Update: Monster Hunter 3 Ultimate facing stock issues in Australia (3DS only)
Update: Nintendo Australia have replied to our request for comment regarding reports of limited stock of Monster Hunter 3 Ultimate. They have confirmed that the Nintendo 3DS version of the game may be in limited stock in selected stores around the country. The Wii U version should however be fine.
Nintendo Australia have also partnered with EB Games to allow people to purchase a download code for the 3DS version of the game from the eShop. The games will of course both be available on the eShop of their respective systems anyway.
Nintendo Australia’s full comments are below;
[quote]With Monster Hunter 3 Ultimate launching this weekend, we are pleased with the reception of the title on both Wii U and Nintendo 3DS. Due to current demand we have identified some retail stores may have limited stock on Nintendo 3DS.
Wii U and Nintendo 3DS titles are available to purchase as a digital download directly from Nintendo eShop, including Monster Hunter 3 Ultimate on Wii U and Nintendo 3DS launching this Saturday.
Nintendo Australia has also partnered with EB Games to offer Monster Hunter 3 Ultimate on Nintendo 3DS as a digital download code bought in store then redeemed for immediate download from Nintendo eShop.[/quote]
EB Games have confirmed for us the download codes purchased from them are able to be price matched. They’re treating them the same as a physical copy of the game, so no online store price matches as per usual (as well as all their other terms and conditions).
So there you have it, if you’re keen on a physical copy of Monster Hunter 3 Ultimate we hope you’ve pre ordered!
Original Story: For the past few days we’ve heard multiple rumours about stock issues facing Monster Hunter 3 Ultimate here in Australia. We’ve heard that stores running are not taking pre orders anymore or in some cases small numbers of the game have received.
With all of the above news floating around, something had to be up so we asked EB Games, one of the retailers said to be ceasing pre orders for some clarity. When asked if stores were still taking pre orders we got the following response via Twitter; “You’ll be best to ring up the store on release date to check they have extra stock other than their preorders”.
Not exactly conclusive, but enough for us to look deeper.
We then also checked with a selection of random EB Game stores and some told us they have indeed stopped taking preorders for the game as they don’t have enough stock. The game has already arrived at most stores so they know what they have. Some stores told us they hadn’t received either the Wii U or 3DS hardware bundles as well.
We haven’t been able to verify if other retailers are having any stocking issues, so far it seems to be just EB Games. Considering they’re the biggest gaming retailer in the country others might be having problems too.
The short of it is, if you want Monster Hunter 3 Ultimate when it releases on Saturday – you’d be well served to pre order a copy. That’s if you can.
We’ve emailed both EB Games and Nintendo Australia for an official comment.
This is tin-foil hat stuff but on the GAME article that Mark Serrels did over on Kotaku, there were comments about ‘six or seven’ people who ‘run the industry’.
Not able to go check right now, but go have a read – could it be all games released and sold locally for Nintendo consoles are subject to stuff like this? As in they’d order excess stuff of anything with Pokemon or Mario on it, but bugger the rest?
I have heard directly from an ebgames staffer, and via a friend from JBhifi. Some/Most stores are only getting 1 or 2 units of CirclePads and Monster Hunter hardware bundles for retail, in addition to whatever was pre-ordered.
If you didnt pre-order and you want a hardware bundle or Circle Pad Xl. Good Luck.
I just received a confirmation email form EB regarding my MHU pre order stating that my order has been dispatched…. So hopefully that means I will be getting my copy soon!
Couldn’t you just download them?
I’m downloading. So it shouldn’t affect me, unless they are limiting how many people can download the title D:
Seriously doubt that. Only reason I would go a download option is for a cheaper price. At full retail I would rather have the disc and save some storage space. Sadly this may not be an option, and the extended wait to download could be a killer too..
Argh!
My local EB only had 1 Circle Pad Pro XL ordered so I put my name on it. They mentioned that they would only be getting a couple of copies of the 3DS game too. I wonder if they are doing this to drive the sale of the digital download code sale in store???
Now I’m paranoid, was about to pick up a retail copy for my sister on Saturday but maybe i should pre-order just in case.
I preordered from OGS so I’m set. My copy won’t be coming in for a while though…
Thank god I pre-ordered a week and a half ago.
But this kinda sucks… Capcom is talking all about wanting to make the series more popular in the West, and yet there aren’t gonna be many copies on the shelves of gaming stores on release? I mean obviously Australia is a tiny subsection of “the West”, but still..
So by reception they mean preorder numbers right? If that’s the case, it’s good news I guess but it’s still a shame about the limited supply of 3ds copies.
Guess i’ll have to just import the game. Thanks Nintendo!