PS3 Hits The UK

Mikk · 03-23-2007, 04:55 PM

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PS3 hits UK
By Scott Snowden
23rd March 2007 10:13 GMT

You may have waited patiently at the flagship Virgin Megastore on London's Oxford to collect your pre-ordered PS3, or you may have had to wait just a few hours longer as a result of last minute changes to the launch imposed by local police force and councils, as we reported on Wednesday... but now the wait is over.

Sadly, the state of affairs surrounding the UK launch were slightly different to those in Italy where gamers got their hands on the new console two days before anyone else in Europe as local retailers flipped the finger at the consumer electronics giant's launch target of Thursday at midnight.

However, despite controversy over backwards compatibility many die-hard gamers queued at selected stores around the country last night to collect their sought-after PS3s.

Everyone who bought the console at the Virgin Megastore official launch also received a free 46in HD television - a Sony Bravia no doubt - and a taxi home, which we're sure will more than likely annoy all the gamers who placed their pre-orders at other High Street outlets. In total, the giveaway amounted to Â£250,000 worth of televisons to more than 100 gamers.

"High definition is very important to people," Ray Maguire, head of Sony Computer Entertainment UK said.

"A lot of people have bought flat-panel TVs and they want content to go on it and PlayStation 3 is one of the few places they can get that kind of experience."

The TV giveaway in the UK was a reward for gamers' patience, Maguire said.

Register Hardware visited the Virgin Megastore at about 8pm and found as many journos and PRs present as there were keen console customers. We spoke to 17-year-old Ritatsu Thomas (pictured above), who later became something of a small-scale celebrity as the first person to start queuing, having made camp in the basement floor some 36 hours ago.

To be honest, he seemed more interested in the poker game he was playing with his mates than talking to another member of the press. And who can blame him. When asked if he thought the high price would put off many people from buying the PS3 he said yes, but when the price is inevitably lowered and others see the quality of the games available, the popularity would pick up. At which point he laid down a full house and collected the pot consisting of a Mars bar, some shortbread biscuits and other assorted snacks that had been made available to these very patient members of the public.

The numbers who lined up outside their nearest participating outlet seemed disappointing low around London, with only just over 100 at the Oxford Street launch, shattering the traditional image of an almost-endless line of eager shoppers waiting for the January sales of yesteryear.

Early reports indicate not one high street store actually filled their pre-order lists and so leftover consoles will be available to those who didnâ€™t place an advance deposit.

At the same time rumours circulated that Sony would not import another sizeable shipment of consoles for at least six months, making this a shrinking window of opportunity to pick up a PS3. Whether this is true or not, remains to be seen.

I'd of loved to of gotten a PS3 with a free TV, lucky buggers.

Dmac · 03-23-2007, 05:17 PM

Mikk...take that back or I will disown you. No one and I mean no one should buy a PS3.

Mikk · 03-23-2007, 05:25 PM

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Originally Posted by Dmac
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Mikk...take that back or I will disown you. No one and I mean no one should buy a PS3.

Don't worry, i won't buy one.

However should someone offer me a 46 inch HDTV too then i might have to consider it
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Mr. Kennedy · 03-23-2007, 05:58 PM

This is why Sony is in financial trouble. They are losing hundreds of dollars with every system sold (although that isn't a lot of systems considering they are in third place), and now giving away 100 HDTV's. Oh well, Sony is desperate because their 10 year reign as console leader is over and they are falling farther and farther behind.

Maybe I should post the Australian PS3 launch story, where in the official launch store the first person didn't line up until 9PM (with a midnight launch) and a radio station had to fake a crowd noise to make it seem bigger.

Crocker · 03-23-2007, 06:13 PM

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Originally Posted by Mr. Kennedy
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Maybe I should post the Australian PS3 launch story, where in the official launch store the first person didn't line up until 9PM (with a midnight launch) and a radio station had to fake a crowd noise to make it seem bigger.

Only very sad people would line up any longer, if you have it on pre-order im sure you can wait untill morning

Mikk · 03-23-2007, 06:16 PM

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Originally Posted by Crocker
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Only very sad people would line up any longer, if you have it on pre-order im sure you can wait untill morning

I know i don't pre-order anything anymore as i know i'm more than likely able to get my hands on it straight away and if the games shops don't have it in, the supermarkets normally do.

Crocker · 03-23-2007, 06:20 PM

What Im saying is if people do pre-orde it why do they line up hours(some people days) before it comes out, you can still get it at 9am as they arent allowed to sell your machine

Mikk · 03-23-2007, 06:25 PM

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Originally Posted by Crocker
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What Im saying is if people do pre-orde it why do they line up hours(some people days) before it comes out, you can still get it at 9am as they arent allowed to sell your machine

Ahh i see and yes i agree.

Its pointless waiting outside a store for something that you have pre-ordered and if they do make a gaff and sell whatever it is you've ordered, kick up a big enough stink and you could get something off
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I know it happened to me once.

Mr. Kennedy · 03-23-2007, 07:38 PM

Crocker, there are people who waited in line for months just to watch Star Wars movies first, and people waited in lines over a week here.

This wasn't just any ordinary store that didn't get any people waiting until 3 hours before launch, this was the store Sony picked to be their flagship launch store in Australia. The TV crew there had to tell the people to act excited.

Most of the people who buy systems at launch want it because they want it as soon as it is available.

Mikk · 03-23-2007, 07:53 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Mr. Kennedy
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Crocker, there are people who waited in line for months just to watch Star Wars movies first, and people waited in lines over a week here.

This wasn't just any ordinary store that didn't get any people waiting until 3 hours before launch, this was the store Sony picked to be their flagship launch store in Australia. The TV crew there had to tell the people to act excited.

Most of the people who buy systems at launch want it because they want it as soon as it is available.

Waiting for a game and waiting for a film are 2 different things entirely.

Unless you have some way to get hold of the film there isn't a whole lot else you can do than wait in line to see that movie especially if you are that big a nut.

PS3 Hits The UK

This is a discussion on PS3 Hits The UK within the Video Games & Electronics forums, part of the Non Wrestling Forums category; PS3 hits UK By Scott Snowden 23rd March 2007 10:13 GMT You may have waited patiently at the flagship Virgin ...