Brits queue for the Wii

Two huge lines form outside stores on Oxford Street as people wait in the hopes of getting one of Nintendo's next-gen consoles on its European debut.

The Legend of Zelda: Twilight Princess

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Wii fever has officially started in Europe. Hundreds of gamers have been lined up outside stores on London's Oxford Street waiting for the Wii to go on sale for the first time in the region tonight at midnight. Two stores--Game and HMV--on the famed shopping street were opening at midnight to sell the console.

Some of those who waited brought similar fare seen at the launches of the console in North America (November 19) and Japan (December 2), including chairs, food supplies, and portables, to kill the time while they waited in unusually mild weather for the area.

Vic Ainsworth was first in line and skipped work early to set up camp outside Game this afternoon with his friend John Close. He said, "We're super keen. We can't wait to get the console. I figured why not come and queue? The earlier we got here, the more freebies we would get." He added that so far he had received a scarf, a cap, and even some pizza--all for free.

Sheree Russ is hoping to get a console for her son, Alfie. She said, "He wants it so much, that's why I'm standing here." But she also had a personal motive for waiting--she admitted that the Wii intrigued her as well. "The Wii bowling looks good," she laughed.

Almost all gamers said that they would be picking up an extra game with their Wii (the console already comes bundled with Wii Sports). Thirteen-year-old Josh Thompson said that The Legend of Zelda: Twilight Princess was a must-buy. He said, "I'll be getting Zelda, and Red Steel, and Rayman. It's a Christmas and a birthday present all in one, but my parents told me I'm going to be allowed to play it today." His mother, who lined up with him, added that they were queuing tonight because they had learnt from past disappointments--last year they ordered an Xbox 360, but the delivery did not arrive in time for Christmas.

At Game, the retailer was keeping the crowd busy with free pizza, friendly competitions, and entertainers dressed as Nintendo characters.

Events were also taking place in Edinburgh, Birmingham, and Dublin. Gamestation Birmingham New Street store manager Matthew Perks told GameSpot that his store was ready for the launch. "People have been queuing here since 8 p.m., but there's a great atmosphere because everyone in line so far is guaranteed a Wii." He added that the store had 400 or so consoles to sell, 320 of which were allocated to preorders.

The console comes bundled in the UK with Wii Sports, a Wii Remote, and a Nunchuk controller for £179 (approximately $350).

138 Comments

  • Shad_Zero

    Posted Jan 28, 2007 11:15 am GMT

    i have a wii

  • CocaColaGamer

    Posted Dec 16, 2006 2:23 pm GMT

    Came by delivery van by the time school finished on Friday, w00t

  • 3leMenT

    Posted Dec 12, 2006 8:46 pm GMT

    meh money is money it comes it goes, i got a wii

  • washburnwi14

    Posted Dec 11, 2006 2:32 pm GMT

    geez so many people are being spoiled my god like seriously that guy whos giving her daughter a wii AND A PLASMA omg when i turned 16 i got the same as always. i actually have a limit of 200 (dollars), not 2,000+ (dollars) that people are spending for each person just for chrismas and when they turn 16 omg im 16 wow

    no wonder why people are in so much debt

  • DangerDave

    Posted Dec 9, 2006 12:18 pm GMT

    getting mine tomnmorow morning before work would of got it today but didnt get the phone call telling me it was ready for collection until i was alreay in work cant complain tho as i preorderd late sept/early nov and was told i wouldnt get it until next week

  • Lithavalon

    Posted Dec 9, 2006 12:10 pm GMT

    eee nice..

  • GrimBee

    Posted Dec 9, 2006 9:32 am GMT

    The packaging for the UK is different for the USA... The UK packaging has a serrated edge to it, and feels almost home-made as you can push in the packaging and basically see whts inside... in a white box with a card blur inside.

    The USA packaging is a plastic vacuum thingy like the 360 has for its stuff...
    Either way, both look nice on the shelves. Stores are stocked with wii stuff, and those white game cases look awesome (much much better than the ps3 see through naff cases..).

    Its great!

  • puppiemaster

    Posted Dec 9, 2006 9:15 am GMT

    Got my daughter a Wii and a plasma TV for her birthday, was not spoiling her, she is only 16 once.

    Wish i had a plasma tv on the wall in my bedroom though and the floorboards keep on creaking, have to keep on going upstairs to make sure she is actually jumping around playing the Wii

  • puppiemaster

    Posted Dec 9, 2006 9:11 am GMT

    got my 3 Wii Friday (me(I just wanted one), daughter(birthday on 05/12) and dad(birthday 08/12)), no problems at all but i pre ordered in august. Game was also happy as I spent £900 and forgot my Game card.

    on the 3rd party companies how many are going to develop for the PS3 if you need 500K+ sales to break even, way too much of a risk. I think the smaller development companies will flock to the big N as there is more chance of a profit.

  • nimaspitfire

    Posted Dec 9, 2006 3:54 am GMT

    well with EA dedicated some studios to Wii games development and UBISOFT charging for the number 2 spot in the games publishing world, I see more than just Nintendo brand games on teh way.

  • Systemafunk

    Posted Dec 9, 2006 1:28 am GMT

    bghattas: Once the honeymoon is over, how many non-Nintendo published games will be coming out every year? Surely you're not going to be content playing simple games like Wii Sports. All games need some meat in them and even newcomers will need something more to keep them coming back for more i.e. buying more software.

    Maybe not single player. Games like Wii sports are always fun if youve got friends over. My friends and I still play Tetris attack, Smash Bros, Goldeneye, even Contra...

    Im sure Ill be playing the new Smash Bros for the Wii for as long as the disc holds out. At only 250$, possibly 200 after Christmas, Im perfectly fine buying the Wii just for Smash Bros.

  • princeofgames90

    Posted Dec 8, 2006 3:51 pm GMT

    I dont see campers here

  • Korps14

    Posted Dec 8, 2006 2:09 pm GMT

    Retards. 2 Hour Wait In A Nice Little ASDA Store Was All I Needed. Indoors Having A Laugh With A Mate In The Warm.

    Given A Ticket, Spent The Day At Home. Came Back At Midnight And Picked Up My Wii And Zelda In A Wonderful Orderly Fashion. No Geeks With Red Steel Shirts And Champagne. My Wii Adventure > Packed, OTT London Launch Parties.

  • bghattas

    Posted Dec 8, 2006 1:48 pm GMT

    I am sorry that I angered a lot of people here. Perhaps I went over the line.

    However, I still believe the console will have a difficult road ahead when it comes to winning back developers that were lost during the GameCube era. Once the honeymoon is over, how many non-Nintendo published games will be coming out every year? Surely you're not going to be content playing simple games like Wii Sports. All games need some meat in them and even newcomers will need something more to keep them coming back for more i.e. buying more software.

    We will see.

  • coollizy

    Posted Dec 8, 2006 11:48 am GMT

    Can't find a single one where I live... In fact, whenever I go into a store, the person in front of me usually asks about it first (which, of course, saves me the trouble).

  • janner51

    Posted Dec 8, 2006 11:36 am GMT

    Tried over 30 different places today.

    What's annoying is the huge promotion from stores like Gamestation etc. Seems silly promoting something they don't have. They blamed Nintendo. My Watford branch was promised 120 and they only got 6. lol. They also had over 200 phone calls in the first hour today asking for Wii.

    Gamestation did let me play with one for 10 mins tho, after i filled out the disclamer saying i couldn't sue if something happened to me while playing Wii Sports

    It's awesome and i'm desperate for one.

  • NeoGamer741

    Posted Dec 8, 2006 11:35 am GMT

    "queue" loliseewhatudidthere

  • not-e-n-e

    Posted Dec 8, 2006 11:14 am GMT

    redrabbit
    "Compared to the PlayStation 3 the Wii is doing extremely well. The Wii has already doubled the amount of sales that the PS3 has, WELL DONE NINTENDO!!!!"

    Nintendo also has that many more systems available duh... ps3 would be doing just as well if the had the same number of systems on the market.

    PS. NEW FFvsXIII TRAILER!!!

