I was at GameCrazy today, and it just so happens that they are also having a SF4 tournament at most every store, and guess what, its on the 15th, same day you can buy the game? :wtf:
Apparently, there is no actual street release date for the sticks or the game, so as soon as it arrives, it goes up for sale. The store I was at in Federal Way is planning for a Feb. 15th arrival (although they may only be able to sell at midnight the 16th) and there will be a tournament as soon as it arrives.
They also have TE sticks still available for pre-order, and you can use whatever controller you want in the tournament, including ones you buy that day. It seemed like a very laxed tournament, with the current store manager deciding the format for each store, and no pre-announced prizes, but they said it would likely be a free copy of the game for first, or a 30 dollar gift certificate.
So check out your local GameCrazy and ask about it. They have sign ups, and you can probably find a TE stick if you were looking.
the bothell gamecrazy I reserved at is having a midnight release tournament only if the turnout is good enough. manager told me, if enough people show and chip in, the winner could get a limited copy of the game.
I reserved my TE stick from the Gamecrazy on 23rd Ave. here in Seattle. I signed up for the tournament that is on the night of 17th. The looked relatively full (15-20 people), but I did not here of any prize for the winner. The list included people’s ages as well and I saw a couple of 8 year olds, so even if there is no prize, crushing on some children should be fun.
This is different than the Gamestop tournament. Different Gamecrazy retail stores are hosting local tournaments if there is enough interest on the same night that SF4 comes out and offering prizes is up to the discretion of each individual store. Some local stores might be selling the game before its actual release date which is also up to the discretion of each store.
Game companies can punish certain retailers for doing it, but some stores do it anyways if they see the prospects of selling it earlier outweigh the potential of getting in trouble.