shouting match with the manager, who subsequently contacted police. The man left before authorities could show, however.
One clever youth, knowing he was going to be left out, purchased a 42nd place in line for $170 from a lucky ticket-holder.
Around 11:30, everything went dark: the Fred Meyer street sign, parking lot lights: only the faint glow of the many Nintendo DSes illuminated the faces of the fans. Apparently Fred Meyer is not used to staying open this late, and the lighting system was on a timer. Some people retrieved flashlights from their cars, but vending machines near the beginning of the line showed the goal: Fred Meyer’s front doors.
Twelve midnight finally approached, and management (clad in promotional “Wii Play” T-shirts) opened the doors to announce that they would be bringing customers in, fifteen at a time, to purchase the new Nintendo Wii. There were 90 consoles available, but only 35 copies of each gamer were available. Nearly everyone in line was hoping for a copy of Zelda: Twilight Princess, but only 1/3rd of them would be able to obtain a copy.
The first customers emerged from the electronics department, their consoles tucked into tan plastic bags. You would think that they would be ecstatic beyond belief, but many hurried to their cars, with an almost paranoid look about them. They may have heard all the horror stories of the Playstation 3 robberies and didn’t want to be the next victims.
Several parents (especially fathers) stood in line with their sons, and one accepted an interview after exiting the store triumphantly.
When asked to comment on his purchase, Tim (and his son Trey) responded “I feel great, although slightly sleepy from being up at 4:00am.” I asked if this toy was really for him or his son.. “My son, really. I’m just happy to get out. We both really like video games.”
Overall, the launch of the Nintendo Wii was a major success. There were plenty of consoles available around the city, even for those that weren’t able to snag one at a midnight party. Nearly everyone in line couldn’t wait to play it, in contrast to the PS3 squatters who nearly all intended to sell theirs. The Nintendo fanboys are dedicated to Nintendo because they treat the gamers right: they offer great games with mass appeal, they have innovated a truly revolutionary way of gaming, and made sure they get it into the hands of the gamers. The Nintendo Wii is offered at a price that nearly everyone can afford ($250, including a game), and no production issues translates into a Wii for everyone that wants one this holiday season.
Wheeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeee!