The aftermath: PS3 launch and first impressions

by Blake Snow { Nov 17th 2006 at 3:01AM }

The PS3 launch came and went on both coasts early this morning and continues until supplies last (as if they will for much longer). For the lucky few that scored a unit, let us know how it went down, everything you bought, and your first impressions of the console including horror stories, cool haps, and other first-hand accounts.

Reader Comments (Page 1 of 3)

katie @ Nov 17th 2006 3:05AM

I really wish I could have gone to see the local Wallmart line-ups, oh well I guess I could stop by the best buy my friend works at and check up on it.She said the first 15 people in line are selling it on Ebay and people who know that have been spitting on them.

Dave @ Nov 17th 2006 3:06AM

So this is it, eh? I can't wait to see what pops up in this...

ebayingisgay @ Nov 17th 2006 3:06AM

what kinda impressions do you expect to get? seriously?

have you seen even 1 person buy a game yet?

no...every single person is ebaying it

TopaZ @ Nov 17th 2006 3:09AM

Scored a 20GB at a local mom-and-pop importer for $899. Sold today via craigslist for $1300. HIGH FIVE!

Lee @ Nov 17th 2006 3:10AM

Speaking of people selling them on eBay, did you all see this particular one?

http://cgi.ebay.com/SONY-PLAYSTATION-3-PS3-60-GB-TRUE-BUNDLE-PACK-REALLY_W0QQitemZ160050434898QQihZ006QQcategoryZ62054QQtcZphotoQQrdZ1QQcmdZViewItem

Wow. Just wow. Nice joke, though.

Marty @ Nov 17th 2006 3:17AM

How about this one?
http://cgi.ebay.com/ws/eBayISAPI.dll?ViewItem&item=150059269467

$99,999,999.00, hehe. I took a screenshot of the bid history if you guys want to see how this went down. Take note of the user names as they'll probably be banned soon. :P

http://img151.imageshack.us/img151/5791/ps3strip2tm2.gif

DG @ Nov 17th 2006 3:17AM

eBay is truly ridiculous right now. What idiot would pay $5,000 for this system? Seriously now. There is zero return on that investment.

I just don't get it.

slappy @ Nov 17th 2006 3:20AM

http://cgi.ebay.com/ws/eBayISAPI.dll?ViewItem&item=150059269467

Copperhead @ Nov 17th 2006 3:20AM

You know someone is going to get hurt, then sue the hell out of everyone including Sony.

All for something that they'll no doubt be regretting buying (unless they eBay it) within three months.

Marty @ Nov 17th 2006 3:22AM

I just posted that link, Slappy. :P

docLEXfisti @ Nov 17th 2006 3:35AM

who cares for a PS3, seriously?

Wigletbill @ Nov 17th 2006 3:35AM

I think that every single bid will end up being fake today and, honestly, I think it is good. I am tired of losing out to fat housewives with 6 kids each getting a preorder to turn and flip it on eBay. Fuck them I'll be bidding on a few accounts. Let's see.. I can afford to be 99 million dollars in the hole.

Insomnia Bob @ Nov 17th 2006 3:37AM

As a 'honest' gamer, I say shame on you console war profiteers.

While working at a game store, we once got a copy of Marvel vs. Capcom 2 in used, in great condition. It's an extremely rare game, so I decided not to put in on the floor, and to save it for a real fan of the fighting game genre. I finnally ended up selling it to a guy, who turned around and said "Yeah, this is going straight to ebay!"

It's disgusting. Making a buck is one thing, but this cut throat attitude is horrible, and rewards greed and sneakiness over other, more noble attitudes.

Myself, I wasn't planning on picking up a PS3. It's not worth it yet. But I feel bad for some grandmother who's going to try to get one for her grandkids, and not knowing any better, buy one for a few grand on ebay.

Robert P. @ Nov 17th 2006 3:44AM

Wow. Truly idiotic. I mean clearly no one is gonna get $99 million. I like how the bidding just gets out of hand and a user who isn't even registered anymore jacks it up. And these people thought they would make legit money from buying the few PS3 that are out there.

You know honestly the people I feel sorry for are those who are PS3 fans. They deserve a good console at a reasonable price. Clearly, as its been said before, Sony should have waited until they could do a correct launch. Between the dumb things coming out of Sony's mouth and the dumb things they are doing they're shooting themselves in the foot with one hand and the eye with the other. The other side of this is the media will eat this up and act like it was the greatest launch in history and they'll point out the ebay prices as proof that it's a hot item when these prices are completely fake. It's really sad.

Leto @ Nov 17th 2006 3:46AM

No one is forcing you to buy the system, so I don't see a problem with buying it and selling it on Ebay for profit. If someone is willing to camp out for days for the system he/she has every right to sell it for whatever he/she thinks it is worth. If someoene has money to burn and wants to buy a Playstation 3 for thousands of dollars on Ebay, that's their prerogative.