  • bmckay420

    Posted Dec 8, 2006 11:13 am GMT

    Got a Wii and a 360 both are sweet . Would own a ps3 some nice games coming for it but 700 bucks is a lil too much to play Metal gear.Maybe if 2 of my ps2's didnt break down on me i could buy one but i dont trust sony anymore . Oh well enjoying Zelda now soon to be Gears of War and if i got time some FF3 for the ds . im pretty sure most ppl are just buying the ps3 to resell anyway good way to make some money suckers enjoy ur kingdom hearts revamped final fantasy 12 and 13 ill be enjoying playing Halo 3 and Super smash Bros now too mention Metroid prime 3. Go WIi360

  • Tommi88

    Posted Dec 8, 2006 10:56 am GMT

    Thirteen-year-old Josh Thompson said that The Legend of Zelda: Twilight Princess was a must-buy. He said, "I'll be getting Zelda, and Red Steel, and Rayman. It's a Christmas and a birthday present all in one, but my parents told me I'm going to be allowed to play it today." His mother, who lined up with him, added that they were queuing tonight because they had learnt from past disappointments--last year they ordered an Xbox 360, but the delivery did not arrive in time for Christmas. man they are so spoiling that kid...wtf is up with some ppl

  • kiddoom93

    Posted Dec 8, 2006 10:50 am GMT

    at least nobody got mugged hurt SHOT!!! etc

  • redrabbit

    Posted Dec 8, 2006 10:14 am GMT

    Compared to the PlayStation 3 the Wii is doing extremely well. The Wii has already doubled the amount of sales that the PS3 has, WELL DONE NINTENDO!!!!

  • CheddarLimbo

    Posted Dec 8, 2006 9:42 am GMT

    The Wii is the greatest thing since figgy pudding!

  • lowenergycycle

    Posted Dec 8, 2006 8:48 am GMT

    @Darth_Tyrranus
    It would make sense though to actually see the "film" in question before judging it so aggressively. I don't think somehow that bghattas has even played on the Wii. Thus all of his stupid comments are ungrounded and worthless.

    And there's a bit of a difference between expressing your opinion and needlessly flame-baiting.

  • gerardinsito

    Posted Dec 8, 2006 7:42 am GMT

    it`s very expensive to be Europe..... they have better economy than us

  • Reetesh

    Posted Dec 8, 2006 7:29 am GMT

    Great! Now PAl territories can Enjoy the Wii

  • Darth_Tyrranus

    Posted Dec 8, 2006 7:25 am GMT

    Iowenenergycycle
    Just because you haven't created a video console yourself does not mean that you do not have the right to judge other consoles. For instance, you are allowed to say a movie was bad without actually having filmed a movie of your own. bghattas is entitled to his own opinion, regardless of whether it is foolish or not.

  • mr_squibble

    Posted Dec 8, 2006 6:44 am GMT

    lowenergycycle
    @bghattas

    "Would you be happy playing freakin' Ball-In-A-Cup the rest of your life?

    Grow up you prick "

    This made me LOL at work! Good lines!

  • chrisdojo

    Posted Dec 8, 2006 6:37 am GMT

    maybe the Wii will be the top selling gaming unit over the DS!!!!

  • puppiemaster

    Posted Dec 8, 2006 6:31 am GMT

    sold out everywhere, lucky i pre ordered, its amazing, got zelda, red steel COD3, Rayman, Super Money Ball, Wii Play and bought Zelda and Bomberman on the virtual console, Only gripe is cant buy 2000 points online, only 1k 3k or 5k, had to get daughter 3k worth for her console, knew i should of bought more in Game this morning

  • hector1313

    Posted Dec 8, 2006 6:21 am GMT

    Heck I don't know if I got a Wii yet. There's a note from some delivery dude saying there's a package with my neighbours that was for here. They're not in, but I don't think they quite appreciate the gravity of the situation. Get back here now I say!

    Anyways... where's all the coverage from the Auld Reekie release? Surely Edinburgh is far more interesting than all those boring English tea drinkers in London and Birmingham (which aren't exactly light years apart either...)

  • Re_ensurer

    Posted Dec 8, 2006 6:09 am GMT

    The Wii is doing very well.

  • GrimBee

    Posted Dec 8, 2006 5:50 am GMT

    Sold out, everywhere... Wii is a HOT item right now, not just amongst gamers, but the general non-gaming public. I seen SO many people looking at the wii accessories today, in all kinds of stores which stocked it.

