In case you are wondering what Crayon Physics Deluxe is all about, you can check out the new website where Petri's posted a neat video of the gameplay in action. It's a little bit The Incredible Machine, and a little bit Simon, whose things he draws come true. It's brilliance.

Crayon Physics Deluxe [Official Website]

All PC pre-orders via STEAM can get their hands on the demo a week early - as can all North American Xbox 360 pre-orders via GameStop and EB Games.

The downloads have been confirmed as starting at approximately 2AM PST. Anyone who hasn't pre ordered (perhaps because they want to see the demo first) can download it on November 11th.

The demo will feature single player and co-op gameplay that covers the first part of one of the game's chapters. Valve's Gabe Newell has previously indicated that the demo will take place in the Hospital level.

[Steam]

While I am sure the three formations - Scatterswarm, Goblet and Catapult - will make a big difference in the gameplay, currently have no real idea what a formation does, so I am pretty much utterly unmoved by this news. Luckily for them, they are Square Enix, and the new screenshots you'll find after the jump are gorgeous, so it's all good.

THE LAST REMNANT PRE-ORDER NOW FOR UNLOCKABLE CONTENT

London (23rd October 2008) – Square Enix Ltd., the publisher of Square Enix® interactive entertainment products in Europe and other PAL territories, today announces exclusive unlockable content is now available with pre-orders for THE LAST REMNANT™ with selected retail partners. THE LAST REMNANT will be released across all PAL territories on 20th November, 2008, on the Xbox 360® video game and entertainment system.

THE LAST REMNANT is a completely original adventure title, benefiting from the finest creative talent to build a lush, real-time fantasy world. The game's battle system has been carefully crafted to deliver a brand-new experience for gamers, as they control forces in massive cinematic battles.

Pre-order THE LAST REMNANT now to receive three special unlockable formations (Scatterswarm, Goblet and Catapult) that will boost your tactical strength during battle.

John Yamamoto, president and chief executive officer of Square Enix Ltd. comments, "THE LAST REMNANT represents a significant step in bringing our titles to a global audience and to make each new release a global event. I hope fans enjoy this exciting new adventure that delivers a thrilling gaming experience."

For more information about THE LAST REMNANT and for links to pre-order retail partners, please visit the official website that launches today at www.lastremnant-game.com

Of course all three items aren't available for sale yet, but I've signed up for notifications and have cleared out space in my apartment for flamethrower testing.

The GOW2 Limited Edition order will, according to the pictures, include a free remote control Centaur Tank normally worth about $30. Pretty sweet.

Today another tipster sends us what they say is a scan for next week's Best Buy circular featuring the mini tank in all of its glory. Consider this a rumor until we see something official. If it is real, the fact that the images avoid anything that would put the toy's size into perspective leads me to think it's super small. Like mouse-sized even. Which would be totally OK with me.

According to the Ad above the tank will be available to those who pre-order the L.E version. Also the tank will not be available until November 7th when you pick up your copy of the game.

So the deal is, whoever preorders GOW2 Limited Edition starting October 5th gets a remote control version of a Centaur tank for free! It’s a COG vehicle from Gears2 and only available at Best Buy. It’s going to be sick. I took a couple of pictures for you guys to check it out.

That's actually a rather drool-worthy promo right there, assuming that it is real, of course. Can't take off the rumor tag until official confirmation, but as it stands things are looking pretty good for Best Buy's Gears 2 pre-orders with this baby on their side.

Rare's follow up to Banjo-Kazooie, Banjo-Tooie, is also slated to make an XBLA appearance in early 2009. Soon the Xbox 360 will encompass the entire bear / bird trilogy! How can it possibly contain so much awesome?

Banjo-Kazooie remake appearing on XBLA November 26th [Strategy Informer]

We'll be talking to the folks at Mythic shortly regarding the apparent change of plans. Until then, feel free to speculate in the comments section. Perhaps start a betting pool It's Friday, go crazy.

Update: Mythic folks were too busy to talk, but they have posted an update on the site announcing that Amazon, GoGamer, EA Store and The Source (CE online) pre-orders have had their time extended until the 22nd. Full text after the jump.

Folks,

Good, bad or ugly, Mythic has always had the integrity to stand up for what we think is the right thing to do in any situation. I don’t expect everyone to agree but I’ve never intentionally made a decision to hurt the community and/or our players and I don’t intend to start now. For the last couple of days we’ve been dealing with a very difficult and complicated situation. Sadly, there are lots of moving parts and sometimes it takes both a bit of elbow grease to get things working properly.

