(Last time I’ll do that, I swear.)
Here it is, the Wii launch special!
(Or not so special, depending on how much of a gamer you are.)
As with the PSP launch two years ago, I decided to camp for a Wii last night. And like the PSP debut, I kept a timeline of the whole evening.
Unlike two years ago, I had help.
Miyoko, being the awesome sport she is, agreed to help out with my Wii launch dreams. She was off work today, and was thus able to get to Akiba much earlier than I. She went there to scope things out, and waited for me to get off work and make my way there.
I got to Akiba just before 8PM and met up with her. She said Yodobashi was going to start forming a line at 8 in the parking garage (Huh?) and asked my thoughts on what to do. I figured we should get something to eat, since we didn’t know what the launch procedure was going to be, and how they’d handle people leaving the line.
We went to a Korean restaurant, only to find out there’d be a wait for a table. (Bummer, as their menu looked damned good. We’ll have to go back sometime.) She asked what I wanted to do and I decided (after too much dithering) that we should go get a spot in line.
Good thing we did.
2000 – We joined the line on the first floor of the shop and wound our way down the escalators to the B4 level of the parking garage. They’d cleared the area of cars and had established a very orderly queue. Nice. It was actually a series of lines, each with about 50 people. We got a spot right by the front of the 9th such line.
Which made us just past 400th in line. O.o
After setting up camp (I’d brought my handing folding chair) I decided to check out the crowd and snap some pics.
Not very outdoorsy, but I guess camping can still be a family activity:
2110 – There were camera crews filming thing for whatever shows they were part of, and since Miyoko and I were near the front of our section I was as easy gaijin to spot. Thus began my interview with a camera crew from Nippon Terebi. (I’m not sure what show, as they didn’t have a logo on their stuff other than the NT one.)
Basic questions were asked and Miyoko did fantastic as translator. What games did I want? How did I know so much info about the system (Japanese game titles and such)? Why did I want a Wii over a PS3?
Duh! It’s cheaper, heaps more innovative and has much, much better games.
The guy was cool and when the interview eneded he gave us a couple of spiffy 3-color pens (complete with built-in correction tape) as thanks.
2135 – I’m spotted by another camera crew, also with Nippon Terebi, but these guys have spiffy mikes indicating they’re from the Zoomin morning show.
These guys are much peppier than the last team (as befits a morning show, I suppose). The interviewer is digging that a gaijin is in taking part in such a thing and asks tons of questions. He wants to know why I’m at Yodobashi (and laughs when I bring up the point card ^.^), and what I think of the whole crazy line thing. I give some of the same answers as with the last interview but also go into more of the PS3/Wii thing. Miyoko outdoes herself with the translating and the crew seems to enjoy the bits of back and forth between her and I.
I’m not sure when (or even if) either of these interviews will air, but if you have access to NTV, keep your eyes open. We’ll also be checking the Zoomin website (linked above) to see if they put a clip online.
After the interview was over, they got our contact info (well, Miyoko’s cell – since it wouldn’t do much good for them to call me) and wanted to get a shot of me, post-purchase.
Here’s a shot I snapped of the crew after they’d moved on to their next subject:
2217 – A store employee with a megaphone makes a big announcement.
The Wii is sold out – and you’ll all get one!
Wow. So much for their 7AM launch. There are about 1,500 people in the garage at this point, and quite a large cheer goes up. ^.^
2240 – Mr. Megaphone is back and announces they’ll be passing out tickets for the system. What this means, exactly, is yet to be announced.
2250 – The aforementioned tickets have been passed out, and I’ve got mine in hand. Prior to handing out the tickets, they tell everybody they can getthe systems after 7AM. Does this mean we can leave? Nobody knows.
Yatta!
2305 – It’s another annoucement. The big news? “Wait 5 minutes for another announcement.”
2310 – The big news – you can go home if you want.
For real?
But what about the line? Can we come back before 7AM and rejoin the line? Will we have to wait outside, or do we get to come back to the garage?
Miyoko sets out for details.
2334 – Back with the scoop, Miyoko clues me in. (As well as the few other gaijin who’ve clicked to the fact that I’m getting translations of every announcement.)
