The Nariko outfit in the UK can be snagged by pre-ordering the game through Play.com, while gamers in the ice spider-infested wilds of Canada are urged to wait a bit longer for an announcement the fiery warrior's sackcloth doppleganger.

Pre-order: And finally...Nariko SackGirl [LittleBigPlanet News - Thanks Dave!]

I work at best buy and i thought you guys might like to know that BB has started doing pre-orders for Fallout 3 and the collectors edition. In the game case you get when you pre-order is a Nuke cola bottle opener. It has a magnet on the back so it can be stuck on your fridge. Maybe not as sweet as a hand puppet, but it's something else that all us Fallout freaks will love!

Do folks actually pre-order games from Best Buy retail locations, or do they just put down some cash to pick up limited-edition bottle openers and pick the games up somewhere else?

That's why they've nicely, but firmly, recommended players of "various weights and sizes" get a product replacement plan. Oh, sure, the board has been design to withstand weights of well over 600 pounds, but you can never be too careful. Fortunately, reader Tony was there to capture that sage advice on film.

Too Fat? Buy a replacement plan [Flickr]

It's just odd that such a screw-up would occur with nothing even vaguely FF-related coming out this month. Disgaea 3 ships on the 18th, and while for some of us that is more exciting than a FFVII remake, I can't see some hapless sign-monkey mixing the two of them up. Odd.

The ad, photographed off-screen from the Best Buy computer system, is said to run the week of July 13th. That matches up with previous price drop rumors from Kmart and an unnamed "major retailer."

Thanks for the tip, HolyOrphan.

Future Shop's director of merchandising Michelle Grawe expects that the sale of used games will draw in younger customers to the chain while doubling the chain's video game sales over the next three to five years. Grawe also commented that the chain is prepared to undercut GameStop prices in order to lure customers away from the chain, which until now has been Canada's only major retailer offering used games.

If the used game push is successful in Canada I wouldn't be surprised to see this initiative rolled out in U.S. stores soon after.

Best Buy to enter used video game market [ReportonBusiness.com]

I'm personally a little too old for midnight launches, as they cut into my hookers, blow and picking strange new hairs out of my back time. What about you?

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GTAIV Launch Locations [Best Buy via Joystiq][image]

To unlock the gun go to the main menu of the game and do the following:

(Hold RB) Down, Down, Up, Up, X, B, X, B, Y, Up, Up, Y

This is almost as good as that free Comcast map.

Rainbow Six Vegas 2. Free Best Buy gun code [Hushed Casket]

Those stuck with HD-DVD players getting gift cards {CNN.com - Thanks, Robert]

[Thanks, Veras Gunn]

Circuit City's weekly ad offers a $10 gift card with a pre-order of Devil May Cry 4 for either the Xbox 360 version or the PS3 version. A $10 gift card is also available for pre-orders of the 360 and PS3 versions of Turok. For a full rundown of all the weekly ad deals, check out CheapAssGamer.com.

Rumors of a 120GB model have been spread to retail employees, but this conflicts with reports from other Best Buy moles who say that internal communications indicate only one model—the 40GB barebones edition—will be stocked after January 28th.

PS3 Fanboy has visual evidence of the notice to employees about the 80GB discontinuation, further proof that backwards compatibility may soon be a thing of the past. We've been bugging Sony about the situation all day, but have yet to receive anything other than a paraphrased "hold tight" about the rumors.

Update: It appears as though it's finally out. The 80GB model isn't showing on Best Buy's site.

Best Buy discontinuing 80GB PS3 [PS3 Fanboy]

$299 ps3 40gb version [via maxconsole]

Best of the Sunday Ad Video Game Deals (1/20 - 1/26) [CheapAssGamer]

We don't know just how greatly game consoles affected Best Buy's profits, but seeing as they surely lead (even if indirectly) to more television sales, BB has to be pretty happy with the state of the gaming industry at the moment. How many of you picked up big screen or HDTVs primarily for gaming?

Best Buy Q3 profit up 52% on strong game sales [gamesindustry] [image: Improve Anywhere]

Nintendo of America president Reggie Fils-Aime confirmed today what we first broke earlier this week, Best Buy and six other national retailers will be stocking Wii this weekend. And by stocking I mean they will be advertising the console in their weekly circulars (except Wal-Mart) and then throwing the consoles up on the shelves come the weekend and then running away.