Here’s where we stand right now. As of this morning, we deactivated a large number of accounts and ended the Head Start for our game. At the same time, we’ve been in touch with the retailers, both online and brick-and-mortar, and while we are getting great data on the number of people who will get their game today; there is still a relatively small number of people who won’t be able to get them due to shipping issues (no matter what the issues are, whose fault, etc.).

So, after a lot of conversations I’m happy to announce that over the next few hours we are going to extend the grace period for all customers of Amazon, GoGamer and the EA Store till the 22nd of September. Based on the data we have gathered, these companies account for just about all the customers that were concerned about their chance to get into the game today. Thus, if you currently have an account with us, you’ll be able to get back into the game while you wait for your game to be delivered. Of course, all characters are still intact and no billing of any credit card has taken place (it couldn’t, the account still has free time on it) since the accounts were simply deactivated not wiped.

We have been assured by all the brick-and-mortar retailers that they got their shipments in the stores already so if you needed to go to a store to pick up your game, the units are in stock everywhere. We will be monitoring the situation closely over the next twenty-four hours of course.

As I’ve said countless times, we will do the best we can in any situation to make it right and I hope you agree with have done so again. I thank the community for its support, especially for this rather thorny problem.

Mark

Update: 2:33 PM EDT - This offer has been extended to individuals who pre-ordered the Collector's Edition through The Source.

Some of you might say this is paying extra for an advantage over other players, which is not true. This is paying extra for a box of cool stuff *and* an advantage over other players. Silly.

Mythic Entertainment Announces Head Start Program Dates for Warhammer Online

Get ready for the worldwide WAAAGH! Mythic Entertainment announced today that North American players who have pre-ordered Warhammer Online: Age of Reckoning (WAR) will be able to get the jump on creating their characters and exploring the world when the game’s “Head Start” program begins on September 14th.

The “Head Start” program offers players early access to the game and a chance to join the Realm War before the servers officially go live on September 18th. Players that have pre-ordered the standard edition of the game will be granted “Head Start” access on Tuesday, September 16th at 7am EDT. The lucky fans who pre-ordered the Collector’s Edition will be able to log in even earlier and begin play on Sunday, September 14th at 7am EDT.

Whether players choose to join the fight as an incendiary Bright Wizard or a shadowy Witch Elf, the characters they create during the “Head Start” program will carry over their skills, abilities, weapons and career rank into the game when the servers officially open to the general public on the Day of Reckoning – September 18th.

Based on Games Workshop's epic tabletop fantasy war game, Warhammer Online: Age of Reckoning features revolutionary Realm vs. Realm game play that will immerse players in a world of perpetual conflict for years to come. Available for PC, WAR is rated “T” for Teen by the ESRB.

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?

Folks who pre-order from GameStop get the exclusive Kratos in-game model, which is actually a costume in four parts - skin, goatee, blades, and clothing. Meanwhile, Amazon.com pre-orders come with the exclusive "LittleBigPlanet Creator" digital miniguide from Brady Games, possibly indicating that someone at Amazon lost a bet. So it looks like GameStop is on top so far, but they've still got the Nariko SackGirl pre-order location to reveal, and that could be a deal-breaker for me.

Pre-Order Details: Amazon & GameStop [LittleBigPlanet News]

[Thanks, Veras Gunn]

Metal Gear Solid: Essential Collection [GameStop]
[Thanks, A_Zombie]

Metal Gear Solid: The Essential Collection [PlayAsia]
[Thanks to everyone who sent this in]

Free Overnight Shipping on Ghostbusters! [GameStop]

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]

The shirt giveaway is limited to the first 666 folks who pre-order, so don't sleep. Keep in mind that if Brütal Legend logos are your bag, shirts already decorated with such a thing are available at the Double Fine Shop. Enjoy being clothed!

Brutal Legend with Bonus! [Gamestop - thanks, Jane!]

[via PSP Fanboy]

S2 Games Announces Savage 2: A Tortured Soul Beta

Highly Anticipated Sequel to Acclaimed PC Game Now in Testing Phase

(Rohnert Park, CA) - October 4, 2007 - Independent game developer S2 Games announced today that Savage 2: A Tortured Soul, the sequel to its first PC title, Savage: The Battle for Newerth, has entered its beta testing phase and is nearing launch.

Testing of the online multiplayer game, which is a unique combination of three different game genres (real-time strategy, first-person shooter, and role-playing game), is open to gamers who pre-ordered the game. The final version will be available to the general public once the beta testing has been completed and S2 is satisfied with the quality of the gameplay experience.

