Mobbed: Pokémon Center London Now Has Purchase Limits And New Hours Due To ‘Unprecedented Demand’
The new London Pokémon Center had no idea what hit it after it was swamped by “unprecedented demand” after it opened.
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Category : Pokemon
This is what happens when Poké-fans feel that insatiable desire to catch ‘em all – all the plushies and posters, that is – and the London Pokémon Center had no idea what hit it.
Now, as you’ve surely heard, another huge Switch exclusive is going to touch down soon: Pokémon Sword & Shield, the franchise’s big home console debut. It arrives on November 15, and we scarcely need to tell you that it’s going to be a holiday hit of the highest order.
A new generation of Pokémon means new features, mechanics, and, naturally, new Pokémon. This time around, it also means terrifying Machokes that chase you down in the early game and want to crush your hopes and dreams into spam, just because. Oh, and we’re also Gigantamaxing now, for better or worse.
The release of a new mainline title means something else, though: reams and reams of new merchandise. To cater to the rabid fans in the run-up to release, a new Pokémon Center popped up in London’s Westfield shopping center, opening on October 18 and closing on the game’s release date.
With all the buzz surrounding the store, how busy do you think it proved to be, on a scale of one to eleventy-infinity? That’s right, it’s the latter.
If you ever doubted that the Pokémon brand had just the same cachet as ever, get yourself down to Westfield. As Euro Gamer reports, the store has been swamped by “unprecedented demand” since it opened its doors and has had to put tighter restrictions in place.
Purchase limits on certain product ranges are nothing new with limited offers like this, but the London Pokémon Center have had to get serious. With queues of upwards of five hours, you need to be super lucky (and very patient) just to get in. Once you have, a six-purchases-per-customer limit is imposed (with a few exceptions for items like Nintendo Switches). On top of that, the store’s opening hours have been slashed to 10 AM – 6 PM (opening at 12 PM on Sundays), four hours earlier than it previously closed.
To really get an impression of the state of things, though, you’ll need to check out these words from the shopping center itself: “Customers wishing to queue overnight may have to wait outside… you will not be permitted to bring camping bags or tents. Please make yourself known to a member of the security team upon your arrival.”
Still, if you want to be the very best (like no-one ever was), you’ve got to be utterly dedicated.
Source: Euro Gamer
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