Update: I visited a local Gamestop to learn more about the offer. Since I had my heart set on the 3DS version, I asked to pre-order the game. I was told the game was set for a February 12th, 2013 release date and that I could put down anywhere from $5 to the total cost of the game to pre-order. I put down $5 and then asked for the Danicar. The cashier was surprised I knew they existed, and asked the manager if I could have one. It was then that I learned stores were told that only those buying the game would get a car, but it wasn’t made clear if pre-ordering also meant the customer gets a car. Since, in the managers words “they had a lot” of the Danicar, I could have one. In short, buying the game now for the 360, PS3 or Wii U will get you a car (if they have them in stock). Pre-ordering for Vita may or may not get you the car, but given the game releases next week, you’ll just have to ask nicely and perhaps putting down the full amount for the pre-order will sweeten the deal. Same goes for the 3DS version. End update.
Back in October, SEGA unveiled Danica Patrick’s in-game model and made the announcement of an exclusive Hot Wheels SEGA-branded Danicar. Where could fans get the toy? Who knew! All we were told was that “the ‘Danicar’ will also be available as an exclusive diecast vehicle available this holiday season with purchase of Sonic & All-Stars Racing Transformed at select retailers.” Awesome! A month passed, the game released and… no Danicar. No sign of it at any store. Some fans, such as myself, waited until release week hoping to learn which “select retailers” would have the freebie before making a firm pre-order. No news turned up, so the Danicar was forgotten, fans bought the game and a month passed. Then, fans over at The Sonic Stadium forums discovered the toy car on ebay, with a “Gamestop Exclusive” label and as such, turned to Gamestop to see what the deal was. Some stores were genuinely confused, directing fans to stores like Toys R Us where they can find Hot Wheels cars. Other stores had the cars, but weren’t quite sure what to do with them. As of Sunday, it seems, stores are now giving the cars away with copies of the game.
Sorry to infuse a bit of my opinion into the above story, but I am genuinely frustrated with how SEGA has handled both the 3DS delay and the release of this cool little giveaway. Rather than learning news from SEGA themselves, fans learn of delays from PDFs tucked away in Nintendo Europe articles and of store exclusives from ebay listings.
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I blame Game Stop. They are so disorganized, and every time there has been a pre-order bonus for a thing, I have gotten there and they don’t have it, or they gave them all away, or more likely the cashier took it to sell on ebay.
Interesting, I did not know that.
Isn’t there any barcode on the preorder bonuses. I don’t think they can get away with something like that. I have not worked at GameStop but I’ve worked as a Sales Associate and most tech stores (or stores in general) have a thorough inventory system.
The Gamestop I went to just had a box full of them, and they weren’t scanning them when they gave me one.
Assuming they still have some, I wonder if they’ll give them out with he Vita version next week.
frakking gamestop messed up my online order and sent me sonic & SEGA all stars racing, not sonic & all stars transformed so I have little care for this car.
To be honest the whole car idea (and the whole Danica Patrick tie-in) was ridiculous anyway, let’s be honest. Basically the definition of a sell-out move.
It’s the equivalent of seeing your favorite artist selling Boost Mobile t-shirts and hats on his website.
Still I’m sorry fans who preordered didn’t get their Hot Wheels Car designed for a character who shouldn’t even be in the game. It seems like Sega didn’t do much communicating with retailers, as many didn’t even seem to know the game’s release date.
Nyah nyah! I got a car! Updated the story to reflect the major event.
I’d love to know id Danica Patrick’s people paid Sega to put her in the game or vice versa. If Sega paid, it’s just a stupid decision. Plain and simple.
I don’t see why Danica’s people would pay, it’s obvious that Sega both initiated the move and likely paid for her presense.
I know I’m late to comment, but this angered me a little so I gotta say what’s on my mind.
Frankly, I’m pissed off that ms. Patrick is in the game. I was pissed off when they included Banjo in the 360 version. “Our game won’t sell on its own… gotta insert some unrelated shit to broaden the audience, cuz Sonic is less recognizable than some random female Nascar driver 99% of the world (United States excluded) never heard about”
Not only that, but Sega, or whoever the hell is in charge of this game’s promotion, seems to think Danica deserves more attention than Sega’s own characters – why isn’t there a Sonic Hot-Wheels? Why did SHE become the face of the game?! Isn’t Sonic Sega’s mascot? Isn’t HIS name in the title?
Here’s an idea, Sumo, why not rename it to DANICA AND SEGA ALL-STARS RACING! That’ll work!
This woman is the reason I’m not buying this, I won’t support Sumo’s/Sega’s idiotic decisions – she’s not from the Sega universe, she has no place in a Sega fanservice game. Neither did Banjo. At least Banjo was a fictional character, unlike Danica.
You should buy the game anyway because it’s a great racer and Sega needs to be encouraged to release more retail titles. Sega’s made stupid decisions all throughout their life, let’s not act like it’s something new.
I’ve been a huge Sega fan since I was 3 years old, always showing support.
This, for me, is a different caliber of stupid decision. Bad business choices are one thing, the inclusion of this completely unrelated (aside from being Sega’s walking, or rather, riding advert) woman is really taking things too far, in my eyes.
You don’t see, whoever is driving the DuPont Nascar car, advertising teflon pans, do you? Neither is his face plastered all over every teflon frying pan.
Just think – instead of Danica, we could’ve gotten 5 additional characters. Why five? Because the money they paid ms Patrick would, instead, go into development. And I’d wager they paid her a huge amount, plus the exclusive Hot-Wheels and all.
I am a fan, but here’s where I draw the line – as I said, I was mad at Sega for including Banjo in the original game for the 360, but I still bought it, hoping they wouldn’t do it (it, meaning including unrelated crap) in the next iteration, but they did – and this time it’s far worse. I know one less person buying the game won’t change a thing, but at least I know I didn’t give ms Patrick any money.
In fact, I didn’t mind Banjo quite as much, since (as far as I’m aware) he was an extra, an additional character, not someone embedded right into the main roster.