US PS3 Launch

[London Geezer]

I´m not the computer connected to the TV type

I tried to get a HD-DVD standalone player home from USA, but no luck.. yet..

No no, read carefully:

[you] Get a 360 HDDVD player, use it with my PC.

As in, you buy it, send it, and i can use it!!

It makes me think you're either a viral marketer or someone that is brainwashed. I don't take responses like that seriously.

Heh, one could say the same thing about how you try to market the 360 on these boards. Why ask Arwin "why not get a 360 instead" and be so insistent about it, in a "viral marketer" way?
Really, takes one to know one.
If he says that 360 doesn't interst him, and PS3 does, he has his reasons. Why should you be so insistent and defensive towards the toy we all know you love and kiss before going to bed every night?

Don't accuse people of being "viral marketers" or "brainwashed" when you're no better yourself. Heck, and you're supposed to be a professional too! You're one of... no, THE most biased "professional" on these boards.

 

[-tkf-]

Thread pollution, sorry

 

[Geo]

I work at a Walmart in the Electronics Dept. The weekly ad said minumun of 10 ps3's per store, but now we're expecting 2. We'll give rainchecks for the next 8 people and reserve the systems for them as they come in.

The official info, sent from corporate hq, is that we should be able to fill all 10 orders within 3 weeks.

Ouuuuch. That doesn't look good. Nobody (vendors/suppliers, that is) fucks over Walmart unless they just can't help it. If they were advertising 10/store recently, then that must have been what they'd been told to expect. The last thing I heard was that Japan launch was down 20% on expected launch volume (80k vs 100k). Have we heard anyhing more about NA launch numbers?

 

[Qroach]

Heh, one could say the same thing about how you try to market the 360 on these boards. Why ask Arwin "why not get a 360 instead" and be so insistent about it, in a "viral marketer" way?
Really, takes one to know one.

What? Excuse me, but I DON"T market the 360 on these boards. When have you ever seen me tell anyone "I think you should get a 360 for X Y AND Z reasons"? That's right never.

If he says that 360 doesn't interst him, and PS3 does, he has his reasons. Why should you be so insistent and defensive towards the toy we all know you love and kiss before going to bed every night?

For one he didn't say 360 didn't interest him. those are your words not his, and second who is being insistent or defensive? I really don't see why "you" feel the need to be so defensive when i asked someone a honest question? Why not let him formulate his own answer instead of jumping in to defend him. Arwin is fully capable of providing reason to back up his opinion and I'm sure he didn't ask for you to respond for him... To be honest your reply is both offensive and unwelcome to my post.

Don't accuse people of being "viral marketers" or "brainwashed" when you're no better yourself. Heck, and you're supposed to be a professional too! You're one of... no, THE most biased "professional" on these boards.

I don't use market words when I talk about something I'm interested in or happen to like. If you like to go and use buzzwords go right ahead, but I don't take people seriously like that. London boy, you've gone really over board with your response here, way overboard. That wasn't needed at all.

Arwin,
Sorry about that but I knew certain fans could get out of hand if they felt my question is threatening in some way. Now besides the marketing speak and london boy good will thrown my way, what's your honest answer to my question? Or do you agree with my point about waiting on the PS3 for the same reasons? that's currently what I'm doing. I won't get a PS3 until Heavenly sword is out. it's the only reason I'd buy one at this point.

 

[Geo]

Okay, that's enough of this. Move along, move along. . .

And "reasons why" is soooo off-topic anyway. Take a look at the thread title, gents. At any rate, any more of this and Hupf is going to go medieval on yo asses. I'm holding him back as it is. His slavering maw hungers, can't you feel it?

 

[London Geezer]

Well, sorry qroach if i somehow offended you.

To stay on topic about launches...

I have been thinking about this for a while and would like to know people's opinions...

What do you think of a possible "online launch" for future consoles? Obviously a direct distribution approach like this would have both advantages (no middle man to pay, no potential shipment issues etc) and disadvantages (logistics, cost), but would you guys actually prefer it to these silly "camping outside the shop" kind of launches?

Would you not rather get your Xbox720 or PS4 directly at home when it's done? As long as i have the guarantee that it comes all in one piece, i'd personally love this idea, and not just because it's MY idea!

 

[rounin]

I don't think online launches are going to be as good press material though. For instance, tomorrow morning, people across N.America will see newspapers with pictures of hundreds of people waiting in line, camping, etc. The PR is just too good.

Now imagine an online launch...

 

[London Geezer]

I don't think online launches are going to be as good press material though. For instance, tomorrow morning, people across N.America will see newspapers with pictures of hundreds of people waiting in line, camping, etc. The PR is just too good.

Now imagine an online launch...

Oh absolutely, that's why i said that both systems have advantages and disadvantages.

Still, i think the promotion side of things could be adjusted so that PR doesn't suffer...

That, or have a half-online and half-old-style launch

 

[Rolf N]

So in a little under nine hours the internets are going to explode. All of them, and all at the same time! Good thing I wasn't idle today. I'm sitting on top a pyramid made from cans of baked beans with a blanket and a roll of toilet paper. IOW I'm well prepared to watch the detonation from afar (keyword: Europe).

Heat levels have already been considerable in the recent past. I must say I'm looking forward to the normality that will probably creep back in in a couple of weeks.

 

[Powderkeg]

Would you not rather get your Xbox720 or PS4 directly at home when it's done? As long as i have the guarantee that it comes all in one piece, i'd personally love this idea, and not just because it's MY idea!

