Well, I can tell you this. I got my 360 at a Walmart in Rockport, TX shortly after launch. It wasn't the first wave, but it was right thereafter, still in the time period where at any major city you'd have to get super lucky to get one... I imagine that even in the small towns, though, you'll be hard-pressed to just show up the day of launch and expect one.
I want one but I don't have a week of my life to give up just to get a hold of one, that's just stupid
Yeah, it isn't one of the prettiest next-gen games (see GOW for that), although it does things that aren't even close to being possible on current-gen systems. IMO, the screens don't really do the game justice (as with a lot of next-gen games actually): <object width="425" height="350"><param name="movie" value="http://www.youtube.com/v/Oy5sDN7yzt4"></param><param name="wmode" value="transparent"></param><embed src="http://www.youtube.com/v/Oy5sDN7yzt4" type="application/x-shockwave-flash" wmode="transparent" width="425" height="350"></embed></object> Regarding the people lining up at Best Buy, I hope they just got the dates wrong or something. Maybe they thought we were getting it on the 11th, or maybe they thought the PS3 commercial said 11/7 instead of 11/17 (// /7 may look like 11/7?). I think some stores hand out tickets prior to launch day, so maybe that's an explanation too. I just don't want to think that those guys are really going to wait there for 10 days...that's insane.
The System Software User's Guide for the PS3 has been put online: http://manuals.playstation.net/document/en/ps3/current/index.html Some notable excerpts: I see you can't upload anything but pictures, but it looks like you can download music, videos, and other files to the PS3 via the Internet Browser...I think. That's interesting. Of course, I suppose it would have been possible to do this (and more) via Linux or something. If you guys find something else interesting, please make note of it as well. I just kind of skimmed through some of the options, plus I might have skipped over things I thought everyone knew but might not know. Some pics:
I saw an interview with a few of those morons and most of them said they were just going to resell on line
When I went into the local EB Games to pick up Gears of War, I asked them if they knew yet how many systems they were getting. They said, "8 or maybe less". I replied with "maybe more?", they repeated, "no maybe less, if you dont have a reserve I wouldnt bother showing up." Another mutual friend that is a manager at game stop told me that Sony will not inform them how many units they are getting until they actually get the delivery. I thought they underestimated the amount of units they were supposed to receive on purpose.
I read somewhere that the big chains would be getting most of the systems, leaving the smaller stores to get screwed. Best Buy, CostCo, maybe Fry's are your best bet.
<object width="425" height="350"><param name="movie" value="http://www.youtube.com/v/Wsmtfg9uWtY"></param><param name="wmode" value="transparent"></param><embed src="http://www.youtube.com/v/Wsmtfg9uWtY" type="application/x-shockwave-flash" wmode="transparent" width="425" height="350"></embed></object> <object width="425" height="350"><param name="movie" value="http://www.youtube.com/v/bzc1QaxssYo"></param><param name="wmode" value="transparent"></param><embed src="http://www.youtube.com/v/bzc1QaxssYo" type="application/x-shockwave-flash" wmode="transparent" width="425" height="350"></embed></object> Wow....
^ I just read this...crazy... PS3 Gamers line up for PlayStation 3 Clickable guide to the PS3 A voyage around the hardware A fan's view of the PS3 The console in action Large queues are forming outside Japanese electronics stores as gamers vie to be the first to get their hands on a PlayStation 3. The console officially went on sale on 11 November but reports suggest few stores opened at midnight to let fans get the long-awaited gadget. Instead stores are organising lotteries to decide who in the queue gets a PS3. Many gamers could go home disappointed as Sony has only made 100,000 machines available on launch day. Line dance Outside one store in the Shinjuku district of Tokyo more than 1,000 people are braving the cold for their chance to buy a PlayStation 3. The store, and many other electronics outlets in the capital, are expected to open their doors at 7AM local time (2100 GMT). Student Xu Minrui began queuing at 1800 local time on Friday (0900 GMT) and his early start meant he secured the first place. "I love the PlayStation," he said. "It's a bit expensive but I'm going to buy it anyway. The games are the best." Bloggers are keeping an eye on the queues Bloggers have also been cataloguing the growing numbers of people standing outside stores waiting for a chance to get a PS3. Brian Ashcraft for game blog Kotaku toured electronics stores in Tokyo to report on numbers and described what he saw as "organized chaos". He said many of those in the queue outside the Yodobashi Camera store who got a ticket that reserved them a console have been taking pictures with their phones and posting them online. "They're good as gold," he wrote. "When Yodobashi Camera hands you one of those, they've all but handed you the console." The BBC News website has also received e-mail messages from those in the queue outside stores. Game gear The PlayStation 3 (PS3) is being sold in two configurations. The most 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. PS3 demonstrations have drawn crowds in Tokyo 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. News agencies reported that Japanese PlayStation fans were already starting to queue outside electronics stores to try to be the first to get hold of one of the new consoles. "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."
If the Nintendo DS has taught us anything, it is that the Japanese know how to line up for their videogames. With less than 100,000 units even available, it won't be pretty.
I'd recommend checking out the new info at IGN that Ziggy pointed out earlier. There are some things that are pretty important (IMO) that they clarify. Some excepts (no links, just surf IGN or trust me): That's good I guess. I read something else about some PS1/PS2 games that wouldn't work properly on the PS3. Not a surprise that BC isn't 100% (like the PS2), but some of the games were surprising IIRC (Xenosaga 2, Valkyrie Profile 1 and 2, FFXI, etc). I'll try to post that list later. Sony better get working on this. Not really related to the launch, but some of the big Q1 2007 games have been dated: IGN has some screens and videos too. Also, some members at NeoGAF have the system and have posted some impressions. From NeoGAG member DCharlie: Didn't post everything from him, although the rest of his posts were mostly about how RR7 is basically RR6 with 6 new tracks...which is really disappointing, especially if you've played RR6 on 360 From ddk_ps3 When asked about Resistance... Resistance apparently sold out, at least at one store. Also, it seems like Sony only shipped half of what Japan was supposed to receive on launch day. Great.
Here's a list of some notable games with BC issues (thanks to Mefisutoferesu at NeoGAF) : List of how some notable games play (thanks to Mefisutoferesu again): The firmware update mentioned earlier has some BC fixes, so I don't know if that affects things.
