Just to make this clear were allowing 8 - 12 pre-orders per store. Once a store has hit their allocation of pre orders they will not be accepting any more.

In order to guarantee a Wii U at launch you MUST pre order it. However stores may be shipped extra quantities but these are not a for sure thing.

Basically when our pre-orders go live (which is very very soon) get in immediatly to your local store and pre order the console if you want one at launch

Good thing i'm unemployed, then. Even my most immediate job opportunity (if i get it) won't pick up until Labor Day.

I was lucky with the Wii's launch...

I went early (well, I thought it was early) to Gamestop on pre-order day. When I showed up, there was already a line outside the store. As I was walking up, the manager stopped me and said that if I was there to pre-order the Wii, they were already all taken.

Disappointed, I drove to the next nearest game store (taking the wrong exit from the highway, no less), thinking there was no way in hell I'd make it in time anywhere else. When I (finally) got there, there was another line already present (of course), but when I walked up, the manager asked, "Are you here to pre-order the Wii?" "Yes", I said gleefully. He handed me my pre-order slip and I got in line with a sense of relief. Less than a minute later, another guy showed up and manager told him they were all out now. Destiny!