Best Buy, Target, Wal-Mart, Sears, Kmart, Toys R Us and Circuit City are all stocking the Wii this weekend for those still on the hunt. We had several tips after our rumor story ran about the stock issue.

According to Best Buy tipsters it sounds like all stores will have at least 21 of the consoles with some carrying as many as 100. I've also heard that Best Buy is expecting a second shipment next week which is supposed to go straight to shelves. Most stores will get them sometimes before noon. The bad news is that rumor has it that that will be the last pre-Christmas shipment for Best Buy, though they expect more in early January.

Target, another tipster tells me, has a big stockpile as well, some stores have more than 100. So this weekend sounds like your best chance to pick up a Wii, unless you don't mind buying a raincheck.

It's 2006 all over again.

Sources tell me that Best Buy is sitting on a stockpile of Wii which they plan to unleash on the line-waiting masses in the coming weeks. I assume this will be done as some sort of weekend event advertised in their weekly circular. Now the real question is how many of the people willing to sit on cold asphalt overnight will be doing it for themselves and how many will be doing it to turn around and sell the console on eBay.

I'm not sure which I would prefer: Best Buy selling the system as they show up, or selling them in one big weekend blow-out.

Now, with mega retailer pushing a midnight launch of the Harmonix and MTV Games developed rhythm game, it's going to lead to more comparisons. Midnight launches for games are rare, typically only for massive marquee releases like Halo 3. Best Buy, however, is opening dozens of its nationwide stores at midnight next week to get Rock Band into people's hands early.

For a full list of stores that will play home to line campers next Monday, hit the link below, courtesy of our friends at MEGATONik.

Rock Band Midnight Store Openings [Best Buy via Megatonik]

Black Friday Ads [BFAds.net, via NeoGAF]

It's a really huge deal in the industry right now...[Gamestop's] pre-order program, which they base their buys off of, is so important now. It's like life or death for some of these original, independent titles.

If not enough people pre-order a game, [retailers] will lower their order to where poor sales become a self-fulfilled prophecy...[and] the other retailers, especially the mass merchants, tend to follow Best Buy's, GameStop's and Game Crazy's lead...If a game doesn't do anything in those stores, it might not make it into Target and places like that.

Gamecock Warns of Almighty Pre-order [nextgeneration]

Kotakuite faithful Adam didn't just email us with news that the Rock Band demo kits were hitting Best Buy stores today, he actually went back to his local BB to fetch us some picture proof. And good thing he did, because the music game demo isn't just hitting stores the same day as Guitar Hero III goes on sale, it's all over the competition like an alpha mom on a Wii.

Apparently the demo kiosk, at least in this particular Best Buy, is literally set up within the wire racks housing Guitar Hero III. And if that weren't enough of a thunder-stealer, the ads above the wire racks are for Rock Band. Now Guitar Hero III knows what its like to have Rock Band inside of it and I suspect it's not happy.

Adam ads that the demo features 15 songs, that it was set up on a 360 with a 4-way USB port. Oh and for some reason there was no bass pedal included with the demo.

If you're looking for intelligent debate about the extreme levels of violence in the Mature rated Manhunt 2 and how its release should be handled at retail or cogent discussion on the ESRB's ratings policies, look somewhere other than this Fox News clip from a segment known as "Cashin' In." The news channel for simpletons brings us a moronic shouting match between some lawyer we've never heard of with a gift for hyperbole and crazy conspiracy theories and some libertarian yokel named Jonathan Hoenig.

To further enhance your enjoyment of the low brow antics of Fox News' reporting style, don't miss this earlier report on Manhunt 2, in which Dr. Ted Baehr of the Christian Film and Television Commission invokes Columbine and Seung-Hui Cho just before declaring that the video game ratings system "never works."

In addition to Best Buy's internal documentation, European retailer Play is now soliciting interest on its web site for the PS3 40GB model, aka the CECHG01. Play specifies the console as having only 2 USB ports and being incompatible with PlayStation 2 games.