Marty @ Nov 17th 2006 3:50AM

There's nothing wrong with buying it and re-selling it. Either way, it's going to someone who wants to play it, right?

Knoxximus @ Nov 17th 2006 3:51AM

Yeah, and if anything bad happens, 'gamers' will take the blame, even though, for the most part, these aren't gamers....they are ebay opportunists. PS3 is gonna suck royal balls anyway.

SONY IS THE DEVIL!!

fester @ Nov 17th 2006 3:52AM

Quote joystiq: "continues until supplies last"

Surely that should "Continues *while* supplies last" or "Continues until supplies run out" ? ;)

------- I see nothing more than a few hundred fanboys and mostly e-bay re-sellers grabbing these. Of course you will get your richer/game journos/devs types buying the odd one here and there which is fine but really...

There is a console out there right now in plentiful supply with the "best" next gen game of the year on it and some other solid titles (and rumble in the controller). Yes my friends, 360 is the sane mans choice right now (and Wii will be a curious/fun companion to it).

carlos @ Nov 17th 2006 3:52AM

I went to one of the walmarts close to me just for the hell of it to see if there were people waiting to get any, and they had a sign saying they only had 10. I didn't really see hardly nobody walking out with one though, and never saw anyone buy a game either.

Amos @ Nov 17th 2006 3:55AM

My Wal-Mart's getting 23, and there were maaaaybe 10 guys wandering around at 10:00 PM saying they were waiting for the ps3 but didn't want to "join the official line (outside) yet," which was empty. Yeah...there'll be some there in the morning, hehe.

Jelement @ Nov 17th 2006 4:04AM

Man, craigslist is just blowing up right now with PS3 posts. For everyone who hates the sellers, take it out on the idiot who was dumb enough to put his phone numbers in the listing...

http://sfbay.craigslist.org/sby/ele/236071800.html

Vlad @ Nov 17th 2006 4:15AM

my take on resellers: capitalism at its finest. the idiots who are stupid and desperate enough to pay $1,000+ for a system over ebay or craigslist deserve it. If you even use one scrap of ration, you will wait until a year from now to buy one. First release Sony stuff ALWAYS have problems (disc read errors FTW!), launch lineup is shallow at best, online service isn't finalized, backwards compatibility isn't 100% worked out yet... and a year from now, these problems will be solved, supply issues will be gone, a LOT more and better games will be out, and hell, the price might even go down. that's my final 2 cents on the PS3 thing. I hope everybody just LIVES through the next 6-9 hours, I could see somebody getting hurt in the "organized chaos"

digitalFrequency @ Nov 17th 2006 4:18AM

i hope the wii launch isn't this bad... i mean, sure i'll hang out for 3-7 hours prior to the midnight launch, but i really hope it isn't gonna take more than that to get away with a wii and zelda.

but yeah, the few i knew that did get the ps3 at midnight are planning to sell it on ebay sometime later today.

Ed @ Nov 17th 2006 4:35AM

This just in! Sony loses $240+ on the $499 system and $300+ on the $599 system. Also, for the three that were stolen in The Sacramento Bee, Sony loses $499 on the $499 system and $599 on the $599 system.

Rory @ Nov 17th 2006 4:37AM

If I found anyone willing to more than $400 than what I paid for it. I would sell in less than a minute.

Thats a extra $400 or doing nothing, thats a Wii with accesories and Zelda :)

socrates @ Nov 17th 2006 4:40AM

Wow, the insanity. You forget how much anticipation there is for the PS3, going off of message boards and the like. Only the nerdiest of the nerds - the type who post at places like this - are capable of being so opinionated on the twists and turns of a console's development that they swear a vendetta against Sony or any other company. But the mania surrounding the PS3 launch, the ludricrous prices PS3s are going for on ebay...not only shows how much interest there is, but guarantees that every single one made in the next year will be sold right away. This will achieve exactly what Sony was intending as setting up a Bluray base, and this console will be anything but the financial disaster so many people seem to be pining for.

Chronos_777 @ Nov 17th 2006 4:47AM

I bet that within a week, EBay prices will be under $1000. Everybody is buying it to put it on EBay and apparently hardly anyone actually wants the thing. They will just flood the market.

shivr @ Nov 17th 2006 4:57AM

"18. Quote joystiq: "continues until supplies last"

Surely that should "Continues *while* supplies last" or "Continues until supplies run out" ? ;)"

Maybe they mean people in line will continue to sit there till the 2nd, 3rd, or 4th shipments :p

nea @ Nov 17th 2006 5:18AM

gears of war launched today in Europe; its fucking awesome

Pal @ Nov 17th 2006 5:29AM

You could fit a child in that box.

Vlad @ Nov 17th 2006 5:34AM

Socrates FTW! is it just me, or is the public eye hooplah (sp?) around the PS3 launch greater than last year's 360 launch? For as many problems and as much flak Sony is sure to face for releasing so few systems this year, all this is fantastic publicity for them.

