Er, he's right.  It's pretty ordinary for pre-orders to sell out for things like this.

It happened with the Wii.  It happened with the PS2.  It happened with the PS3.  It happened with the iPhone 1/3/4//5.  It happened with the 360.  Things in demand sell out.

That's not to say these won't be available at launch, it's just they aren't taking any more preorders because they've already gone through what they know they're going to get.

For instance, stores stopped taking or wouldn't take iPhone 5 preorders because they went through a certain number.  Come the day after launch, even though a store wouldn't take any more preorders or told people who wanted to order one there would probably be a two week wait just days before, I was able to walk in and buy an iPhone 5 without problem.

Another example-- the Wii.  I remember going to Gamestop the next morning and waiting in line for a preorder.  I didn't think I really needed to (boy was I wrong), but did it nonetheless.  In the case of the Wii, Gamestop sold out of preorders that morning.  I preordered my WiiU days after they started taking preorders at Gamestop.

You completely missed my point.  It isn't that is it sold out, it's how fast it sold out. We even have reports of some stores breakign their pre order records.

And the Wii didn't sell out the day after the price and date were announced.   Nintendo also didn't order many units for the intial production because of the worries they had with the GC (overordering caused a warehousing issues).

PS3 didn't sell out of pre-orders until near launch and it only sold out of them because GameStop cut their pre-order figures in half.  If a store was to get 20, they had to cut it down to the first 10. 

Don't remember the X360 selling out of pre-orders either.  I know the DS, PSP, 3DS and Vita didn't. 

And being able to buy an iPhone the day after launch despite pre-order sell outs is irrelevant.  Tell me when the last time a console had an actual sell out and you could still walk into a store and buy one?   That is without Jack Trenton owing you $15,000.

Good thing I got mine as soon as they announced the price and date. No deluxe set so im glad I snatched at least the base version.

Nov. 18 here I come!

Pre-orders are still open in the US. Where are they sold out? Europe?

Regardless, there isn't much reason to get crazy either way without actual numbers. Hopefully production runs smoothly and they're able to exceed their launch unit forecast so that there will be a good supply in-store.

Wal-mart, Gamestop, Best Buy, Target...

The 4 biggest US retailers...all sold out.

Here in Europe, the Netherlands at least, some stores are also already giving a warning about the availability of the WiiU. Seems it's going to sell pretty good here too.

Luckily I got mine!

Up until gamestop stopped (and best buy), you could easily order the Wii U basic for $299 (which really offers no real savings over the premium) with no qualms. So I find this sudden change kinda odd, considering its was only gametop doing it.

Huh?  You mean the black edition?  Wal-mart has never sold out of the white version, as far as I know.

http://www.walmart.com/ip/Nintendo-Wii-U-Solution-Bundle-w-Customer-Choice-of-Wii-U-Game-and-Controller/21803986

Those are special bundles.   They rarely sell out regardless of the console even after launch.  They were the last things to sell out when Wii was at its absolute peak.  They never sell out of pre-orders for them.

Dam I want my wiiU 32gb :(