PS3 sold out

Bounty · Post by **Bounty** » 2006-11-11 07:43am

Electronics stores in Japan have sold out of PlayStation 3 consoles after thousands of gamers queued for hours in the cold to buy them.

Large queues meant some shoppers were turned away even before stores opened at 0700 local time (2100 GMT).

The console officially went on sale on 11 November but Sony only made 100,000 machines available on launch day.

Instead of opening at midnight, stores organised lotteries to decide who in the queue would get a long-awaited PS3.

Line dance

Outside Bic Camera's flagship Tokyo store more than 1,000 people queued for their chance to buy a PlayStation 3.

Shop attendants with microphones warned impatient customers that sales would end if there were any injuries.

"Standing in line today is the only way to make sure I got one," said Takayuki Sato, 30.

Tomoaki Nakamura, 41, said: "I've been waiting for this day to come for so long. I'll play it all through the weekend. No time for meals,"

The head of Sony's game unit head, Ken Kutaragi, known as "the father of the PlayStation", expressed his gratitude to those who had waited.

"I hope you will enjoy the next-generation entertainment to your heart's content," he said.

The company said it would be a few days before they knew whether all retailers had sold out of all their PS3 consoles.

Earlier, bloggers catalogued the numbers of people waiting outside stores.

Brian Ashcraft who toured electronics stores in Tokyo for game blog Kotaku described the scene as "organised chaos".

The BBC News website also received e-mail messages from those queuing outside stores.

Game gear

The PlayStation 3 (PS3) is being sold in two configurations. The more expensive version has a 60GB hard drive and wi-fi on board and costs, in Japan, 60,000 yen (£270). The cheaper version has a 20GB hard drive, lacks the wi-fi and will cost 49,980 yen (£222). European prices are expected to be higher than direct comparisons suggest.

Both versions include a wireless controller, a Blu-ray high-definition DVD drive and a port so they can work with a high-definition display. Buying a PS3 also gives owners free access to the online PlayStation Network where they can meet and take on other gamers.

Sony expects five games to be available at launch including Ridge Racer 7, Mobile Suit Gundam: Target in Sight, Genji, and Resistance: Fall of Man.

Like other next-generation consoles the PS3 offers gamers much more detailed graphics than ever before. The IBM-developed Cell chip inside the console uses seven separate processing cores which can be used to make the physics in game worlds more realistic and allow computer-controlled enemies to behave with great sophistication.

"The image quality is so superb you'd almost think it's a real movie," gamer Hisafumi Funato said after trying it out at a demonstration event in downtown Tokyo. "I want one, especially if I don't have to stand in a long line."

Cost crunch

The PlayStation 3 was originally supposed to go on sale in early 2006 but production problems and shortages of key components forced a delay. The European launch of the console has been pushed back to March 2007.

This has also meant that there are only 100,000 consoles for gamers in Japan. Sony said 400,000 will be available for the US launch on 17 November. Despite the shortages, Sony said it was confident of shipping six million PS3s by the end of March 2007.

Although Sony has dominated home console gaming since the launch of the first PlayStation in 1994 its lead is under greater threat than ever before. Arch-rival Microsoft released its Xbox 360 console in November 2005. By the end of 2006 Microsoft hopes to have sold about 10 million Xbox 360s.

Also due to launch in November is Nintendo's Wii console which is far cheaper than the PlayStation 3 or the Xbox 360. It goes on sale in the US on 19 November.

Analysts expect Sony to lose money on every console sold for some time to come.

"For all you know, it may take Sony five years to get back the money it's invested in PS3," said Mitsuhiro Osawa, analyst for Mizuho Investors Securities, "even 10 years if it doesn't watch out."

Arthur_Tuxedo · Post by **Arthur_Tuxedo** » 2006-11-11 11:38am

I predicted no shortage of the PS3 because not enough people would want one at that price, but that was with 2 million units, not a measly 100,000. But it's just as well for them. News of shortages is good for business. Seeing units languishing on the shelves is decidedly not. With only 400,000 units available in the US, there will probably be a shortage here, too.

