Nintendo will simultaneously hold a 3DS special product event in North America and Europe on the 19th of next month, during which the launch dates for the new handheld in these two regions are expected to be revealed. However, according to the latest news, pre-orders for the 3DS have already begun in the U.S. A member of the NeoGAF forum disclosed that they had received an official notification: pre-orders for the 3DS would begin today at all GameStop retail stores in the U.S. It was reported that the SKU number for the 3DS is 020132, and the deposit amount varies by region; a GameStop store in New York requires a $50 advance payment, while a retailer in Arizona only asks for $25. Moreover, the forum member predicted that Nintendo will announce the North American release date and price for the 3DS before January 1st.