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Nintendo Wii: Preorders Detailed

A few days after the PS3 preorder insanity began, Nintendo has unveiled their pre-purchase plan, which looks strikingly similar. Chances are, we're going to see the same results once EB/GameStop start taking Wii orders.

In an e-mail notice sent to gamers today, the stores announced that preorders for the Wii will begin tomorrow. Just like with the PS3, preorders will be given on a first-come-first-serve basis, and begin as soon as they swing their doors open for business. You'll need a $50 deposit (as opposed to the $100 for a PS3 preorder), and again, reservations are limited to one per household. At this time, there is no information regarding how many preorders will be allowed for each store. On the online front, we expect preorder info soon.

Furthermore, the Wii preorders will adopt another depressing similarity to the PS3 situation, because EB/GameStop can't guarantee a system at launch for those who manage to obtain a preorder. A disclaimer on the stores' websites states, "As we cannot control production and shipping issues by the manufacturer, a reservation deposit does not guarantee receipt of a system available to purchase at launch."

For news concerning both the Wii and PS3, the two stores did reveal plans for Canadian preorders. Our northern friends will get the chance to preorder both systems on Monday, October 16, and they'll need C$200 cash or credit deposit, or C$50 in trade.