Ace Pace · Post by **Ace Pace** » 2006-11-11 11:42am

Arthur_Tuxedo wrote:I predicted no shortage of the PS3 because not enough people would want one at that price, but that was with 2 million units, not a measly 100,000. But it's just as well for them. News of shortages is good for business. Seeing units languishing on the shelves is decidedly not. With only 400,000 units available in the US, there will probably be a shortage here, too.

Sums it up.

Praxis · Post by **Praxis** » 2006-11-11 11:54am

Arthur_Tuxedo wrote:I predicted no shortage of the PS3 because not enough people would want one at that price, but that was with 2 million units, not a measly 100,000. But it's just as well for them. News of shortages is good for business. Seeing units languishing on the shelves is decidedly not. With only 400,000 units available in the US, there will probably be a shortage here, too.

There will be a shortage; that's almost the same numbers as the XBox 360 shipped in the U.S....

CDiehl · Post by **CDiehl** » 2006-11-11 11:56am

I love how a 41-year-old plans to play this thing all weekend without stopping to eat. I sure hope the PS3 has a vagina attached, because that's the only way that schmuck's getting any. We need to invent the Holodeck, so idiots like this can be totally taken out of the race.

Adrian Laguna · Post by **Adrian Laguna** » 2006-11-11 07:27pm

This kid in my Physics class is planning on buying 4 PS3. One for himself, three to sell on E-bay once the shortage causes the price to rise.

Admiral Valdemar · Post by **Admiral Valdemar** » 2006-11-11 07:34pm

Adrian Laguna wrote:This kid in my Physics class is planning on buying 4 PS3. One for himself, three to sell on E-bay once the shortage causes the price to rise.

Smart kid, assuming schmucks will pay his prices.

salm · Post by **salm** » 2006-11-11 07:35pm

I´m planning to get a couple as soon as the price drops to maybe 300 or 400 and somebody has figured out how to use these things as a renderfarm.

Uraniun235 · Post by **Uraniun235** » 2006-11-11 07:36pm

CDiehl wrote:I love how a 41-year-old plans to play this thing all weekend without stopping to eat. I sure hope the PS3 has a vagina attached, because that's the only way that schmuck's getting any. We need to invent the Holodeck, so idiots like this can be totally taken out of the race.

maybe we ought to issue hunting licenses

Losonti Tokash · Post by **Losonti Tokash** » 2006-11-12 08:14am

Admiral Valdemar wrote:
Adrian Laguna wrote:This kid in my Physics class is planning on buying 4 PS3. One for himself, three to sell on E-bay once the shortage causes the price to rise.
Smart kid, assuming schmucks will pay his prices.

Probably a safe bet after we saw 360s going for over $1,000 on eBay.

Bounty · Post by **Bounty** » 2006-11-12 08:39am

Losonti Tokash wrote:
Admiral Valdemar wrote:
Adrian Laguna wrote:This kid in my Physics class is planning on buying 4 PS3. One for himself, three to sell on E-bay once the shortage causes the price to rise.
Smart kid, assuming schmucks will pay his prices.
Probably a safe bet after we saw 360s going for over $1,000 on eBay.

$2550.

Losonti Tokash · Post by **Losonti Tokash** » 2006-11-12 09:19am

Bounty wrote:$2550.

Well, damn. That was just a bit faster than I'd expected. Of course, for that kind of money someone could buy the most awesome computer ever made and instantly have access to a library of thousands of games, but...TEH PLAISTASHUN!!!11

Archaic` · Post by **Archaic`** » 2006-11-12 05:07pm

Well, they've certainly captured the Chinese National and Homeless demographics in Japan thusfar...

The PS3 launch a cakewalk? Far from it. We don't usually let readers take the reins (fearing y'all would rub us out of a job), but Tokyo-based reader Dirk Benedict sent us this doozy of an email, complete with first hand reporting, a pic and video. His observations struck a cord with me: Things that I saw at launch, which at the time seemed small, but in hindsight, really, weren't. Hit the jump for video of the PS3 chaos and Dirk's email in full:

At the worldwide sales debut of PlayStation 3, Sony's newest console attracted dozens of media outlets and thousands of people willing to camp outside overnight for a chance to score the 60,000 yen game system.