"After much hard work, we are proud to say that Savage 2: A Tortured Soul is now ready for beta testing," said Marc DeForest, co-founder and lead designer, S2 Games. "As an independent developer and publisher we have the luxury of creating and changing our own deadlines based on when we reach individual milestones. This project is really a labor of love for us so we want it done the right way."

Loyal fans of the original Savage and new players alike will be impressed with Savage 2's new advancements and enhancements. The game will include a bevy of new features, including the ability to control spells while maintaining the action nature of the game with "snap casting," fully automated clan administration through the Savage 2 Clan League (SCL), and features that records and saves every single game of Savage 2, match stats summary, and persistent player statistics. All the information for every game ever played is stored in a huge, searchable, online archive, thus allowing players to download, watch, rate, and comment on these matches while also reviewing statistics for each game. Additionally, the game is being simultaneously designed for Linux Client users.

S2 Games will be self-publishing and independently distributing the game. The game client can be downloaded anytime, anywhere, on any PC for free. The client can be used to watch replays, play the tutorial, practice modes, and LAN games with absolutely zero obligations (no account necessary). Users may also create an account to have 3 hours of free online competitive gameplay with some feature restrictions. Those wanting unlimited online play with automated statistics and use of persistent items pay $29.99USD via the game client or the S2 Games website.

When playing the beta, S2 Games wishes to impart to its fans to remember that they will be playing an unfinished version of the game. Users should expect to encounter certain bugs and other issues inherent in any beta version of a game. The purpose of beta testing is to help S2 Games find and correct these problems so that they are not encountered after the game's launch.

For more information on Savage 2: A Tortured Soul, please visit http://savage2.s2games.com.

'Halo 3' Becomes Fastest-Selling Pre-Ordered Video Game in History, Soaring Past 1 Million Milestone

Blockbuster consumer brands including 7-Eleven, Burger King Corp., Comcast, Mountain Dew and Pontiac unveil unprecedented support for the launch of this year's biggest entertainment event.

REDMOND, Wash., Aug. 9 /PRNewswire-FirstCall/ — As the countdown continues for the entertainment event of the year — the launch of "Halo(R) 3" — the video game continues to set records and establish new precedents for an entertainment launch. Today, Microsoft Corp. announced that preorders in North America for the exclusive Xbox 360(TM) title have exceeded the 1 million milestone. In addition, Microsoft unveiled the first exciting details of upcoming promotions from leading consumer brands, including Mountain Dew, 7-Eleven, Pontiac, Comcast and Burger King Corp. In a strategy utilized in other big entertainment launches, retailers around the world have begun taking preorders, enabling consumers to order one of the three versions of "Halo 3": Standard Edition, Limited Edition and the ultra-collectible Legendary Edition. In fact, demand has been so strong for the Legendary Edition of the game that it is expected to be sold out by the time the game launches on Sept. 25. Retailers have also noted that the presales for "Halo 3" are the fastest in video game history. "What we've experienced is nothing short of phenomenal," said Bob McKenzie, senior vice president of merchandising at GameStop Corp. "'Halo 3' has eclipsed many previous records and will prove to be one of the must-have items of 2007."

"The excitement for 'Halo 3' is incredible," said Jill Hamburger, vice president of movies and games at Best Buy. "From our preorders online and the buzz we're hearing in our stores, we know this release is going to be one of the biggest entertainment events of the year. We're thrilled to be able to bring it to our customers."

For the first time in video game history and on par with the scope of major movie releases, some of the world's biggest consumer brands have aligned to support the launch. Many plan to offer a variety of promotions that give consumers the opportunity to obtain unique "Halo 3"-branded products and prizes and participate in one-of-a-kind "Halo 3"-themed events.

"This September, 'Halo 3' will push video game entertainment into the forefront of mainstream culture," said Chris Di Cesare, director of creative marketing at Microsoft. "Teaming up with some of the world's strongest and most recognizable brands is trailblazing new paths and cementing video games as big entertainment on par with major event films, and is a testament to the excitement and anticipation intrinsically linked to 'Halo 3.'"

Mountain Dew will unveil the first beverage co-branded with a video game, Mountain Dew Game Fuel. Game Fuel has the same great taste of Mountain Dew with an invigorating blast of citrus cherry flavor and added caffeine for maximum intensity. Game Fuel will come in 20-ounce bottles, 2-liter bottles and 12-packs of 12-ounce cans and will be available nationwide for a limited time starting Aug. 13, 2007.