With the way delivery services run in my little town, I would much rather go to a store. I do the preorder, not camping out so I don't wait in any huge lines, and I get my systems home and start playing shortly after midnight. I then have the entire day to do whatever I need to do.

If I had to wait for UPS or some other service I wouldn't see the system until late the next day, and I would be forced to take a day off work to make sure I received it.

 

[ZoinKs!]

Ouuuuch. That doesn't look good. Nobody (vendors/suppliers, that is) fucks over Walmart unless they just can't help it. If they were advertising 10/store recently, then that must have been what they'd been told to expect

One thing to keep in mind is the store I'm at is relatively small in a small, rural Minnesota market. I suspect they stripped away some of our units in preference for larger stores in larger markets. Still, been told we can expect to get "a few per week" is not a good sign.

The last thing I heard was that Japan launch was down 20% on expected launch volume (80k vs 100k). Have we heard anyhing more about NA launch numbers?

Japan had 88,000 sold over the weekend. The rumor on all the forums is that NA launch has been cut to ~200,000 because Sony has decided to divert some of the NA units back to Japan to help speed up the resupply over there.

I'm going off to work now... hope we don't have any riots.

 

[London Geezer]

Japan had 88,000 sold over the weekend. The rumor on all the forums is that NA launch has been cut to ~200,000 because Sony has decided to divert some of the NA units back to Japan to help speed up the resupply over there.

... It's a bit like... uhm... like... ok i'm brain dead now, it's half past midnight and i can't find an analogy...

My question is, Are Sony making any PS3s now? for the future...? Cause it doesn't feel like it.

Every week the thought of having 2M consoles ready for European launch gets less and less... uhm... wow i'm really breain dead, i can't find a word for that...

I better head off to bed.

 

[ZoinKs!]

My question is, Are Sony making any PS3s now? for the future...?

The ps3 is the console of the future... and it always will be.

Ok, i'm going now for real.

 

[rounin]

My friend told me some people got shot at in a drive by shooting while in line for the PS3...

 

[RancidLunchmeat]

My friend told me some people got shot at in a drive by shooting while in line for the PS3...

... In Kentucky.

With a BB gun.

 

[liolio]

... It's a bit like... uhm... like... ok i'm brain dead now, it's half past midnight and i can't find an analogy...

My question is, Are Sony making any PS3s now? for the future...? Cause it doesn't feel like it.

Every week the thought of having 2M consoles ready for European launch gets less and less... uhm... wow i'm really breain dead, i can't find a word for that...

I better head off to bed.

London boy you are really fun, I've really made me laught out loud

 

[one]

The footage is certainly 'dramatic'

Sony stages 'dramatic' PS3 'delivery'
http://www.gamespot.com/news/6161941.html?tag=latestnews;title;0

 

[crazygambit]

Loooong time lurker here, but this just made me sing up.

Well, sorry qroach if i somehow offended you.

What do you think of a possible "online launch" for future consoles? Obviously a direct distribution approach like this would have both advantages (no middle man to pay, no potential shipment issues etc) and disadvantages (logistics, cost), but would you guys actually prefer it to these silly "camping outside the shop" kind of launches?

Would you not rather get your Xbox720 or PS4 directly at home when it's done? As long as i have the guarantee that it comes all in one piece, i'd personally love this idea, and not just because it's MY idea!

I think it's a good idea, but what you really want is to cut on scalpers while at the same time getting the nice PR rewards of people lining up. What they (the company launching the console) should do is have a portion of the consoles for online sale at market prices (aka ebay prices). The rest should be sold in stores normaly for MSRP. With this the real fans will be making the lines instead of homeless people as the scalpers will find it high to justify the risk, since people that can't be bothered to line up will just buy it online from the manufacturer. This has all the advantages since the manufacturer can even sell those first consoles online for a profit, they cut down on the scalping, they keep the harcore gamer on a budget happy by offering a cheaper alternative, get the nice PR from people lining up (that actually want to play and BUY games) and no disadvantages whatsoever.

So yeah l-b your idea was good, but mine's excellent. Feel free to praise me

 

[Sonic]

I had a friend who mentioned all the people waiting in line to get their PS3's today. It must have been crazy at the Metreon. And to think, I was only two blocks away around 1 PM. Wish I coulda grabbed some pictures of it, maybe next console launch. Haha.

 

[ZoinKs!]

Status Report

The launch went smoothly at our store and we even had more ps3's then expected. We had 2 60 gig and 2 20 gigs. The only other place in town with any was Target, which had 2 60s and 4 20s. So 10 units for >12k population. A person passing through said the Fargo-Moorhead area, with a population of ~150,000, only got 100 ps3's.

Rather then deal with campers all day and night, we did a lottery. We handed out tickets and drew for chances to buy the 4 ps3's. After that, we drew for 8 rainchecks for 60 gig models... we did that because we'd advertised for 10 60 gig units. The ps3's will be set aside and reserved for the 8 people as they come in.

Our game tie-in ratio was 0.5 and that's only because a woman bought Resistance and Madden 07 for her nephew.

This lottery system was definately the right way to do it, at least for our location. Unlike Target, we didn't have any fist fights (reportedly, a man punched a woman in the face... and he was far enough up in line to get a ps3 before the police dragged him off to jail. So much for "Minnesota Nice"), our restrooms weren't trashed by campers, and I got at least some normal work done during the evening.

I'm interested in hearing any other first hand reports of how the launch went, whether you're a buyer, camper, retail zombie, or whatever.