Minutes before the clock struck 7:00 A.M. and Sony's new PlayStation 3 console would officially go on sale, a company representative addressed the crowd of media and the new face of early bird game console buyers - Chinese nationals.

"Everybody, the PlayStation 3 is the door to a new world of interactive entertainment," the spunky Japanese rep trumpeted as SCE CEO Ken Kutaragi joined her on stage.

Unfortunately for her and the rest of the Sony entourage, the men and women standing patiently in the front of the line either didn't understand what she was saying, or didn't care - the first buyers of PS3 were largely elderly Chinese men and young Chinese women with shaky Japanese language skills.

This became readily apparent when Kutaragi welcomed the first official PS3 owner on stage for an on-spot interview. A 26-year-old Chinese man politely stood on stage while the organizers earnestly tried to squeeze some information him.

Questions like "When did you start lining up?" and "What games will you buy?" were left unanswered as the young man shook his head, refusing (or unable) to respond. The Japanese media would later catch up with him, confirming suspicions that the first PS3 buyer didn't understand Japanese. An eyewitness claimed the young man didn't purchase a single game for his brand-new PS3.

This is the true face of the PlayStation 3 debut in Japan. Hardcore gamers are not here waiting in line overnight, buying a first-run PS3, and running home to play some good old next-gen gaming. Rather, opportunistic Japanese businessmen have the largest presence, hiring poor Chinese men and women to wait in line for a PS3, one which will later be sold on web auctions to wealthy gamers around the world for exorbitant amounts of money.

THE LINE

Some waited patiently for the clock to strike 7 A.M., others pushed.

Around the corner of Bic Camera, the line continued on and was partitioned by a television news van. With one hour left of waiting, this became a troublesome spot for Bic Camera employees who tried to calm a crowd of increasingly agitated people, upset over the lack of organization, cramped spaces, and increasing number of people cutting in line. Soon pushing ensued, men began yelling at one another, and some women began crying for help.

Without the presence of Tokyo police officers, the Bic Camera employees were temporarily able to bring order to the line, most armed with their weapon of choice - ear-splitting megaphones.

The levy broke soon afterwards, as a truck attempted to pass through the narrow street, forcing the organizers to push back to the line closer towards the wall. Or in other words, squeezing together a line of people already packed like sardines.

The pressure was too much as the line busted open and more pushing ensued (which broke out in front of the waiting truck), causing those waiting in back to push forward, inching themselves closer to the finish line with a prideful Kutaragi waiting.

One man truly leveled-up - the chaos allowed him to push forward from roughly 200th in place all the way up to 20th in line.

The Tokyo police would eventually arrive just prior to 7 A.M. - fifty minutes after the pushing first took place.

A gruff-looking Bic Camera manager was the first to realize the problem - nobody in line understood the directions his employees were screaming. He quickly grabbed one of his Chinese-speaking employees, put him on top of a ladder, handed him a megaphone, and instructed the young man to address the crowd in Chinese.

CLOCK STRIKES SEVEN

To the relief of everyone, the final countdown took place at 6:59 A.M. as Kutaragi made a quick speech and officially kicked off the retail debut of PlayStation 3.

But what took place at the cash registers moments later would put a big, fat exclamation point on what can only be described as a failure of a hardware launch.

"Thank you for your patience!," welcomed the cashier to the first PS3 buyers. "What game software would you like with your purchase?"

"Hai," the consumer nodded, not understanding the question.

Most cashiers soon figured out that the men and women standing in front of them didn't speak Japanese. Some would then repeat the same question in English, and would all get the say reply, "Only hardware."

Based on my observations of the first twenty PS3s sold at Bic Camera, they were all purchased by Chinese nationals, none of whom bought any software. After making their purchase, television crews asked for interviews but all were declined. These temporary owners of PS3s would then make their way down the street where their bosses waited. After several minutes, a dozen PS3s were rounded up, as their Japanese business manager paid out cash to those who waited in line for them. I witnessed a homeless-looking Chinese man, in his sixties or seventies get paid 20,000 yen for his services and was then sent away.