FSK405K @ Nov 17th 2006 5:54AM

Everyone go watch Gamespot's coverage from the NY release! Politically incorrect hilarity! In part I, skip to 4h:30m, where the Sony representative is giving directions to the folks who have gathered inside: "All I want to see is the back of your ass!" and other great innappropriate content!
javascript:videoplayerpop('6161940','927750','ps3launch_index','',1,'video_main','watch',1,'1')

ryan @ Nov 17th 2006 6:06AM

lol. i am going to fredd meyer in the morning, to take my shot at a raffel. if i win, you bet ur bottom dollar that i will sell that winning ticket to who ever wants a ps3 the most..haha...

Jason @ Nov 17th 2006 6:19AM

One of the Walmarts in Orlando had 150 units. Doesn't that seem abnormally high?

Jason @ Nov 17th 2006 6:23AM

In a town north of Orlando, some father paid a guy $1000 so his kid could take the guy's place in line. The kid ended up being #27 in line and was still able to get his PS3, which was weird with all the stories about 8 per store an d 150,000 units and all.

Elli @ Nov 17th 2006 6:34AM

Who cares? A year later you'll have to ditch your PS3 for a PS4 or something. Jeez.

Ratchet the Lombax @ Nov 17th 2006 7:04AM

My PS3 and Wii are sitting in my uncles office, he's already paid for them I just need to pick them up. I know the Wii isn't out yet but he says he got mine early I guess it pays to be a Game stop regional manager. Also I tend to believe him since he was able to get my 360 a couple of days early too. I will probably go by there about 11 or 12 tomorrow, as I can't be bothered to get up too early for a couple of toys. I am really more interested in playing with the Wii than the PS3 the games seem neat with the way they use the controller. It will probably end up sitting in the box on the floor until I get my fill of the Wii. Now I just need to use my Best Buy gift card for some extra games.

PS3 is the roxxors @ Nov 17th 2006 7:19AM

There's a small video on http://www.world1-1.tv/BlogArchive.aspx?blogid=27 showing the ps3 launch in universal city walk, pretty short though. Still nice that some people got some video of the event

FuzzyPickles @ Nov 17th 2006 7:30AM

I work the night shift at a Toys R Us in Queens NY, from 11PM-7AM, and there was a good number of people outside the door all night. It was biggest at around three in the morning, but I suppose some people left because they figured a crappy local TRU wouldn't have too many. The store doesn't open until nine... damn. They really want PS3's and/or Profit.

BIGGEN @ Nov 17th 2006 7:49AM

has anyone actually posted that they got one? i haven't seen it yet. LOL oh socrates, i like how you believe what you say. that's so cute. HAHAHAHA!!!!

Kanadwen @ Nov 17th 2006 8:00AM

I like how one person posts a semi-long comment, and then it is followed by even longer comments. "LIEK OMG IMO..." blah blah blah. I went to my local S-Walmart and handed out MGS cookies. I rock.

luxera @ Nov 17th 2006 8:11AM

I went to the super wal-mart at about 7pm yesterday. They had the 15 or so people waiting in the garden center. I bet everyone looked at me and was like haha late comer NO PS3 FOR YOU.

But i was only there to see how the Wii launch was going to be handled.

djSyndrome @ Nov 17th 2006 8:18AM

"Also, for the three that were stolen in The Sacramento Bee, Sony loses $499 on the $499 system and $599 on the $599 system."

Wow, were you born yesterday? Sony has long since been paid for those systems. It's GameStop - or GameStop's insurance company - that's going to take the loss, not Sony.

FreQ @ Nov 17th 2006 8:23AM

I just saw on CNN that someone in Conneticut got shot, for real, while waiting for a PS3 at Walmart. This is just crazy.

Dae Kim @ Nov 17th 2006 8:25AM

WooHOO finally got my PS3. Somewhat shallow sensation after playing Resistance FoM. The graphics are impressive, but Gears of War is better. The game play is cool, but its just like CoD with Aliens, and this thing doesnt fit very well with my receiver and Media Center PC thats all silver. You cant put stack anything on top of this monster. Standing in line for 2 days with friends was fun but the reward seems SHALLOW. Now Im back playing GoW again.

hoos30 @ Nov 17th 2006 8:32AM

My local Target (Alexandria, VA) was expecting 30 or so systems but only got 10. I did score a free bag of popcorn though! Of the 30 people in line ahead of me, only five claimed that they were keeping it for themselves. I think we need Noah's Arc to save us from the flood on Ebay/CL.

32_Footsteps @ Nov 17th 2006 8:37AM

Eh, the eBay market will crash soon enough, but you have to figure with all these auctions getting at least $2000 (and around $2500 this morning) from reputable bidders, that people do want the system and there will be a decent resale market for at least another day or two.