The Tale of Esteban
Amiibo enthusiasts are all taking a minute to laugh. That’s rare because the vast majority of them have been on-edge for the past week, looking to do the near impossible: secure wave four pre-orders. A tweet from Amazon Games is the source of comedic relief, but understanding it requires a bit of backstory.
A few days ago, a redditor posted a chat log from a conversation he had with an Amazon customer service representative. Users had been pestering the reps to try to get insider knowledge as to when pre-orders would go live. Usually, this was to no avail. However, one rep named “Esteban” gave a very clear response: they’d go up on April 9 at 12:00 p.m. Pacific.
Esteban had immediately been named the savior of the subreddit. Collectors were desperate to hang onto any hope that they’d nab these highly sought-after figures — maybe too desperate. As noon approached, more and more people flocked to /r/amiibo, all mashing the F5 key both there and on Amazon. It was almost time for Esteban’s prophecy to ring true.
And then, when the clock reached the top of the hour, nothing happened.
Most redditors that weighed in after the fact weren’t necessarily mad; they were just disappointed — that same disappointment that’s sullied their entire hobby as of late. It’s not a shock that Esteban’s statement proved false. He likely didn’t have any more knowledge than all the other reps. But, how great would it have been if it was?
Little more than an hour after his prophecy didn’t come true, Amazon showed some situational awareness. It tweeted out “Meet Esteban” accompanied by a picture of a rooster statue, essentially all but calling him a cock.
This light-hearted jab enamored the majority of the subreddit. It also proved that Amazon knew all along about the weight of these rumors, yet did nothing to dispel them. Still, Esteban’s name will live on as a fondly-remembered footnote to the amiibocalypse.
@AmazonGames [Twitter], DID AMAZON JUST…?!? [reddit]
