HunterF1

This is stated as "fact" in the magazine and this posting, however, Nintendo has given NO confirmatioin of this to anyone including EGM. This is EGM guessing like everyone else. It is possible for May 21....but it is just as possible, in my opinion, given the shortages to be June, July, August, whenever. Also....keep your preorder. If history repeats itself....the US release will be in some Godawful color...like silver or black. Look back at all the colors for the GameBoys and the initial DS colors (excluding the cool special bundle packages)The chances of it being the fantastic white, cool navy blue, or unique light blue is next to none. If you have waited this long to get a cool colored DS Lite imported...keep waiting a little longer.

Mark my words...you'll see that you will be glad you did.

Tom S., #42, you tell it! Your preaching and I am steady saying AMEN!

All in all, the whole thing was piss-poor in execution and managed.

My problem lies with Play-Asia. What is weak to me is the complete lack of keeping the preorder customers posted on the situation. No news or expected shipments, no hint at what their preorder number is and were I lie in that line, nothing. Just a total blackout of information until, I guess, I check my order status and it miraculously says "shipped". Weak.

Also, think about this....we all paid a 30% increase to these "Import Pirates" for the import DS Lite...it is expected to ship here in the US for around $140 or so...we bought in at $169.00+. Then we have to pay another $27+ to get semidecent shipping time. So, all in all, we are paying in excess of at least $50.00 to get it now. Now....I hear you moaning and groaning about this....I knew that when I ordered. And that is right, and that is fine. ASSUMING they hold up there end of the deal. The entire point of doing this is relying upon their skills, connections, and methods to do the ONE job that they have....supply customers with products at release. That is the entire purpose of their business.

At the rate they are going, we will have paid $50+ and get our systems about a month or two before they are released in the US for $140.00. Bad deal.

And the 1st week 64,000 were shipped. How many preorders do you think PlayAsia has.....1,000...2,000...whatever? My point is it is a tiny fraction of that 64,000 number and they couldn't hold up their understood part of the arrangement. Weak. Then, the second shipment, around the same figures, and nothing....not news, no status, nothing. It is like, "Oh well, screwem, well ship them when we ship them." I wonder if they would have had such a blase attitude if it was not so comfortably preordered and they were seling them in a straight retail situation? You can bet they would have had their hands on quite a few if they were dependent on that type deal. The preorder situation is clearly in their favor. They can take their sweek time filling orders, leave the customers in an information blackout, and still have the comfort of seeing how many they have sold when they arrive.

Bottom Line: They failed in their only job....get systems to customers. It is not like the 360 were sweet little were produced and the whole thing was really a "smoke and mirrors" situation. Nintendo kept their end up...they produced units and still are producing them weekly. It is Play Asia and Lik-Sang that are deficient here.

Will likely never buy from this type set up again. Once burned is enough for me. We'll just have to see.

With over 64,000 DS Lites released the first week, it is shameful that Lik Sang and Play-Asia cannot fill their preorders by this date (3/14). I mean, the preorders numbers they have are a very small fraction of this released number.

All of their huffing and puffing and Economic explanations are weak excuses.

Perhaps they would have been more anxious to get their hands on the units if they did not have them comfortably pre-sold and those customers in a vice already. It like "Oh well, too bad....we'll fill 'em when we fill 'em."