NSR: PS3 Camp-out?

[Lurch]

I've noticed that as well. Given the absence of marquee titles currently, etc. I'm curious the demand - even if there are "only" 150-200,000 being released initially, I'm curious to see how quickly the price drops.

Same here. I'm getting a Wii Saturday night and waiting to see how the PS3 pans out. My new 40" Sony Bravia XBR 2 would go real nice with a PS3 but what's the point if game developers decide to ignore the PS3 and Blue Ray looses the format war.

[rip]

Looks like I dropped the ball on this one. Everywhere in SLC is either reserved systems already, or there are more people in line than number of PS3s. Called nearly everywhere in town, and up to brigham city, provo...not looking good. Walmarts are getting like 4 each, circuit city 6, best buy 25, ebgames are all reserved, kmart aint got shit. Everywhere I called people had been there since last night or early this morning.


FUCK!

[skier666]

Steve Clyde (L) and T.J. Reagan play a guitar game on a Playstation 2 as they wait in line for the U.S. release of the Sony Playstation 3 game console outside a Best Buy electronics store in Westminster, Colorado November 15, 2006.



Robert Denzer (L) crawls out of his tent in his bathrobe with a cup of coffee as he waits in line with friend Josh Staab R) for the U.S. release of the Sony Playstation 3 game console outside a Best Buy electronics store in Westminster, Colorado.



Los Angeles...



Watertown, Mass



Metreon, SF

[BLOOD SWEAT STEEL]

Effing nuts man. Nuts.

[ljm]

I drove by the BestBuy in Bend around noon, and there were prolly 25-30 people already camped out. I wonder how many of those people are putting theirs directly on ebay tomorrow.

Craaazy.

[Alek]

Check it out:

Sold for 2700$ on Ebay!

And they are not even sold in stores yet!

[iskibc]

Went over to the Walmart near my work this afternoon and there were 20 or so people in line. 19 out of those 20 people were homeless folk getting paid to stand there, prolly by some rich business exec.

Crazy.

[doublediamond223]

Update:

We got shafted at Best Buy. The manager came outside and said that they had 26 in stock, and that we should start a list of everyone there. When the list got to us, we were #27 and 28. FUCK!

It isn't over yet though, Sam's club is getting 2 60gb ps3s, but they don't allow people to line up until 8:30 tonight. Me and my friend split the 40 dollar membership fee as a gamble to make much more. Basically, the manager is going to walk outside at 8:30 with a sign for the line, and whoever runs from their cars to him fastest wins. It's going to be insane, but it's worth a shot.

[MarsB]

You guys are out of control. eff that.

[SIIHP]

but what's the point if game developers decide to ignore the PS3 and Blue Ray looses the format war.

There isn't a chance in hell developers will ignore it. They know the PS3 will sell millions upon millions. They know that Sony is the juggernaut MS would love to be. Until Sony screws up huge and loses a huge customer base, developers have to make games for it. Why? History. 111+ million PS2's sold to MS's 25 million Xbox's. Gotta go where the money is. In the videogame business, MS is Linux.

Sad part is Sony can basically force whatever format they want at this point.

[BLOOD SWEAT STEEL]

LMAO at everyone with dollar signs in their eyes. The people who have them in their hands now are the ones going to get paid. There are gonna be a lot of tired, disappointed folks out there tomorrow morning when they rush home to ebay the PS3 they just waited two days for, only to find that there are 150,000 others listed alongside them.

Not that it's not a fun thing to camp out, get drunk, and "experience" the whole trip, I'm just sayin' - don't plan on it paying the mortgage for you. My totally random, uneducated, narrow-minded guess is $300 profit, tops.

[cj001f]

I'm just sayin' - don't plan on it paying the mortgage for you. My totally random, uneducated, narrow-minded guess is $300 profit, tops.

That's what I'm thinking. I'm geek enough to try and collect data of the relative supply of them on eBay vs. selling price vs auction closing time. Hmmmmmm

[Franz Klammer]

That's what I'm thinking. I'm geek enough to try and collect data of the relative supply of them on eBay vs. selling price vs auction closing time. Hmmmmmm

I'd be really interested in that data. That would be an excellent research topic estimating the implied discount rate (which is going to be huge!). I'll PM you.

EDIT: actually I think one of our graduate students is doing exactly that ...

[skier666]

Mission departs to secret stash in 45 mins...will bring camera, may even hit the video button. Let's just say I'm bringing running shoes

[doublediamond223]

Mission departs to secret stash in 45 mins...will bring camera, may even hit the video button. Let's just say I'm bringing running shoes

Please do take video, I'm at my wit's end, curious to see how you guys do it.

Speaking of running shoes, about 30 people showed up at the Sam's that was getting 2 PS3's. The manager told us he was going to come out, lock the doors, and put the sign in a random place. Everyone was required to keep back a certain distance from the doors, so it was a sprinting race. Whoever would be the first 2 directly in front of the sign would get it. I was 4th in line, screwed again.

I have one more angle, but it doesn't look very probable. For the same reasons as 666, I'll discuss after the fact.

[doublediamond223]

Oh, and this is why you block bidders with 0 or negative feedback
http://cgi.ebay.com/ws/eBayISAPI.dll...8895&rd=1&rd=1

This happened on several auctions, aliases bidded them up to 10 grand or more. It's as simple as clicking a box in turbo lister to prevent that.

[DisArray]

360 FTW!!!

[freeskisquaw]

Crazyness ensued tonight, none of us got one. TR coming tomorrow from 666

[mc_roon]

what a night...cant wait to see that TR

[MrDirt]

Sweet lord. I just got home. 60 gig PS3 in hand. Phew.

[BushwackerinPA]

Sweet lord. I just got home. 60 gig PS3 in hand. Phew.

sweet you can sell it and buy tons of skis now!

[Son1cdeth]

Looking like most auctions are going for 2 - 3k. Saw one up to 11k, but I'm sure it's bogus.

Crazy stories http://www.engadget.com/2006/11/16/ps3-crime-spree/

[SLAYER]

Classic! Check this one out http://cgi.ebay.com/SONY-PLAYSTATION...QQcmdZViewItem

[Lurch]

There isn't a chance in hell developers will ignore it. They know the PS3 will sell millions upon millions. They know that Sony is the juggernaut MS would love to be. Until Sony screws up huge and loses a huge customer base, developers have to make games for it. Why? History. 111+ million PS2's sold to MS's 25 million Xbox's. Gotta go where the money is. In the videogame business, MS is Linux.

Sad part is Sony can basically force whatever format they want at this point.

They have been screwing the pooch on this one left and right. Developers are starting to ignore it. Several projects that were scheduled for the PS3 have been canceled to date in favor of developing for the Wii and Xbox 360.

Look how fast Nintendo went from the top to the bottom with the N64. It can and does happen.

[MarsB]

There are gonna be a lot of tired, disappointed folks out there tomorrow morning when they rush home to ebay the PS3 they just waited two days for, only to find that there are 150,000 others listed alongside them.

Do not underestimate the power of American consumerism, especially during the Christmas season.

This has been demonstrated time and time again, from Cabbage Patch kids and Tickle Me Elmo to the first XBox. The advent of ebay has just added fuel to the fire and a means to directly tap into consumer frenzy.

All of you that got one, congratulations. You can't lose, really. Play it wisely, and you will turn a tidy profit. I would wait until December to list it, when initial ebay supply has dwindled and buyers are in a blind panic to buy. As long as you can overnight ship before Dec 24th, you are golden.