No confirmation on price yet, but the Best Buy documentation lists a $399 MRSP and we're hearing talk of 449 Euro for the newest model. We expect to learn more within the coming weeks.

Sony's $399 PS3 confirmed by Best Buy? [Engadget]
Sony Playstation 3 PS3 Console With 40GB HDD [Play via PS3Fanboy]

In our test drive, the three gamer pics are pretty decent including an especially notable Master Chief profile. And you get the Best Buy logo as a cherry on top, which in itself is worth your time.

The theme has some really fantastic shots of Master Chief even if some of his incarnations look familiar. The logopalooza isn't too bad on what is essentially a couple of free wallpapers, other than one page featuring double sponsorship.

So they're worth a download, but simultaneously depress us when Sony allows more open customization of their XMB (as well as Microsoft itself does on PCs). We shouldn't need a separate PC to interface with the Xbox to implement a gimped single background. The year is 2007 and we're getting excited about free wallpaper promoting a product we will buy but is also laden with sponsors? Fuck it. I'm deleting this crap. And then I'm heading to Best Buy to reserve a copy of Halo 3!

If you do download the theme, know that it's categorized under "Best Buy" and not "Halo 3."

Halo 3 (Best Buy) Picture Pack and Theme [majornelson]

If you live in the Jacksonville, FLA area, our buddy Bobby the Best Buy Guy invites you down to the store on Atlantic Blvd. for what is promised to be the best of the best of Halo 3 midnight events with plenty of fun and excitement to keep you going in what's sure to be a long wait in line.

make the jump to check out the full list of stores.

Click on the image to see a readable version of the list.

* GAMERS / MOVIE AFFICIANADOS: Please note $100 Price Break on Playstation 3 Game System which brings the price down to $499.99 // Remember that you can get 5 free Blu-Ray DVDs with purchase of any Blu-Ray Player / Game system by going here: http://www.bluraysavings.com/

This was wedged in between details about the Wii and other details. As mentioned aboved, information about Best Buy and Target was also noted. CAG Productions CEO David Abrams (AKA "CheapyD") has hired a lawyer. "The CAG community's trust and respect is very important to me, so I've hired legal representation to deal with the situation," Abrams tells Kotaku.

Target/CC/BB Video Game Prices [CAG]

While that's not clear cut proof that the Xbox 360 Core model is being phased out altogether, it does lend weight to the theory. Given that Microsoft says it has "not announced any plans to add HDMI to the Xbox 360 Core System", one could speculate that either the Core model is being phased out (at least in North America) or that Core packages with HDMI output, as well as other unspecified hardware updates, could be arriving much later.

We've contacted Microsoft for clarification on the matter and will update with more information as soon as possible.

Unfortunately, our website incorrectly stated that the Rock Band accessories were included with your video game purchase. This is incorrect and we have updated the website to accurately reflect that the accessories are not included with this purchase. As a result, your order will be canceled if you haven't already canceled it, and you will not be charged for this item.

UPDATE: It looks like Best Buy offered $5 store credit for those who received refunds.

Best Buy flubs Rock Band preorders, cancels on excited fans [opposablethumbs]

We've been calling around a number of stores today to try and get to the bottom of a bunch of rumors including that the Xbox 360 premium and core now have HDMI built-in, and while we haven't gotten to the bottom of that rumor, yet, we have nailed down something else: The Xbox 360 Top Spin Bundle is real, and it's already available at a number of stores.

At least a half-dozen stores have confirmed that Top Spin will be included with the Xbox 360 premium starting on Sunday, and four of the stores we've called so far say that they're already on the floor available for sale for $350. So if you've been on the fence about buying a 360 and want a free game, this could be your time to shine.

NeoGafer Alcibiades points out that Best Buy has dropped the price of the Xbox 360 HD DVD drive... again. Now the thing is hovering at a penny under $150. Plus you can tack on that Toshiba deal for five free HDDVDs. Too bad Best Buy's website is already listing the 360 peripheral as sold out. Let's hope that's temporary and not the sign of a disappearing act by one of the HD video formats.

HD-DVD + 5 movies = 179$ [NeoGaf]

The $100 price drop started yesterday when a Circuit City ad surfaced saying the PS3 was going to be selling for $499. Then GameDaily confirmed with "a merchandising manager at one of the world's biggest retailers" that the price drop was true.

