“No Wii’ing Here”

We thought corporate rogering had hit its peak with the Toys’R'Us “bend-over” bundle, which forced desperate parents to fork out $700 for a Wii shoved in with ten mostly cack games, all at full price. But now an independent retailer has gone one step further – they have taken orders and done a runner.

Up to 2,500 people are thought to be affected by the scam run by Ozone Electronics in Oldham, UK, who guaranteed a Wii would be delivered to customers by mid-December.

So far no-one appears to have got one. Ozone have since closed up shop, turned on the answer-phone and shut down their website, leaving the beleaguered web host to post a message about how affected peeps might be able to get their money back.

In hindsight, we may well pour scorn on the fact that Ozone guaranteed Wii’s at a time when Nintendo of America president Reggie Fils-Aime had already admitted there wouldn’t be enough, or indeed because they took the payment in advance. but we don’t suspect the average parent was looking beyond the fact their kids really wanted one.

Perhaps this, along with all the other examples of retailers raping the popularity of the Wii, will coax Reggie to organise some better distribution next year.

Meanwhile, the UK’s trading standards watchdog is attempting to trace the owners. Surprisingly, no one’s picking up the phone.

Read up on the victims.

Tags: cack, desperate_parents, Nintendo, popularity, reggie_fils_aime, toys_r_us, watchdog

• Play.com Live: First Major UK Gaming Event
• PlayStation 3 Greatest Hits Announced
• Frontlines: Fuel of War to Support 50 Players Online
• Lair Controls Patch Experienced at GDC 08
• New Game Releases This Week: 6/29 – 7/05
• Patrick Steen, News Editor (United Kingdom)
• Haze Demo Coming to EU PSN 11/15?
• Metal Slug 3 Hits XBLA This Wednesday

No Comments »