7-Eleven today confirmed its plans to support the launch of "Halo 3" through a variety of in-store promotions, including three "Halo 3"-branded collectible Slurpee cups. In addition, 7-Eleven will run a "Halo 3" promotion with Mountain Dew Game Fuel and Doritos, with thousands of "Halo 3"-themed prizes, including, as grand prize, a chance to win a role as a voice actor in the upcoming Xbox 360 video game, "Halo Wars(TM)," by Ensemble Studios. In a few select markets, Mountain Dew will offer a special-edition aluminum bottle of Mountain Dew Game Fuel with an exclusive design created by Bungie Studios, the developers of "Halo 3." This bottle will be available in very limited quantities, making it a highly sought-after collector's item.

Pontiac will provide consumers with several exclusive "Halo 3"-related opportunities. It will host Pontiac Gamers Garage events in select locations, providing consumers with a chance to play the game for the first time before its release. In addition, in support of the launch of its upcoming high-performance G6 GXP Street, Pontiac will provide 1,000 consumers with a copy of the game, and one lucky gamer will win a limited-edition "Halo 3" G6 GXP Street car.

Burger King Corp. will continue its sponsorship of Xbox 360 with national, in-restaurant support from Sept. 24 through Oct. 22. "Halo 3"-themed packaging will offer customers access to exclusive content by logging on to http://www.bk.com/halo3 beginning Sept. 23. Graphics will be featured on select packaging, including the 42-ounce cup and King FRYPOD(TM).

Comcast has also joined the "Halo 3" campaign and will host exclusive video content, including user-generated movies and machinima, on its Web sites http://gameinvasion.net and http://www.ziddio.com. Comcast will also feature standard- and high-definition "Halo 3" videos on its signature ON DEMAND service.

"Halo 3" is also the official sponsor of the Projekt Revolution tour this summer, which includes bands Linkin Park and My Chemical Romance. Exclusive "Halo 3" VIP events will take place in select cities on the tour, where attendees will receive "Halo 3"-themed merchandise and have an opportunity to meet the members of Linkin Park.

HMV takes MGS4 360 pre-orders [CAG]
[Thanks to everyone who sent this one in]

You know Bullet Witch right? It's one of those near future, post-apocalyptic, zombie killing, withcraft 'n' guns games. The kind that aren't too good (Ashcraft says it's "shit"), but star a nubile protagonist with a hellspawn exterminating streak decked out in costumes unsuitable for combat, making it an instant purchase for the lonely, Xbox 360-owning Japanese crowd.

While our man in Japan says the controls are wonk, the third-person shooter from AQ Interactive is being localized by Atari for a late February release. They're throwing out an extra incentive—outside of revealing outfits—in the form of a pre-order only comic book. While I think it would've secured more reservations if they'd gone with the school girl outfit cover, it looks pretty nice.

Anyone out there hungry to get their Bullet Witch on next month? Michael McWhertor

Pre-order Bullet Witch & get a free comic book of the game! [Gamertag Radio]

I mean, if you're going to spend sixty bones on Crackdown just to play the beta, what's another fiver?

Hell, while you're at it, why not drop another $66 on the Xbox Live Vision Gold Pack? Think of the savings! Michael McWhertor

Xbox Live Marketplace Points Offer [Best Buy]

The game hits ships to stores on the 16th of this month, so head over the Gamestop or EB and get your stylish stylus before they're all gone! Michael McWhertor

Phoenix Wright: Justice For All with Bonus! [Gamestop]

Reader exit86drummer wrote in saying he had received this t-shirt from a friend who works at a Gamestop. So, being the ace reporter that I am, I put on my Press hat and headed down to my local EB gaming concern to see what the deal was.

I discovered upon entering that they still didn't have their Wii kiosk up and running (grumble, grumble) since they were waiting for their tardy Nintendo Rep to come set it up for them. I chatted for a bit with my store's game mistress and got a few details about tonight's midnight launch and eventually got around to asking about the t-shirt. She confirmed that they indeed would be giving these t\T's out to everyone who had pre-ordered a Wii. Then I heard those magic words, "You want yours now?" she said with a sly wink. Of course, I said "Yes" and duly received my sweet shirt. As I gazed lovingly on it I noticed, and exit86drummer agrees with me, that the guy on the shirt is the spitting image of Reggie a la' Bruce Lee.

I will wear my hunky Reggie shirt proudly to tonight's midnight launch and make everyone in line jealous until some gun toting maniac mugs me for it. Flynn De Marco

Still looking to score a PlayStation 3? Like paying through the nose for a bundle screwjob loaded with games you don't really want? Don't mind owning the slightly gimped 20GB model? GameStop to the rescue!

