E3 2002 WaveBird Grey GameCube Controller

  • Regions: US
  • Promotional release
  • Rarity: 1 of ~100
  • Release date:
    • US: May 22nd to 24th 2002
  • Retail Price (standalone):
    • US: Competition reward
  • Grey receiver
  • Internals variations: T2
  • Stamp variations: Blank

Description

Full body grey shell with matching receiver and a white “Nintendo GameCube” logo. It was released exclusively at E3 2002 from May 22nd to 24th as a prize for a Mario Party 4 competition.

Trivia

  • Estimated to be around a hundred of those awarded at E3 2002, which makes it the rarest GameCube controller ever distributed.
  • Its blue velvet pouch is unique and wasn’t available anywhere else. “Cut the Cord! WaveBird Wireless Controller” is written on it, with the Nintendo GameCube logo underneath.
  • It was given out over two weeks before the controller’s official release date, and almost two weeks after it was approved to be sold to the US market by the FCC. The controller itself probably couldn’t be differentiated from a launch retail unit.
  • To avoid an optical illusion that would make the buttons look darker, the Grey WaveBird controller is fitted with a lighter set of X, Y, Start, D-pad, main stick and shoulder buttons.
  • For a full explanation on how you could win one of those early WaveBirds, see my blogpost.

Standalone Packaging

  • E3 2002

Official Artwork

Sources