Yes, you can go home and come back.
Yes, you can get back in line.
What door do we come to? Look for store staff, they’ll tell you.
What about games? The tickets only guarantee the system. Come back earlier for a good place in line to improve your chances of getting the games you want.
Groovy!
We head for the station and catch this sign at the door:
There are going to be some hurting dudes in the morning.
2345 – After letting one massively overstuffed train go by, we get the next one.
0010 – Back home to warmth. And beer!
We spend a bit of time checking Japanese TV to see if anything Wii-related is hitting the airwaves. (It isn’t. Just boatloads of soccer news.)
Let down by TV, we go online and check Kotaku and 2-chan. Nothing much on Kotaku aside from the beginning of their coverage, mostly from Osaka, where one of their writers is doing the Umeda Yodobashi Launch. (They’re also in a parking garage, only their on the 11th floor – above ground – and not nearly as warm (though maybe with better air) as we were. 2-chan is filled with disbelief at Yodobashi Akiba’s early sell-out.
0230 – All info’ed up (and cleaned up, to remove the parking garage funk), it’s time for bed.
0516 – The alarm goes off and I get up. Miyoko’s sitting out the rest of the launch. We know all the details, so I’m sure I can manage this on my own. If not, I’m sure some of the gaijin from last night will be around and we’ll figure shit out together.
0540 – On the train, making my way back to Akiba.
0600 – After showing my ticket to the security guard at the door (and again to the one outside the elevator in the parking garage) I’m back in line, this time about 350th or so.
Yay! I’ve moved up. ^.^
There’s only 1 hour to go, and I’m feeling tired and excited, with a healthy dose of glee.
When I was coming up to the store I noticed more than a couple bummed out otaku outside, unable to believe the system had already sold out, and that they’d been denied their chance to line up at Akiba’s biggest store.
After getting my place in line, I found one of the guys from last night. He and his wife/girfriend/frend(?) had come into Tokyo from quite a ways away, so they really had no choice but to stay in Akiba all night. They’d left when we did, but he said they’d come back to the garage around 3AM. At that time everybody was spread out and enjoying the open space. At 5AM the store staff made the lines re-form, apparently because it made for better TV imagery. I guess it’s easier to get a feel for the size of the crowd when everybody’s jammed together.
The morning crowd was considerably smaller, since those with tickets had been told they could come back anytime before 6PM and they’d still be guaranteed a system.
This whole space was filled with people last night:
0653 – The store staff set things in motion, moving cones and barriers around. Eveyrbody knows what this means, so people start standing up and packing away their stuff.
0700 – And so it begins! People are being herded to the elevators in order to go claim their goodies.
0729 – I’m on the move!
They’ve got a sales area set up on the first floor. Everybody lines up (yet again), waits for an open register, then presents their ticket.
And point card, of course.
At each register they’ve got a sheet showing all the available games and accessories. I rattle off my list, the guy jots it all down and goes off to gather it up.
He’s back in a flash and the guy working the register starts ringing it all up.
0740 – The damage is done (Â¥55,790 worth) and I’m out the door!
0741 – Just barely outside the shop I’m approached by a gaijin dude for a “Man on the street” Q&A. He’s a writer for Pink Godzilla Games (I hadn’t heard of them before, but I really dig their logo, so they get a link) and wants to know the details of how the launch went down.
I forgot to ask him why he didn’t have a system of his own.
0745 – Once again, I’m on train for home. I see a few other people with their new Wiis.
They all look tired.
0810 – HOME!
Here’s my Wii launch collection:
I picked up Odoru: Made in Wario, Wii Sports, Elebits and Hajimete no Wii (known as Wii Play in the English-speaking world). Hajimete no Wii comes with a wiimote, so it’s a good deal at Â¥4,800, especially considering a wiimote on its own is Â¥3,800. I snagged two more wiimotes (for four-player goodness) and an extra nunchuck, in order to give Wii Sports Boxing a proper go. The component cables round out my purchases.
Now, if you’ll excuse me, I need to go hook all this stuf up.
GAME ON!
(I’m sure you’ll all understand if I don’t post again very soon. ^.^)
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