You may want to pick up that GC version of Zelda TP soon...

[heybtbm]

You may want to pick up the Gamecube version of Zelda Twilight Princess sooner than later. The GC version will only be sold online in Japan.

http://www.gamespot.com/news/6159644.html?tag=latestnews;title;1

Interesting. I'm sure the US is still on for December, but then again we all know what happened with Pokemon Box.

[Neo Rasa]

Sensible move on Nintendo's part since the Wii is poised to become a common household name and product in Japanese homes like the DS has.

[MegaDrive20XX]

This will be a fun challenge for those collectors to get a hold of this one. (especially those who like to have every region of game)

[theshizzle3000]

This will be a fun challenge for those collectors to get a hold of this one. (especially those who like to have every region of game)

It might not be as challenging as you think due to the fact that there is a rise in sites like play-asia.com and japangamestock.com which sell imported games they may pick up a lot of these to sell for there own profit. The price however will probably be unavoidably high.

[DonMarco]

Nintendo wouldn't delay the release over a year, push the GameCube version a month behind the Wii release day and then cancel the game with less than two months before its Dececmber release, right?

I mean, sure the first two have already happened. But all three? And even if they only sell the GC version online in the states, too, that'll be good enough for me. I've both a valid credit card and a mailing address.

[slip81]

I doubt we'll see this happen over here.

I don't think NoA will want to alienate all the American GCN owners. It's my guess that TP will sell better on the GCN that on the Wii, because I don't think the Wii is going to sell as well here as it's probably going to in Japan.

[heybtbm]

I thought I'd update this topic with an interesting development. Gamestop/EB Games will not accept anymore pre-orders for the Gamecube version of Zelda because of "limited production" by Nintendo.

Like I said before...this has the potential to be the collectors item from the Gamecube era. Time will tell.

[Oobgarm]

Like I said before...this has the potential to be the collectors item from the Gamecube era. Time will tell.

No way. Even if they give it a shorter print run, it's still going to be large in comparison to games that really do get small print runs. It might not be all over the place like the Wii version, but easily obtainable.

I just can't see a Zelda game on a mainstream system being 'rare'. Especially one put out by Nintendo themselves.

[Neo Rasa]

That "interesting development" happened over a week ago. If anything it means the game will be extremely common. You realize most individual Gamestops have about two hundred or so reserves on the GC version right? They cut off game reserves while still knowing they'll have enough allocated for extras into account.

On average two hundred reserves (several stores have MUCH more) across 6,000-something stores = well over a million copies shipped initially.

Also one week after it was closed, the reserve SKU for Twilight Princess on the Wii was also closed. In both cases they were closed to due ludicrous demand for the game and the vast number of reserves the company has. Nothing to do with limited production.

It's physically impossible for the game to be rare, on GC or Wii.

It will command a high price for a while due to demand but there's no way this game will become a rarity in the near future.

[heybtbm]

That "interesting development" happened over a week ago.

Thanks for pointing that out. It's extremely relevant to the topic.


You realize most individual Gamestops have about two hundred or so reserves on the GC version right? They cut off game reserves while still knowing they'll have enough allocated for extras into account.

I have no idea of how long you've been working for/buying from Gamestop, but stores rarely get shipped enough games to equal their initial pre-orders for A-list games. In a perfect world, maybe...but not in reality.


On average two hundred reserves (several stores have MUCH more) across 6,000-something stores = well over a million copies shipped initially.

I think you should do the math again.


Nothing to do with limited production.

Those are Gamestop's words, not mine.


It's physically impossible for the game to be rare, on GC or Wii.

It will command a high price for a while due to demand but there's no way this game will become a rarity in the near future.

It's funny, but don't recall using the term, "rare" anywhere in my posts. To me, "rare" means low supply, which we will assume is not the case.

What I'm getting at is the GC version of Zelda will not be a game where you can just walk into a store and pick it up. Sure, you will probably find a few copies if you actively look for it the first few months after it's released. After that, it will be a challenge. Most stores are already taking down their GC section and relegating it to endcaps (Target anyone?). In the end, who knows? There are a lot of variables at work here. I'm just saying that all signs point to this game being hard to find down the stretch.

[Kid Ice]

What is a Gamecube?

[business]

What is a Gamecube?

That's right, accept the next-gen. ;)

[Neo Rasa]

I have no idea of how long you've been working for/buying from Gamestop, but stores rarely get shipped enough games to equal their initial pre-orders for A-list games. In a perfect world, maybe...but not in reality.

In this region at least (tri-state area/etc.) I've never seen the pre-orders not get fully covered at a Gamestop. Even in cases like MGS3 Subsistence Limited Edition. This goes for even the most hyped up 360 games at their time like Ghost Recon and the Need for Speed Carbon Collector's Edition, to smaller DS releases like Deep Labyrinth and Trauma Center: Under the Knife. I'm sure it's not universal across the country but in the north east region at least this doesn't seem to be an issue.



I think you should do the math again.

That was actually a very low estimate on every count. To put in perspective, there were roughly 4,500 Gamestop owned locations in the US before the company purchased EBGames.

Either way this was directed more at general comments in the thread about it than at you personally, didn't mean any offense.

The thing is, I know from experience that when Gamestop (with software) says "production issues" they mean "we're ordering just enough to cover reserves for the first shipment because we're blowing money on other things at the moment." And while Gamestop is the number one game retailer in the world, Toys 'R Us and Wal-Mart far surpass them as the number one Nintendo product retailer, where I would think the majority of copies of the game will be heading.

Naturally the pages/statistics/etc. where I read this aren't handy, so I don't have much more to contribute.

Totally different situation, but personally it strikes me as what happened with the PSP, only specialty retailers like Gamestop/Game Crazy/etc. ever sold out. The big box locations in this region, Best Buy, Target stores, etc. always had a ton. :/

[Neo Rasa]

Man I miss having an edit button. LOL

[orrimarrko]

There's no way they don't bring out a Gamecube version of TP here in the US.

Not a chance in hell.

Sorry, but Nintendo isn't going to cut everything Gamecube the day after they release the Wii.

They fully understand that everyone has been waiting for a long time to get their grubby hands on this puppy, and it is a mathematical certainty that they would lose money by not selling the Cube version here in the US via normal retail outlets.

Japan is a different beast than the US - people here will continue to play their Cubes for a long time after the Wii comes out, and they are smart enough to know that.