PlayStation 3 Debuts in US

Posted on Friday 17th November 2006 at 18:04 by karasuman

After numerous delays and much anticipation, the PS3 has finally reached the American market, greeted by cheering crowds, overt displays of capitalist greed, and, of course, muggings.

Patrons of Sony's flagship epnoymous store in San Francisco were treated to a grand display of the console's arrival as a flashy SUV guarded by armed security pulled up to make a delivery. Of course, the actual product was already waiting inside the store, but that didn't stop the crowd from going wild.

In New York City, where hopeful fans had been waiting in line for days, line cutters and rainy weather tried the patience of many. Celebrities entertained the crowd, but the real fun came when the doors to the SonyStyle store opened: everyone admitted knew they were guarenteed to walk away with a PS3.

And, of course, if you missed your chance at one of only 400k consoles, you could always try eBay, where American entrepreneurship has led some of your fellow citizens to sell for well over $2000--more than three times the price of the $599 tricked-out version.

Unfortunately, some of your fellow Americans saw launch day as nothing more than an opportunity to line up exciting new crime. A Gamestop in Elk Grove, California, was robbed of several PS3 and XBox 360 consoles by a pair of armed men, and line-waiters in Connecticut and Oregon were mugged.

Source: various Gamespot

Posted in: Gaming Industry News, North America

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karasuman

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chou	Comment 1: 2006-11-17 19:47
	i have one woo woo woo!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! im going to go play it now.
Barrylocke	Comment 2: 2006-11-17 20:03
	Quote And, of course, if you missed your chance at one of only 400k consoles, you could always try eBay, where American entrepreneurship has led some of your fellow citizens to sell for well over $2000--more than three times the price of the $599 tricked-out version. A guy I know took this route. He sold it for $900 before he even bought it, before waiting in line for two days to get one of apperantly 4 PS3's at our local Target.
Del S	Comment 3: 2006-11-17 20:05
	Quote (karasuman @ 17th November 2006 18:04) And, of course, if you missed your chance at one of only 400k consoles, you could always try eBay, where American entrepreneurship has led some of your fellow citizens to sell for well over $2000--more than three times the price of the $599 tricked-out version. Yay capitalism. Not exclusive to the US, but it seems only in North America can someone truly get away with hugely inflating the price and still find some sucker willing to buy it. What's worse is that price will climb and climb. Waiting on the actual sales figures will be the fun part. Bear in mind that Wii, being a bit communist, outnumbers the technologically superior ~~NATO~~ PS3 by about 2 and a half to one with a cheaper trained and equipped console, meaning when you gauge price it's actually a fair comparison to say if they both sell out shortly after launch, that both are going to succeed, but you have to judge by how many people walked away (Awii?) empty handed to guess who's winning. On a lighter note, there's a chap in Canada with a muddled up buisiness model, who plans to buy a Wii and sell it on eBay reasoning that 7/10 kids will have one and the desire to fit in will make spoiled brats demand mummy and daddy file for bankruptcy to get him a Wii . It'll at least be more successful than his previous ventures to sell Tea to China, Kilts to Scotland, and Snow to Siberia.
Rangers51	Comment 4: 2006-11-17 20:19
	With regards to eBay, can we at least be reasonably sure that people are actually bidding on PS3s and not just photos like six years ago?
BDZ	Comment 5: 2006-11-18 14:17
	A guy in Minnesota got 20 PS3s by hiring people he knew to wait in line for $300 each. He plans on making $4000-$7000. Only in America...
Kappa the Imp	Comment 6: 2006-11-18 17:46
	Some of my asian friends are hustling PS3's this weekend. $1500 a pop or so on ebay. Hustling advanced technology. The most asian thing I've ever heard.
Elena1999	Comment 7: 2006-11-18 20:35
	Quote (Barrylocke @ 17th November 2006 13:03) A guy I know took this route. He sold it for $900 before he even bought it, before waiting in line for two days to get one of apperantly 4 PS3's at our local Target. He could have sold it for a lot more than $900. I heard that most of the pre-sale ebay units went for $3000 and after it came out it was up to $4,000. It makes me sick.
Barrylocke	Comment 8: 2006-11-19 06:45
	Indeed Elena, I don't recall anything of the sort happening when the XBox 360 came out (unless my mind's a bit hazy). Is the same thing happening with the Wii?
Del S	Comment 9: 2006-11-19 13:38
	Q. : Is the same thing happening with the Wii? A: If you mean it's being sold by up to four times the original price on eBay despite as of this post only being out for 9 hours or so... Yes. Very Yes. There's one going for THREE THOUSAND. Oh, and A PSWii bundle for nearly five thousand. Q: Did the same thing happen with XBox360? A: Technically, yes. Most of the first consoles made were shipped to Japan, and only about 60,000 of those sold on the first few days leaving a lot of unused consoles. That meant Japan was full of excess consoles as the 500,000 odd units for North America ran out and made their way to eBay. 40,000 units, 10% of the supply, was resold on eBay according to Wikipedia. It's worth noting that the Japanese XBox 360 launch was a complete disaster. By mid-january this year some shops refused to take back 360 consoles and hardware in Japan...
baralai888	Comment 10: 2006-11-20 01:35
	yeah its been crazy. here at school, some dude was on library walk the other day standing around with a ps3 in his arms. when i asked him what he was doing just chillin there, he said he was trying to sell it for 1500. pretty interesting if you ask me. someone bought it from that fool about 10 minz later. prolly wont get one anytime soon, but, eventually i'll give in
Elena1999	Comment 11: 2006-11-20 06:23
	Did anyone besides chou even get one?
Hamedo	Comment 12: 2006-11-20 15:00
	Quote Did anyone ~~besides chou~~ at CoN even get one? There, fixed that for ya. No one I know around here got one. The local WalMart superstore had 8 on opening day, with over 70 waiting for it.
Green Mage	Comment 13: 2006-11-20 17:01
	How come its only americans who would do things like this and start riots and then go and sell them on the internet for really silly prices? I wish the european release was faster
chou	Comment 14: 2006-11-20 17:17
	Quote (Hamedo @ 20th November 2006 15:00) Quote Did anyone ~~besides chou~~ at CoN even get one? There, fixed that for ya. No one I know around here got one. The local WalMart superstore had 8 on opening day, with over 70 waiting for it. oh im sorry are you jealous. i was even nice in the other thread and i checked to see that your final fantasy tactics game would work on the play station 3. you dont need to imply that everyone else is lying just because you didnt get one. besides as a matter of fact mine is a japanese import that my girlfriends family got for me.
Inque	Comment 15: 2006-11-22 03:26
	I want a Play Station 3 a lot! It looks very Fun with new Final Fantasy Games and Metal Gear 4 and graphics which are very Beautiful! I want one very close! If chou does not have one it is OK because I do not think he is having a Play Station 3.
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