Nintendo guarantees 3DS won't sell out

By Wesley Yin-Poole Published 25 March, 2011

"You'll get one no matter what."

Nintendo has guaranteed that you'll be able to walk into a shop today, this weekend and next week, and buy a 3DS.

The Japanese company told Eurogamer the glasses-free handheld will not sell out in the UK – despite concerns over stock allocation.

"We have well in excess of the pre-orders available," UK marketing boss James Honeywell told Eurogamer last night at the Nintendo 3DS London launch.

"I know we haven't published an actual number, and I know there have been a lot of reports out there talking about numbers. All of those numbers are way short of the actual number.

"So there is literally no reason why you won't be able to go out tomorrow, Saturday, Sunday and buy one."

Honeywell's comments reinforce those made to Eurogamer yesterday by UK shops. Of all the retailers canvassed, only Morrisons said pre-order demand had been so high that shelf stock had been affected.

A whopping 140,000 pre-orders were registered ahead of the console's launch last night.

Analysts and retailers suggest the 3DS could achieve sales of 200,000 this weekend - making it the biggest hardware launch of all time in the UK.

"The pre-orders are 140,000," Honeywell confirmed. "We've got way more than that available out there. So don't be put off by that. You can go out there and you'll be able to get one no matter what."

Picture of Wesley.

About Wesley Yin-Poole

Wesley is Eurogamer's news editor. He likes news, interviews, and more news. He also likes Street Fighter more than anyone can get him to shut up about it.

Read more articles from Wesley by visiting the Wesley Yin-Poole archive page.

You may also like...

Comments (24) Latest comment 1 year ago

Comments for this article are now closed, but please feel free to continue chatting on the forum!

  • DreadedWalrus #1 1 year ago

    Wait, another news story based on what the UK marketing manager told EG last night at the launch, one after the other? Can't you just publish an interview story, or combine it all into one? Not complaining TOO loudly with it being released today and all, but that's three 3DS launch event-related articles in a row now (including the photo gallery).

  • randompanda #2 1 year ago

    I'll get one no matter what?

    Even if I don't pay?

  • midnight_walker #3 1 year ago

    I'll get one no matter what?

    Even if I don't pay?

    Some lucky young scamp over in the 3DS thread got one free at a midnight launch, so... it's possible!

  • youhavenomail #4 1 year ago

    No, no, no, he's doing it all wrong. You're supposed to tell everyone it will be sold out for weeks, maybe months.

  • snick #5 1 year ago

    Pre-orders not so hot then?

  • Rpt81 #6 1 year ago

    You'll get the console, but might not get any games. The store I work for received 18 consoles but only 1 copy of most of the games (got 2 Street Fighters and 2 Ridge Racers, but no Lego Star Wars 3).

  • abigsmurf #7 1 year ago

    Given the number Tesco had to pick up on the day this is fairly believable.

    It's surprising really given how the Wii shortages kept hype levels sky high for months. Guess Nintendo reckoned that shortages now just give them too much of a reputation hit.

  • mowgli #8 1 year ago

    Ah, the old serbian jew double bluff.

    Well played Nintendo, well played.

  • spekkeh #9 1 year ago

    Is "won't sell out" the new "preorder before it's sold out"?

    That would be great.

  • SlackMaster #10 1 year ago

    Great, but what about the games... it has to be one of the worst launch line-up's I've ever seen. Decent games like LoZ:ooT are coming but not for another month and at a trickle.

  • Onelove1867 #11 1 year ago

    Got to wonder if any of these people moaning about the 3DS launch have ever bought a console on launch before. I picked mine up with two games this morning - Pilotwings and Street Fighter - and I'd argue these are no worse for a launch than many other consoles muster.

    A slow launch with a trickle of games over the following months is par for the course. If Nintendo had rushed to get their big hitters out for launch, people would have complained a month down the line that there was nothing on the release schedule. As th

  • Toothball #12 1 year ago

    I got mine! I'm trying really hard to get some work done before I open it though.

  • Cappy #13 1 year ago

    "You'll get one no matter what."

    That sounds rather ominous. More like a threat.

  • jablonski #14 1 year ago

    James Honeywell held my nan down and shit on her apron, but I still didn't give in.

  • TheEarlOfZinger #15 1 year ago

    Gonna go and have a look at one in action this lunchtime (hmv or game) Won't be buying until Ocarina of time is out though. Months yet.

  • whoyouknow #16 1 year ago

    Fair play to them. It's more than Apple can say about their latest and greatest.

  • Caimbeul #17 1 year ago

    They are clearly not expecting to sell in huge numbers...

  • Quak #18 1 year ago

    Article sounds like "I'm thinking about a number, and while I can't tell you what that number is there's a good chance it's higher than the number that you have in your head even though I don't know what that is."

  • Daeltaja #19 1 year ago

    Won't sell out = not enough demand, simple as.

    I've been left fairly unimpressed with my 20minutes with Street Fighter, you'd barely know it was in 3D. (Yes I can see it!) Also, it became quite taxing on the hands. Might need some original titles to change my mind about how 3D can improve the experience.

  • LazyDan #20 1 year ago

    Got one last night at midnight in Reading.

    3DS Black, Street Fighter 4 + Pilotwings for £180 (using a DSi as trade-in.) WONGA!

    Much to my surprise last night, HMV were suddenly offering £20 extra on trade-ins for anyone who pre-ordered, a £20 gift voucher for anyone who pre-ordered, and there was a special bundle deal for Street Fighter+3DS. So all that and using the gift card on Pilotwings gave me that excellent number.

  • Stepharneo #21 1 year ago

    How confident they are about their new console...hasn't pretty much every console ever, run out of stock at some point just after the launch?

  • Rack #22 1 year ago

    Didn't they effectively make this guarantee when they announced the price and launch line up?

  • natureboy #23 1 year ago

    I am at two minds as to wether to get this or not

  • fkh #24 1 year ago

    I want a 3DS. But in Norway the normal price is NOK 2495. With an exchange rate of about NOK 9 = 1 pound, this means about 278 pounds. Some stores advertised the 3DS for NOK 1999 or 1995, but they are either all sold out or price already raised to NOK 2495. Game or Gamestop might still have it at NOK 2395 with a Ubisoft-game included, but were all sold out when I assked. I guess that is as good as it gets.

    I bought "Okamiden" and "Professor Layton and the Lost Future" for my DS Lite instead. Go DS Lite!