We will have an extremely limited supply of 20GB PlayStation 3 console bundles for preorder on our site Friday evening, November 17th. We expect these bundles to ship on or before December 1st.

We will not offer 60GB PlayStation 3 console bundles until our store pre-orders have been filled, but check back soon for future preorder opportunities

No other information is currently available, but we'll update when the order offer goes live. Good luck! Thanks to all who sent this in. Michael McWhertor

GameStop PlayStation 3 20GB Sign Up

Tomorrow at Den-Den Town's Sofmap, Nintendo Wii pre-orders commence. To mark the occasion, the retailer has set up its in-store Wii corner, making it one of the first of its type I've seen in Japan. Looks simple. Clean. Nice. Brian Ashcraft

Den-Den Town's Wii Corner [Ota Road]

Fry's Electronics PlayStation 3 Bundle. Cheap at $1079.

Wal-Mart "Customer's Choice" PlayStation 3 Bundle. A steal at $1491.

CompUSA Screwjob PlayStation 3 Bundle? A minimum of $2300. Oh, the pain.

Found via blog Uninnovate (but scooped by the Cheap Ass Gamer forums), the current promotion running at CompUSA demands that, if you want to buy a PS3 from the retailer, you'll need to invest in a Sony branded HDTV, 40-inches or bigger. (I already ordered three.)

Also, according to Uninnovate, should you return the TV you "must also return the PlayStation 3 and pay a 15% restocking fee". I can't imagine anyone having a problem with that. You guys cool? Michael McWhertor

Sony taking Playstation 3 pre-order bundling to new lows at CompUSA [via Gamespot]

Update: Angry reader e-mail after the jump...

I was taken in by CompUSA's "buy a 40" HDTV", get a PS3 Reserve on Sunday. I called back today to find out that my PS3 will be delayed 4-8 weeks, and it would cost me 15% (about 300) to return the TV with restocking fees. If this was a Sony-CompUSA deal, what a joke. I ordered from the Schaumburg, IL store. Thanks for alerting other gamers to this despicable scam.

Ouch! Sorry, Jim! Keep your head up, rest of the console reserving public!

The Kotaku inbox is literally overflowing with emails from concerned readers from all parts of the US about EB/Gamestop's midnight Wii launches. Some people claim all of the stores will be having these launches while others claim none of them will. Well, I'm here to set the record straight for all of you who may be wondering.

The real truth of the matter is that each store is being treated on a somewhat individual basis. It is all determined by area and that areas' District Manager will be the one to make the decision. If your local EB/Gamestop is a free standing store (meaning, not in an enclosed mall) the chances are pretty good that you'll be able to grab your Wii at midnight. Stores inside malls are a different story though, being as they would have to shell out a lot of extra money to stay open and are restricted by the mall's rules. So if your EB/Gamestop is in a mall, there's slim to no chance that you'll get a midnight launch. In most, if not all cases, these launches will be strictly for pre-order customers only.

The best rule of thumb in these situations is not to listen to any blanket statements made by internet weirdos and just take the 5 minutes to call the store yourself and ask. Better to do that than face the bitter disappointment when your local store has drawn it's shutters for the night and you're left out in the cold. Flynn De Marco

Toys "R" Us' weekly circular has surfaced and reveals that the store will begin taking Wii pre-orders again as of tomorrow. A quick confirmation call to my local TRU confirmed that indeed there will be a limited number of Wii's available for pre-order with a $50 deposit for those lucky enough to get there first. They didn't specify an exact number, so my advice to you would be to grab that camping equipment, some weather appropriate clothes for your region, haul your can down to your local TRU and wait (After calling to confirm that your TRU is doing this, of course). I only hope you won't get run off by the police like those poor Best Buy PS3 campers did. Thanks, Drew! Flynn De Marco

Poor KJ. he woke up this morning feeling fine. His pre-ordered Wii was coming in a week and a half and all was right with the world. Or was it? Imagine his dismay upon checking his email and receiving this nasty surprise!

Due to a European shortage of the Nintendo Wii Consoles, we regret to inform you that Play.com will be unable to supply your pre-ordered Nintendo Wii at launch.

European shortage? Unable to supply? These are definitely not phrases you want to hear regarding the precious system that you've been waiting months for. Sorry, KJ, we feel your pain.

I tried to get a hold of someone at Play.com to confirm the shortage, but at the present time, no one has gotten back to me. Has anyone else received a letter like this from them? See the entire email after the jump. Flynn De Marco

Dear Customer,

Due to a European shortage of the Nintendo Wii Consoles, we regret to
inform you that Play.com will be unable to supply your pre-ordered
Nintendo Wii at launch. As an Official distributor of Nintendo
products we are guaranteed more stock before Christmas, but Nintendo
have informed us, along with all other official Nintendo retailers,
that the console will not be freely available until next year.

