Of the 1,200 UK 3DS midnight launches, just over one-third of those will be operated by the Game Group, with 482 GAME and gamestation stores opening from tomorrow night to let gamers get their machines first.
If you're not sure about going down to a midnight event, perhaps this will change your mind: every single GAME and gamestation store will be giving away a free Nintendo 3DS console to one lucky punter. That makes nearly 500 machines given away for nothing or, in financial terms, a staggering £106,000 worth of free hardware.
Full details are below. If you're planning to visit a store at midnight, first check it's open, and take your personal music device with you as we'll be releasing a special 3DS launch episode of the Nintendo Life podcast.
We also want to see your photos, hear your stories and share your excitement tomorrow night. Tweet messages to Nintendo Life, share on the Nintendo Life Facebook page or post them right here on our very own forums.
Today, GAME and gamestation announce the full launch plans for the 3DS this Friday, March 25th.
In total, 482 GAME and gamestation stores will be open at midnight with GAME’s flagship store in Oxford Street, London hosting a special event with comedian, gamer and Nintendo fan-boy, Iain Lee joining customers for the countdown to the moment they get their hands on the world’s first 3D gaming console that doesn’t need glasses.
The Oxford Street store will give one free 3DS game to each of the first 100 people in the queue. Freebies including Nintendo t-shirts and midnight snacks will be handed out throughout the evening. The first person in the queue will also receive a free taxi ride home.
This will also happen at the special Nintendo launches at:
GAME Glasgow (Sauchiehall Street),
GAME Cardiff (St Davids),
GAME Manchester (Trafford Centre),
gamestation Birmingham (New Street)
gamestation Hull (Propsect Centre).In addition, each of the 482 stores opening at midnight will give away a free Nintendo 3DS console to one lucky customer. Each person in the queue will be given a raffle ticket and the winner will be drawn at random on the night.
Neil Ashurst, head of UK PR for GAME said:
"Thursday night is a must-attend moment for Nintendo fans – the 3DS is a stunning piece of gaming tech which impresses everyone who plays it. We are opening 482 of our stores at midnight to allow our customers to be the first to get their hands on it. Whatever store they go to, we will be offering a free 3DS console for one lucky individual so it’s definitely worth turning up for midnight!"For full list of GAME stores opening at midnight visit www.game.co.uk/3ds and gamestation midnight openings at http://is.gd/CBC6sd.
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Comments 22
Luckys. First you got 2 days on us, then that CN shirt, and now you can get em for free? I guess you pay more for them, but still
I think we're all stunned by the real news here: a free taxi ride home. Just... wow.
And a free taxi ride?
with gas the way it is? I dunno how bad it is there, but that is a $40-$60 value here in the states. That's the real prize.
Depends whereabouts you live, I guess. For me, a free taxi ride home is worth about... £8. Maybe I should pay a visit to the Glasgow store, some 300 miles away. That would get Nintendo's money's worth!
If the gammestop in my town here in Germany did this, I'd be there already!!!
Here in Spain you can find 3DS everywhere since yesterday evening. Everybody is excite at shops with it. Although I'll wait until the hardware revision, is very difficult to contain...
cant wait going to get mine tomorrow night dont think theyll be to many there so should have a chance on the raffle for free one had to order two games from catalogue but if i get free one ill get few more games on night I WISH
/me dies of envy.
I swear, my eyes bleed with all the opportunities you can get down there. Nice stuff.
If I ever won a free taxi ride home, I'd die from excitement right there on the spot! Especially considering how far it is from the UK back to Texas in a taxi cab.
Sims 2 and Gamecubes in the window. Methinks that's quite an old photo of Game
Also, a reason for anyone to ever want to visit Birmingham at night
My friend preordered one just to enter this compotition.
Kudos to the company for a kind, fun event. I do wish we'd have more stuff like that in America.
Man, that's awesome. Lucky Europeans...
You guys better be out there waiting right now...
If 3DS is a console, what do you call home systems you hook-up to televisions that you don't call hand-held gaming devices?
@DrDaisy: systems like the 3DS and PSP are handheld consoles. Systems like the Wii, 360, or PS3 are home consoles. both types are generally shortened to just 'consoles'.
Okay. I've just never heard handheld systems called consoles before.
"Punter"
So you have to buy something?
Hmmm. Just contacted my local Game store (who are opening at midnight, but aren't on the company's list of stores opening at midnight) and they are unsure as to whether they are giving one away for free. They say it may depend on how many people turn up.
I wonder how busy this will be in glasgow?
I'm weighing up my chances of winning the 3DS...
That's just awesome, my local gamestop isn't even doing a midnight launch.
@ImDiggerDan My local store is expecting around 10-12 people at midnight, and they'll be doing the giveaway as planned. TBH I can't see why they wouldn't do the giveaway, even if it's quiet. A free console is a free console!
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