The sales spree continued back over at the registers, and not everything was running smoothly. One elderly Chinese man, next in line to buy a PS3, was in a state of panic. He explained to a Bic Camera employee that his "friend" has his money, but that he is further back in the line. After further investigation, these poor Chinese are not given the 60,000 yen to purchase the PS3 until minutes before their reach the registers, perhaps out of fear that some will run off with the money. The Bic Camera employee assisted the elderly gentlemen, escorting him back to the cash registered after he received the cash from his good "friend."

The transactions continued, tired-looking Chinese carried away their newly purchased PS3s, and avoided eye contact with journalists asking for interviews. All but one young man - a Chinese exchange student studying in Japan. He was willing to go on camera and was excited to talk about his new purchase.

The television reporter started off with a few questions that the young man didn't understand, so she stuck to simple questions: "Why is PS3 good?"

"It's interesting," the young student said with a grin.

"What game will you play on your PS3?" she asked.

"The tennis game," he replied. Among the four software titles that launched with the PS3 in Japan, there was only one sports title - Sega's golf game. The student was perhaps referring to the recently released "Minna no Tennis" on PlayStation 2. Either way, it was obvious he was no gamer.

The young man would later head over to Yurakucho Station, where he added his purchased PS3 to a collection of consoles bought by his friends, which no doubt will be sold online in an auction later today.

TIME FOR CHANGE

Today I witnessed the most disturbing side of the video game industry in my three decades of game fandom. It's not the Chinese that I'm upset about. Who can blame them? If you're poor and without a good job in Japan, 20,000 yen to wait in line isn't a bad deal. And for ambitious people like the Chinese students I encountered who scored five PS3s, this hardware launch could net them thousands of dollars in profit through online auditioning - that's more money for them to spend on tuition. These are the lucky Chinese kids in Japan, getting an education, and trying to get ahead in life. If these kids are good students, who's to say that they should be playing PS3 instead of using the console to afford more education?

But this story isn't about the hardships of Chinese in Japan. It's about how poorly run hardware launches are done in Japan and why they should change.

Sixty seconds before Kutaragi kicked off the launch, rain started to fall on hundreds of people in line, many without umbrellas. People were pushed and yelled at by out-of-control campers without the presence of a single police officer (even though a police box was located one block away), and hundreds more are still waiting outside as I write this, with the rain pouring down. Meanwhile, true Japanese gamers are waiting. Based on the record-breaking attendence of this year's Tokyo Game Show, there are tens of thousands of Japanese interested in playing (not selling) PlayStation 3. They are waiting for their chance to play Ridge Racer 7 or Genji II (or maybe not), but still the interest is there. And should they line up again when the next shipments of PS3s come in? Hell no. As evidenced by the ongoing DS Lite storages in Japan, patient Chinese and their crooked Japanese bosses will be there too, waiting.

This is the true story of the PlayStation 3 debut in Japan. This is the kind of expose that Japanese media are prevented to run because of their nationalism and close ties with big business. While it's honorable to not smear their own countrymen (Sony) for their botched launch, the truth must be told.

WHAT NEEDS TO HAPPEN

Sony should be scolded for staging a national launch event with 80,000 units. An extreme lack of supply ignited an extreme surge of demand - that of which poor Chinese and opportunistic Japanese took full advantage of today.

If Sony and major retailers like Bic Camera or Yodobashi Camera are going to participate in launch day festivities like today, police need to be present.

If measures aren't taken to try and curb rampant scalping of hardware through online auctions, then retailers must address their customers - Mandarin-speaking Chinese. Don't bother having your employees shout into megaphones all morning long - nobody understands a word they are saying.

CONCLUSION

As a fellow foreigner studying in Japan, I can tell you the hardships that many of us face everyday. The intent of this story is not to point fingers at hard-working Chinese nationals. Rather, I think this subject needs to be brought to light. This is the truth that no Japanese media wants to touch.

Check the link above for the videos.

