Video preview of PlayStation 3 launch in North America
by Kevin Kelly 
{ Nov 11th 2006 at 7:00PM }
AAIIIEEEE! It's PS3-zilla! Seriously, this crowd looks about five seconds away from erupting into a full scale riot. Girls screaming, men grimacing and lots of shoving. It's consumerism gone rampant, fueled by months and months of waiting and possibly nuclear radiation. It will be a mad scene next week when the PS3 hits U.S. shores, are you ready for it? We recommend stocking up on water, food, a blanket and possibly a stun gun to keep the really rabid shoppers away. Do some stamina training this week, either on a treadmill, a stairmaster, or playing some serious Dance Dance Revolution. At least these fancy PS3 boxes have a built-in handle, so your getaway from the store can be that much faster.
Check out the video after the jump. It'll make your palms start to itch, ready to lug one of these back home. Either that, or all the screaming will irritate the crap out of you.
[Thanks, ali]
Reader Comments (Page 1 of 1)
Eric Von Shpeel @ Nov 11th 2006 7:05PM
thats nothing, heres the launch of the Playstation 2 in France. http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=VgZl0zlka08
Xayzer @ Nov 11th 2006 7:20PM
And people said no one would want to buy a Playstation 3 :D
E.Rios @ Nov 11th 2006 7:21PM
Wow..if there was only 80k systems in Japan a bunch of people must have gone home empty handed. I love how the guy at the end almost drops his ps3.
Kyle @ Nov 11th 2006 7:41PM
Eric Von Shpeel, I just watched that France launch footage for the PS2, that's insane! Let's hope that happens again with the PS3 but with more trampelling, haha jk.
penas @ Nov 11th 2006 7:38PM
the ps3 is heavy! any who
if ps3 was chaos, wii will be HELL!
Steve2 @ Nov 11th 2006 7:40PM
You can't buy publicity like that.
I'm sure Sony will apologize in public and all, but in the end, it's exactly what they wanted, what any company would want. A large exhibition of public demand for your product displayed on the evening news.
It's exactly what any company would want.
A hugely successful launch. Now they need to concentrate on making more of them.
Raphael M. @ Nov 11th 2006 7:41PM
Can someone...anyone, please tell me honestly what the PS3 brings to the table (in terms of gaming) that would really make me want to go spend $600 on it.
I have a 360 now and i'll have a wii on sunday and i also own a PS2.I am not a fanboy, i just like games. the 360 gives me great graphics and great gameplay (gears) and the wii gets me just with the fresh aproach to game controls. What does the PS3 do for me for $600? Thanx
OMAC @ Nov 11th 2006 7:44PM
This video is sooooo much more funny when you play a WAV file of Godzilla in the background.
Ritz @ Nov 11th 2006 7:45PM
@5, all I have to add is this:
http://img296.imageshack.us/img296/1133/061012ib2.jpg
NeverSage @ Nov 11th 2006 7:57PM
I could be wrong but I think the guy at the end is bowing and not dropping his PS3...
Raphael, I feel the same way you do. I can't figure it out either. All I can think of is that the PS3 will have Final Fantasy and Metal Gear. I guess it sells just because of the PlayStation name. Anyone else have any ideas?
I'm looking forward to video of the Wii launch, out of curiosity.
ZENegade @ Nov 11th 2006 8:35PM
And the scary thing is, no one caught that it says "are you read" in the text of the blog. that's America for you.
Vince @ Nov 11th 2006 8:34PM
"What does the PS3 do for me for $600? Thanx"
It will do what your 360 and your PS2 has done for you, and maybe a fair bit of what your Wii does. (for a few years)
Is that worth $600?
Maybe not today. Maybe not tomorrow, but soon and for the rest of your life.
Raphael M. @ Nov 11th 2006 8:54PM
Thanx Vince, but if my 360 and Wii do all that then the question remains, what will the PS3 do that is worth spending the extra money? U see when i bought my 360 i had GOW in mind (the game delivered in both graphics and gameplay) with the Wii i just want to make my friends come over and play so we can all look like idiots playing the thing. What does the PS3 have that makes me wanna PLAY the thing.
Burnt Meatloaf @ Nov 11th 2006 8:59PM
The good news is, security didn't have to waste money on tear gas.
Pulse @ Nov 11th 2006 10:46PM
Rapheal, you may not want to spend money on PS3, but other ppl do have reason to, I have no reason to buy a 360, so I could ask the same question to 360 fans, with the ability to play my old games replacing my PS2, have a connection with my PSP, get Wii and 360 capabilities, online gaming, checking my PS3 status harddrive from anywhere, watch my movies put my pics, music and vids up, download games, linux software, browsing, games I love consisting of GTA, MGS4, FF, and a few new ones I have taken interest to, hardrive space etc etc etc etc etc, there is not one reason why I would not need a PS3 over the competition, price even means nothing to me, I'm waiting, I'm not getting at launch, but I'm getting either way, I'd rather wait and get an PS3 then run out and buy a 360 which I know I will get bored of after playing GOW and Halo 3 (the only games that are even worth picking up on 360 that I have interest in) and sell.