All pre-orders will be fulfilled on a first come, first served basis
and we will fulfil your order as soon as we can.

If you no longer wish to keep your pre-order with Play.com please
login to your account and remove the item from your Outstanding
Orders.

Kind Regards

PLAY.COM

But then I got this in the mail this afternoon:

Thank you for your recent visit to BestBuy.com. Unfortunately, your pre-order for the PlayStation 3 gaming system will be cancelled. Our system was not intended to take pre-orders on the PlayStation 3 gaming system. BestBuy.com will not be taking pre-orders for this item. Your pre-order will be cancelled and you will not be charged. If you used a Gift Card for this order and no longer have it, please call us toll free at 1-888-BEST BUY (1-888-237-8289) and we will send you a replacement. If you have any questions concerning our policies, please review the "Conditions of Use" which are found at www.BestBuy.com.

Oh, how the tears flowed! Why must I be made to suffer? Hast thou forsaken me, Lord of Consoles? I guess it's back to camping out. The full, heartbreaking cancellation e-mail after the jump. Michael McWhertor

Dear Best Buy Customer,

Thank you for your recent visit to BestBuy.com. Unfortunately, your pre-order for the PlayStation 3 gaming system will be cancelled. Our system was not intended to take pre-orders on the PlayStation 3 gaming system. BestBuy.com will not be taking pre-orders for this item. Your pre-order will be cancelled and you will not be charged. If you used a Gift Card for this order and no longer have it, please call us toll free at 1-888-BEST BUY (1-888-237-8289) and we will send you a replacement. If you have any questions concerning our policies, please review the "Conditions of Use" which are found at www.BestBuy.com.

We apologize for any inconvenience this may have caused you. Because you are a valued customer, we would like to offer you a $10 Digital Coupon* toward a future purchase at www.BestBuy.com. Your coupon code is:

[SOMENUMBERSANDLETTERSHERE]

Digital Coupons are easily redeemed when you shop online. Simply enter the 17-digit code listed above during checkout. We apply them to your purchases, up to the total purchase amount. The Digital Coupon must be used prior to the expiration date: 11:59 p.m. (CT), February 5, 2007. This offer is limited to one per customer, excludes gift cards, and is nontransferable. Please review full details below.

We look forward to your next visit to one of our stores or to www.BestBuy.com. Please do not hesitate to contact us toll free at 1-888 BEST BUY with additional questions.

Thank you for your loyalty,
The Customer Care Team

Now that all the Wii pre-order madness is behind us, you may be wondering if you'll still be able to get your hands on one come November 19. Wiiloaded decided to research the major retailers and break it down to which locations you will more likely to get a system without pre-order.

Naturally, their first rule is: Don't bother going to GameStop or EB Games as they are only getting a limited number which have already been sold as pre-orders thus they get the "No Chance" rating. Best Buy ranks with a "Most Fun" rating while Sam's Club/Costco receive the "Most Overlooked" moniker. They also suggest bringing lawn chairs, blankets and your favorite handheld system to while away the chilly hours or, as an alternative, try and find a retailer that's off the beaten path.

Wiiloaded makes no guarantee that you'll find a Wii at one of these locations, but they do make it much easier to decide which of the many paths to glory you wish to take. Flynn De Marco

Guide to finding a Nintendo Wii at Launch [Wiiloaded]

Now that Sony's only planning 80,000 machines for Japan, the majority of the population will probably fall into the "vouchers" category. An interesting way for Sony to guarantee that people don't run off and buy a Wii in the meantime and forget all about their PlayStations.

On a similar note, Sony's just issued a statement "warning" consumers about online bulk and discounted PS3 systems. We saw this kind of thing last year with Microsoft's console. Does "ten Xbox 360s for $2,400, get yours now in bulk!" ring a bell?

It has come to the attention of Sony Computer Entertainment America that a number of websites are currently promoting pre-order offers on discounted or bulk shipments of the upcoming PLAYSTATION 3 computer entertainment system. Such offers are not done with any cooperation from SCEA or its parent company. SCEA strongly recommends against consumers pursuing such offers, as their legitimacy cannot be confirmed. We recommend consumers purchased PlayStation products only from authorized SCEA retailers and resellers.

So buy your vouchers from Sony, but make sure to stay away from nasty, hobbitses third parties.