Vendetta · Post by **Vendetta** » 2006-11-12 07:52pm

Quite apart from the rest of the bad publicity, selling a lot of consoles at a whacking loss on each and no software is not going to be Sony's ideal launch. Especially with the Wii launch looming.

Molyneux · Post by **Molyneux** » 2006-11-12 08:41pm

Everyone affiliated with Playstation and Sony sold out a long while back, I'd say.

Dahak · Post by **Dahak** » 2006-11-13 03:47am

If I were a gambler, I'd buy one or two PS3s when they hit Europe and try to sell them with a profit...

InnocentBystander · Post by **InnocentBystander** » 2006-11-13 04:37am

So what does just buying one require; waiting in line all night in front of a gamestop?

Bounty · Post by **Bounty** » 2006-11-13 04:53am

Dahak wrote:If I were a gambler, I'd buy one or two PS3s when they hit Europe and try to sell them with a profit...

By the time it launches in Europe all the nutters will have already imported one. You might still make a profit, but don't count on it being a big one.

InnocentBystander wrote:So what does just buying one require; waiting in line all night in front of a gamestop?

That, or eBay. Prepare to bleed money.

Dahak · Post by **Dahak** » 2006-11-13 07:07am

Bounty wrote:
Dahak wrote:If I were a gambler, I'd buy one or two PS3s when they hit Europe and try to sell them with a profit...
By the time it launches in Europe all the nutters will have already imported one. You might still make a profit, but don't count on it being a big one.

Not that I'd be counting on it, but wasn't there some shit going on about Sony trying to stop cross-market-export/imports of their PS3s?

Spanky The Dolphin · Post by **Spanky The Dolphin** » 2006-11-13 07:55am

Bounty wrote:
InnocentBystander wrote:So what does just buying one require; waiting in line all night in front of a gamestop?
That, or eBay. Prepare to bleed money.

If you want a PS3 at this point in time without having a guarenteed pre-order, you might as well just pray for one to drop in your lap...

General Zod · Post by **General Zod** » 2006-11-13 11:03am

Dahak wrote:
Bounty wrote:
Dahak wrote:If I were a gambler, I'd buy one or two PS3s when they hit Europe and try to sell them with a profit...
By the time it launches in Europe all the nutters will have already imported one. You might still make a profit, but don't count on it being a big one.
Not that I'd be counting on it, but wasn't there some shit going on about Sony trying to stop cross-market-export/imports of their PS3s?

Yep. Sony shut down Lik Sang not too long ago, one of the biggest importers for consoles and other goodies to the rest of Europe & Asia.

Archaic` · Post by **Archaic`** » 2006-11-14 09:10pm

The PS3 launch farce continues...

From Joystiq

Some Japanese consumer named Eiji (who we can only assume is a legitimate ninja) somehow managed to scoop up 100 PS3s in both 20GB and 60GB varieties and is reportedly planning to resell them. Forget the fact that he got his hands on more units than most (if not any) other retailer alone received. The point is, this reseller stands to make a lot of cash, most likely in the hundreds of thousands. Expect to see him in Forbes sometime next year.

There's pictures of the 100 PS3's stacked together in this guy's house, so it's a legitimate claim. Rather pathetic that something like this could've been allowed to happen. Even worse that it's probably exactly what Sony wanted to happen.

Post by **weemadando** » 2006-11-15 02:46am

Build the demand by controlling supply. A basic principle. There's no way Sony is going to lose out here. They mightn't become THE dominant console (unlike the previous generations), but they are by no means going to falter and fail with the PS3.

Praxis · Post by **Praxis** » 2006-11-15 03:22am

We'll see what happens post-launch. I'm sure the system will do better than, say, the Dreamcast, but might it take a big loss and also pull a N64 (driving third party developers away enough that by the next generation the next system has abysmal third party support)?

Stark · Post by **Stark** » 2006-11-15 03:25am

I want someone to explain to me where the demand for PS3 is coming from. It's got 5 crap launch titles. I don't know of any game coming out for it that's awesome. It's a million fucking dollars. What's the hook? Why does anyone care? I can see the interest from eBay scalpers, but what's the point of buying a PS3 right now?