I would rather cash in on a Wii, it looks to be more fun then just another Xbox with better gfx and Live....again.
C M @ Nov 11th 2006 11:11PM
Do you think the prices on eBay (average c. 1500 USD) will come down after the launch? Will the supply on eBay become over saturated? I want to buy one but not willing to go on launch or pay the 1500 USD. Perhaps wait until the end of December? Thoughts?
Milesp707 @ Nov 12th 2006 12:05AM
Man. This is working perfectly. So many people are gonna be pissed that they cant get a PS3, so they will want it even MORE. So after the first successful launch, when the second wave of units comes in, they are almost certain to sell out those too.
Cuh-Razy.
Sam @ Nov 12th 2006 12:27AM
Imagine one guy from the line comes to the cashier. *Cashier* That will be 60,000 yen. *guy* What??? I just want this toothbrush...
Figboy @ Nov 12th 2006 1:56AM
i can't tell you why you should get a PS3 Raph, and in all honestly, i feel that if you have a 360, and are getting a Wii, there is no reason whatsoever for you to get one.
i, on the other hand, don't own a 360, nor do i care for the Wii, so getting a PS3 makes a lot more sense to me. and for a few reasons. i'll list them here:
1. i am genuinely interested in the HD experience. i'm sick of my current TV and have been planning on buying another one for a while now. however, once i saw an HDTV up close and personal, my mind was made up on what my new television purchase would be. i *must* own an HDTV. as a movie buff, i'd like to experience my movies in as best of quality as i can.
why choose the PS3 over the 360? Blu Ray. despite Sony's past endevours (ie, Betamax and UMD), Blu Ray has the support of 7 of the 8 major motion picture studios, *and* the porn industry (who supported VHS during the VHS/Betamax war, leading to VHS' victory). the 360 can display 1080p picture, and has an HD DVD drive, but HD DVD is in the Betamax position this time around: little support, and low penetration.
come November 11th, there are 80,000 Blu Ray players in Japanese homes, thanks to the PS3. come November 17th, there will be 400,000 Blu Ray players in North American homes, thanks to the PS3. by comparrison, HD DVD has penetrated a little over 30,000 homes worldwide. movie studios will not ignore this. and if Sony actually manages to produce that extra 600,000 for North America like they plan to, that's 1 million PS3's/Blu Ray players installed, demolishing the head start that HD DVD has enjoyed since it's release.
basically, the 360 HD DVD add-on will have to sell more than that initial 500,000-1million PS3's in order to sway the studios to their side. judging by the constant dismissal of next gen, multimedia functionality by X Box fans everywhere (at least when it concerns the PS3), i don't see the numbers for those units going above 100,000.
i also factor in that add-ons, generally, never sell well. 360 gamers claim all they want is a games console. well, they have one. the HD DVD drive isn't necessary. any potential PS3 owner that wants just a games console will either jump ship and get a 360, or stick it out ($500/$600 pricetag included), and buy a PS3. either way, the HD DVD add-on for the 360 will be largely ignored, and won't help push HD DVD sales.
2. the games. no console has ever had just one game that made every single person want to purchase it. despite what the hardcore may say, people are generally individuals, and their tastes vary. not everyone likes the same thing. Nintendo fans aren't just getting a Wii for one game. they're getting it for Zelda, Mario, Metroid, Smash Bros, WarioWare, etc. 360 fans, hopefully, aren't just getting a 360 for 1 game. they're getting it for Halo 3, Gears of War, Mass Effect, Fable 2, etc.
now me, personally, i'm not just getting a PS3 for one game. i'm getting a PS3 for Metal Gear Solid 4, Final Fantasy XIII, Untold Legends: Dark Kingdom, Resistance: Fall of Man, Warhawk, Heavenly Sword, Devil May Cry 4, Virtua Fighter 5, Ninja Gaiden Sigma, and White Knight Story. for me, those 10 games are more than worth the price of admission, and i know more games are coming.
i'll be owning just one console for a long time, so any multiplatform titles will be bought for that console. i know Ultimate Alliance, Stranglehold, Assassin's Creed, Brothers in Arms, Resident Evil 5, and GTA4 aren't console exclusive, but i'm getting them on my PS3.
thats why i personally choose Playstation. for 10 years they've given me the most games i've wanted to play, and i have a lot of fond memories (Metal Gear Solid 1-3, Ico, Shadow of the Colossus, God of War, etc). i'm confident the PS3 will do the same. i'll get a 360 eventually, but i haven't seen any games that really have my interest, and in sufficient quantities (at least 5 titles need to pique my interest in order for me to purchase a system. i learned the hard way about buying a console for just one game). i'm sorry, but Gears of War isn't my type of game, and i don't like the Halo series (sacrilege, i know). so far, there's Fable 2, Crackdown, and Mass Effect. two more and i'm there. Bioshock is coming to the PC, so i'll get it for that. Blue Dragon is okay, but i'm not the biggest fan of Akira Toriyama's art design (with the only exception being Chrono Trigger; the greatest game of all time).
like i said at the top of this longass post, if you own a 360, there's not much reason to get a PS3. if you own a Wii, but not a 360 or PS3, then you'll have to choose. if you own a PS3, there's not much reason to get a 360. if you don't own any, then you'll just have to choose which offers you more bang for your buck.