    Stores literally had to put up big OUT OF STOCK posters and signs, because customers were asking about it so much.
    Wii is going to make a killing in Europe this Christmas, and the 360 is doing EXTREMELY well, too! Well done Nintendo and Microsoft! *clap clap clap clap* we finally get some interesting games and things!! Whooaarrr!

  • XG_EagleEye

    Posted Dec 8, 2006 5:10 am GMT

    KingofTrolls: You sir, are just ignorant, im so glad that your arrogance doesnt represent the whole of the US.

    Anyway, looking forward to being able to play mine! Woohoo.

  • JoeAlmighty

    Posted Dec 8, 2006 4:54 am GMT

    They shipped short to Ireland

  • SpareJesus

    Posted Dec 8, 2006 4:49 am GMT

    KingofTrolls:

    I've actually heard of a lot of Americans complain that we were getting Wii Play and you guys weren't, so boo-hoo, Nintendo went and gave you the game. =( Happy now? "Want a soh-dah?"

  • RogueBerserker

    Posted Dec 8, 2006 4:28 am GMT

    Actually, King of Trolls I usually do. I'm not getting a Wii but just thought I'd say that from the forums I've been on alot fo Americans complain when Japan gets things early. For example, on the Crackdown forum people were complaining when Crackdown was goin to be released in the UK a few months before it was released in the US and why not? I mean it's made in Dundee so why shouldn't it be released here first.

  • Cloud737

    Posted Dec 8, 2006 3:52 am GMT

    Another great wii launch. Power to the Wii!

  • nirvanasource

    Posted Dec 8, 2006 3:39 am GMT

    I can see the Wii doing well in this "war". Any console that has tried to push more pixels to win has failed.

    The Mega Drive didn't beat the SNES, the Dreamcast/N64 didn't beat the PS1, the Game Gear didn't beat the GameBoy, the PSP is getting owned by the DS, and Xbox didn't beat the PS2... infact the Xbox 360 didn't even beat the PS2.

  • lowenergycycle

    Posted Dec 8, 2006 3:22 am GMT

    My mate works at Currys. They had exactly 2 for release day...

  • simon16_1990

    Posted Dec 8, 2006 3:15 am GMT

    the shop where i preorded my wii from only got 6 n im 17th on the waiting list its unfair

  • dholmes19

    Posted Dec 8, 2006 3:03 am GMT

    hopefully no one will get shot for the wii!!

  • SpareJesus

    Posted Dec 8, 2006 2:55 am GMT

    segasaturn4ever

    ..For a guy named SegaSaturn4ever, you sure know a lot about consoles that have short-shelf-lives..

  • segasaturn4ever

    Posted Dec 8, 2006 2:39 am GMT

    bghattas You wasted your money on a console with a short shelf life. Maybe this time you'll realize Nintendo needs gimmicks to sell their products and you'll go back to real consoles like the Xbox 360, the PS3 as well as the PC. The Wii will fail when it's all said and done. Mark my words! bghattas you have no idea what your even saying. every nintendo console has had great shelf life and wii will be the same. i hear xbox has bad shelf life overheating and freezing.

  • lowenergycycle

    Posted Dec 8, 2006 1:32 am GMT

    @bghattas

    When you can personally design and build your own games console that is anywhere near as good as the Wii, perhaps you can argue about how crap it is. Until then, shut your gob. Despite the Wii being only so-much-% as powerful as the PS3 or 360 it is still on the cutting edge of human achievment. These companys don't spend billions of dollars/yens/whatever developing these incredibly advanced marvels of entertainment equipment just so a bunch of uninformed lifeless whitless teenagers can tell them how much it sucks before they've even seen it. Would you rather Nintendo simply stop making these inovations? If it weren't for Nintendo then the games industry as a whole would be a very very different place. Would you be happy playing freakin' Ball-In-A-Cup the rest of your life?

    Grow up you prick

  • nickscho

    Posted Dec 8, 2006 1:15 am GMT

    Yay for the UK!

  • Dolacide

    Posted Dec 8, 2006 1:13 am GMT

    Another great launch under the belt.

  • eric2mrng

    Posted Dec 8, 2006 1:05 am GMT

    im not gna bother with readin all the console war debates, im gna let my actions do the speaking.. getting my pre-ordered wii in the next hour.. =0D

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