Jason Chen

Sony to Sell PlayStation 3 Rain Checks in Japan [TechNewsPulse]

Sony Tries To Rein In Pre-Orders [Mercury News]

Didn't get that Wii pre-order? Don't worry. Walmart's got you covered. CheapyD at CheapAssGamer confirmed that starting today, the retailer will be taking pre-orders for the new Nintendo console. So if you're worried, open up the Walmart page and get your clicker finger ready. Brian Ashcraft

Walmart Wii Pre-Orders [CAG, Thanks Fernando!]

An email I received this morning says, in part:

Our records indicates you can retrieve an additional $ 9,99 USD refund in your PayPal account. In order to successfully retrieve the refund please confirm your existing PayPal account on this page. Please notice that the confirmation of your PayPal account is needed to have this refund send into your PayPal account.

When clicking on the "this page" link (that I haven't reproduced), you are taken to fake Paypal interface on the domain "ljk-sang.com" (note the "j" instead of "i").

As per usual with Paypal scams, never click a link to go to Paypal, but instead type the URL in your browser manually. That is, of course, if you need to be on Paypal at all—in this case it's a scam; don't fall prey.

I'm surprised scammers were able to produce something so timely. Good thing Joel didn't fall for it, but I bet if they had thrown in some pills to increase the girth of little Joel, he totally would have. Brian Crecente

Scam Warning [GameLife]

From Johnathan:

While shopping tonight at the Fair Lakes Shopping Center in northern Virginia, my wife and I happened upon ten determined gamers (or related parties) camping outside the local Toys R' Us. We decided to interview them, for the sake of science, journalism, and the American way.

All ten gamers showed up near-simultaneously at approximately 1:00 pm. Our interview took place at 10:00 pm, nine hours into their 22 hour wait. Temperatures had already dropped to fourty degrees F, and had hopefully plateaued.

The first order of interview-business was to establish who was waiting for the PS3 and who was waiting for the Wii. Of the ten campers, seven were waiting for both consoles. Another couple was waiting for a PS3 and a Wii, only one each between the two of them, while the final Wii had a lone claimant. If you have been following along with me on the math, that is 8 PS3's and 9 Wii's, among 10 people. You will know it is time to turn the page when you hear the chimes ring, like this... We were surprised to learn that not one of the soon-to-be-reserved consoles was headed for a resale.

Sony and Nintendo were already present at the campout. While observing the campers, we spotted one PSP, whose owner thought he had heard of Kotaku before. One of the campers plead guilty to possession of, but not intent to use, a Nintendo DS. As far as we could tell, it was buried in a blanket fold or a coat pocket somewhere.

My wife got really immersed in the interviewing process and plied the campers with additional questions. Three of the campers intended to pass the time gambling and pursuing a state of comfortable numbness through the business end of a bottle. Connect Four and Uno kept another handful of campers occupied. Two campers claimed to have books handy, and the kid with the PSP was thoroughly engrossed in his digital distraction.

If I were a journalist or a blogger, I would return in the morning for a body count or an update, but instead I will presume that they all get their consoles, and game happily ever after.

UPDATE: Check out the reports from Arizona and Alaska after the jump.

From Anthony, who has a penchant for Random capitalization:

Here's what went down in the Hartford Area of the TOYS R US stores.

I got to our local Toys R Us around where about seven people were already camped out since noon yesterday, They asked, "Are you here for PS3? Because they are all gone. They only have 6 systems 1 of them is the 20 gig unit. Of course you can stay if your here for the Wii they're gonna have 15 of those."

They all proceeded to laugh in unison at the thought, So me and my buddies took out our stuff and sat down then they were like, " Umm. We were serious." I was like, "We're here for the Wii".

They were all shocked and proceeded to ask what the big deal was with the unit. They were clueless. Turns out they were Ebay-ing their units only one person actually wanted to keep theirs. I and the two other friends felt the odd men out as we were getting Wii instead of PS3.

But we braved on nonetheless, After a Long COLD night We fell asleep only to be awoken by chatter. I open my eyes and what do I see? Like an Army sent out from the heavens about 40 people lined up behind me.

So then someone decides to be brave and asks "Who here is getting a PS3?" The guys ahead of me rose their hands. Then the guy asks "Who here is getting a Wii?" The army behind all raise their hands.

The seven strangers are no longer smug, and decide maybe there is something to this Wii thing so they ask me about it. I explain they decide they actually want to buy units and KEEP them. So anyway's long story short... Guess its too late for that. Stores open I get my #1 in line for Wii Ticket and proceed inside to claim my preorder.

Urgh! Why did I choose such a bad time to move?

Finally, from Rob, our field reporter in Cape Cod. (Hi Rob!)

