Nintendo 3DS Launch Imminent: Sales Estimates Appear, Crazy Fans Prepare

Nintendo's new glasses-free 3D gaming platform will launch on Friday in the UK and on Saturday in the United States. While US pre-order numbers have not yet been revealed, Amazon.uk pre-orders have leaked out...sort of. They are described as "more than double" the Wii's pre-orders. Since the Wii saw 65,000 pre-orders, we're looking at more than 130,000 units moved in the UK alone.

That's a potential £26 million in hardware sales. And since four million 3DSs are expected to move in April, it's just the tip of a very lucrative iceberg. Could this be the relief from iOS and Android that Nintendo has been looking for?

3D tablets and handsets are in the very near future, but Nintendo looks to be the only glasses-free handset maker with a sizeable game library for the foreseeable future. They'll have time to establish themselves at the crest of this new gaming trend. But keep in mind, Nintendo had an even greater head start in motion control gaming with the Wii. That didn't stop the Kinect from turning into a runaway hit.

And the 3DS launch is unlikely to be a problem-free event. Early reports already give the next-gen gaming handset less than five hours of battery life with 3D and WiFi off. Mobile gamers are used to a great deal more...mobility, so this has already ruffled some feathers.

One fan who isn't turned off by the low battery life is Isaiah Triforce Johnson. Yes, he legally changed his middle name to Triforce. He's also been the first person in line for every Nintendo launch since the DS. At the Wii launch a few years back, he met with Nintendo President Reggie Fils-Aime and even got an autograph. And this time around?

Isaiah's mainly been dodging the cops and Best Buy employees. This video is one of the most legitimately crazy things I've ever watched. In it, "Triforce" recounts being chased off the property by Best Buy authorities. He describes his days, hiding nearby with friends and waiting for the shift to change. Isaiah arrived on Monday, which means four days of dodging security guards and blue shirts in 40 degree weather.

All to be first in line for a toy he already has pre-ordered. Godspeed, Triforce. You're an inspiration to us all.

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