Today we've received word from moles at both Best Buy and Target that they too have word of a price drop. Our Target mole reports that the retail chain's inventory tracking program is listing retail for the 60GB PS3 at $499.99. And a mole at Best Buy tells us they just received their upcoming ads and that they all list the PS3 price at $499.99 as well.

Great conspiracy? Lots of lying moles? A fact-spinning Sony president? Only time will tell.

Best Buy is running a special this week that knocks $600 off the price of a special HDTV PS3 gaming pack.

The get the deal you need to purchase a $2,000 1080p Sony LCD TV, a copy of Motorstorm or MLB07: The Show, a copy of a Blu-ray version of Casion Royale, Open Season or Underworld Evolution and a Playstation 3. The whole kit and kaboodle ends up running you $2,089.... or maybe it's $2,689, depending on which page of the ad you believe. If I were you and wanted to get this deal, which runs through the end of the week, I'd bring the front page of their ad in with me when I went to go pick up the deal. Brian Crecente

[Thanks Michael]

It's Memorial Day weekend here in the States and like any self respecting US holiday it has a lot of sales under its belt. The biggest news is the availability of the Wii today at most of the major retailers including Target, Circuit City and Best Buy. Some other deals going on are select UMD titles for $4.99 at EB/Gamestop, Rainbow Six: Vegas for $39.99 at Best Buy and Circuit City has a nice list of $10 games that includes Loco Roco (PSP), GTA Liberty City Stories (PSP), Resident Evil 4 (PS2), Kingdom Hearts II (PS2) and Paper Mario: The 1000 Year Door (GC).

So, be a good American citizen and go celebrate Memorial Day by spending lots of money on frivolous purchases. After all, that's what these holidays are for, right? Flynn De Marco

Best of the Sunday Ad Video Game Deals [CAG]

Can you feel the excitement?! This Sunday, the Xbox 360 Elite goes on sale in the States. Via retail moles, here's what you need to know:

• Gamestop: Xbox 360 Elite accessories are NOT street dated, apparently. Today, a big shipment of them came in, along with 120GB HDD's, and they sold out pretty quick. Quantities are extremely limited, but employees are prohibited from purchasing, so that should ease things up a bit.
• Best Buy: Many stores are getting somewhere between 20-25 Elites for launch day. The retailer isn't expecting long lines and won't be rolling out as many extra cashiers as with previous system launches. The ticket system will be used *if* there is a line, though. Employees won't be able to purchase the console "until further notice." Black accessories are hitting some stores, but most likely won't be on shelves until Sunday.

There probably will be lines come Sunday, but we're willing to bet dollars to donuts that it'll be eBay profiteers waiting. Though, the fact that Gamestop isn't street dating accessories, that's hot. Would love to snag a black controller, 'cause the standard one hates Cheetos.

We'll keep you updated on any new developments. Brian Ashcraft

We reported earlier that there was a possibility of Wiis appearing in Best Buys tomorrow but we didn't have any solid evidence. As usual, our faithful Kotakuites spread out like an army to gather information and within hours I received four separate emails with photos of tomorrow's circular showing that indeed Best Buy will be stocking Wii's tomorrow. Each store will be getting a minimum of twelve units and of course larger stores will probably be receiving more. Word on the street is that Circuit City will also be stocking the elusive system which probably means some other retail outlets will be getting them as well.

If you manage to nab one tomorrow, congratulations! If not..well... there's always next month. Flynn De Marco

[Big thanks to everyone who sent one of these in!]

In case you didn't see it on our sister site, Gizmodo, Best Buy will reportedly be stocking Wiis tomorrow, Sunday April 22. I have yet to see any actual scans of their weekly circular and a call to my local Best Buy was met with a resolute "I don't know", so I can't confirm this is an absolute. But, hope does spring eternal.

By now, you should all know the drill. Get there early, bring a lawn chair, your favorite handheld and be sure to dress for the occasion. Don't forget to prepare a victory dance that can be performed as you walk out of the store, waving your Wii in the face of the poor suckers who got there too late. Flynn De Marco

[via Gizmodo]