A few days ago I decided to do the whole "pre-order" line madness to save myself the trouble of camping overnight on the 19th. I had planned originally to get a Wii, as well as a PS3, to sell on Ebay. Yes, I am that guy, and I am very sorry for that. Really, I am. So the plan went as followed: We got up at 5:45 AM and took quick showers, we got out the door at 6:30AM and headed to our nearest Toys "R" Us.

When we arrived we noticed a much bigger-than-expected crowd of around 30 people. When we got in line, the man next to us said something that, at the time, I thought was kind of weird, "So, you're here for an Elmo, right?" Having not been told that the new TMX was to be unleashed upon the world, I joking replied, "Yeah, I'm all about Elmo." We stepped into the heated breezeway and took up camp. Eventually I discovered that he was very serious, as were the majority of the crowd. Easily 2/3rds of the entire group were waiting for an Elmo.

Around 7:00 AM the manager of the store came out and told us that there were only five 60 GB PS3s up for grabs (there was also one 20 GB PS3, but really, does that even count?). Considering how we hadn't spent the night prior camped out in front of the store like the 6 people in front of us, my plans for quick-ebay-cash were summarily dashed. Thankfully, he mentioned that the store had been alloted 15 Wii, surely guaranteeing us our precious urine/penis joke console of choice.

The remainder of the time, until the doors were opened and a mad dash for the Elmos and the R Zone section began, was spent watching employees drink coffee in front of us, turn their heads in disgust, and the ever-spiteful close walk to the door to make you think they're gonna open it up but god fucking dammit they won't.

At 8:30 they opened the doors and as quickly as the PS3 pre-order tickets were produced, they were snatched up. We never even actually saw one.

Funny moments from the experience:

A girl waiting in line for an Elmo talking about "how stupid" it is to wait in line for a video game system, and how, "They'll probably never take it out of the box." Unless she was talking about everyone's plans for Ebay, I like to think she was grossly misinformed.

A woman coming at 7:30 AM trying to cut in front of the mass of people waiting for a PS3 since 9:00 PM the previous day.

A Halloween mannequin dressed in a Toys "R" Us uniform that every-so-often made me think an employee was coming to open the door.

My girlfriend, in a daze, remembers very little of the experience. Kind of like Vietnam.

The horror. The horror...

Fortunately, Felipe is living in the ideal conditions for a late October console camp-out.

Hey guys, just got home from a 24hr stay at a Toys R Us. The store here (In Tucson, AZ) had 7 Premium PS3's and 1 Core. Also 20 Wii's. It was funny to see that the first 8 (including myself) all went for PS3's while the rest wanted Wii's. Everyone waiting for the PS3 was going to sell it on ebay, everyone asking for the Wii wanted to keep it. No sign of a PSP but a BUNCH of DS's. Anyways, it was fun first time doing it, everyone was pretty cool, other than that goddamn cold. Pre-sales for consoles were at 50 bucks each while games started at 5.

Oh yeah, managed to convince about 5 people to get Wii's, that's the fun part. Managed to convince two people not o get PS3's. haha!

Our non-continental state brother Mathew had this harrowing (yet heartwarming) tale to tell:

I just got back from a 16 hour wait for Wii/PS3 in the Toys R' Us line. At first they said they would give us one of each but they decided later one or the other. I'm here in Alaska and it was fucking cold. 20 degrees outside... fuck me. The store got 17 Wii's and 4 PS3's 60GB and 1 Core system. I was 5th in line and I chose a PS3... yeah well it will pay for my Wii OK?!?!

Jesus it sucked at least the people in line were reasonable and we all decided to line up our cars instead of sitting outside. Early in the morning around 7:00 AM a shitton of people started coming so we all got back in our marked spot in line. Then it started snowing. It snowed 3 inches by 10:00 and it was pretty miserable. The people in line were really cool though at least.

The Toys R' Us manager was really awesome and I'm going to send a letter to her corporate manager that she was great. After the store closed she let us all come in by 2's to warm up a bit and go to the bathroom (I'll exclude that in my thank you letter) After she left for the night she brought out big bags of candy and when she came in, in the morning she brought the whole line Starbucks Coffee and Hot Chocolate. She also came and told us exactly how many units they had and who would get them. She also gave the "line captain/mascot" a direct emergency contact # in case some shit went down in the line.

Wow. Sounds like FUN. Wish I could've been there with you. Hahahaha, just kidding of course. My 60GB unit will be handed to me for free at some upcoming Sony party. Hahahaha, again, just kidding. I'm totally screwed. Michael McWhertor