Leto @ Nov 12th 2006 4:16AM
Japanese love the Playstation brand :)
Them screams from the women were great :D
that guy @ Nov 17th 2006 2:16PM
I agree with Figboy the playstation 3 is the way to go and trust me i own an xbox 360 and it's really bad and i have gears of war and yes it delivers in both graphics and gameplay however its not enough reason to get a 360 and i'v had to replace my 360 3 times cause aparently microsoft can't make systems my first one was glyched and froze up and died and my second one i had tp press the disk tray like 20 times for it to open and it was very slow so i'm done with the 360 and microsoft and i'v been with sony buying there sytems for ten years and they never let me down and here's why i think u should pay 600 for a playstation 3
1.The playstation 3 is true next gen all the 360 did was use the best of the last gen hardware
2.the playstation 3 has a blue ray dvd built inside so u can watch movies with better picture and sound qaulity also they use blue ray for there games buy putting duel layers of blue ray on a single disk meaning it can hold roughly 54 gb per disk while the 360 can only hold 9 gb per disk so that's an extra 45 gb of disk space the ps3 has and they can do so much more stuff like make better visuals more expansive games and make the games very interactive have you looked at games like final fantasy xiii the graphics in that are almost on par with true cgi they make gears of war look like crap ps3 has far superior graphic capabilities and speed
3.not that many people care for this i do now the ps3 has motion sensing tech in the controllers meaning u use the controllers to accomplish certain things in your games 360 still only uses vibration... now i no many people are against motion sensing because u have to do alot more to get the same outcome that you'd get by pushing a button on the 360 but i think it was genious cuz not ur not sitting down completly letting ur muscles get stiff or getting really fat cuz ur doin alot more movement witch is good besides it gets u more into the game and accually makes u feel like u helped ur character do a back flip or such stuff
4.now i no the 360 is all great on xbox live but sony has gotten smart this time around one ps3 online is completly free no monthly or yearly fees xbox charges 50 a year and from wat i'v heard and seem the ps3 online will be on par with xbox live you can play games of course you can use camera to talk to and see who your playing with and of course the ps3 will be having all kinds of neat downloadable features such as download ps1 games to your hard drive so why not buy a ps3 for 600 your online is free so your only paying 600 people think xbox 360"s 3 and 4 hundread dollar price tag is cheap but after a few years you'll realize somthing hey i'v payed over 1000 dollars for my xbox 360 cuz you'll find yourself having to get xbox live and buying extra accesories to make it worth playing when with the ps3 you only pay 600
5. ok now the most important thing about any next gen systems the games now really all the 360 got and will ever have is gears of war.... halo 3(coming in 2007) and halo wars(coming in 2009)...now the ps3 got games for everyone games like heavenly sword, metal gear solid 4,final fantasy xiii,final fantasy verses xiii,devil may cry 4, ninja gaiden sigma,killzone 2,resistance:fall of man ,white knight story, virtua fighter, tekken, warhawk,untold legends:dark kingdom,grand turismo hd, moter storm, hopefully the remake of final fantasy 7, and even though it hasent been annonced yet we all no kingdom hearts 3 will be coming to playstation 3, and resident evil 5(witch by the way figboy capcom has been talking about cancelling the 360 version do to the disk and all not being able to contain it and the graphics will suck on the 360 version 2 so it may end up coming out exclusivly for playstation 3 after all)....
6.also the playstation 3 is backwards compatable with all the ps1 and ps2 games while the 360 can only backwards compat the greatest selling xbox games witch gives the ps3 a good upperhand gamers like to no a next gen system can still play all there old games that they payed for and spent hours playing
7.now if you have a psp you can use that to download upload and trade pics videos from your psp to your ps3 or your ps3 to your psp and also sony said somthing about later in the ps3 lifespand making games where the psp is the controller.... so its good that they made ways of combinding both those systems in the ps3 to make true next gen
ok im done now i think you should read those 7 reason's and let that info soak into your mind cause they are certainly good enough reasons to spend 600 dollars on a system now my fingers hurt so ill be leaving if you need to no anything else about the ps3 ask because thats only half of what i no its just i didient feel like writing everything that would take me hours to do