Violence escalates during PS3 launch [update 9]

93 Comments by Kyle Orland Nov 17th 2006 1:55PM
Filed under: Culture, Sony PlayStation 3

Yesterday it was BB guns, today a report from a Putnam, Connecticut PS3 line involves real guns. Early this morning, two armed gunmen approached a line of PlayStation 3 hopefuls gathered outside of the Putnam, Conn., Wal-Mart, demanding money from those in line. "One of the patron's resisted. That patron was shot," police Lt. J. Paul Vance told the AP. There has been word of the victim's condition and the hunt for the two gunmen continues.

Elsewhere, in Elk Grove, California, two different gunmen walked into a GameStop yesterday morning and made off with four PS3s. No injuries were reported and the robbers are still at large.

Reports of general chaos and disorder in PS3 lines across the country have been pouring in all day. Engadget has collected links to many of them, and we'll update here with any others as we hear about them.

[Thanks to everyone who sent both these stories in.]

Read - Shot waiting in line
Read - Gunmen Steal PS3s

[Update 1: Thanks to Adam Reineke for sending in the below video of people racing for the official start of a line outside an Ames, IA, Best Buy at a 12:01 a.m. Thursday]

[Update 2: Lawrence.com reports on "a scene straight out of Lord of the Flies" at a Lawrence, KS, Best Buy Thursday morning]

[Update 3: A "small riot" erupted outside a Henrietta, NY, Best Buy this morning. Thanks dresden]

[Update 4: A Gamespot forum poster tells of his mugging right outside a Manchester, CT Mall this morning. Thanks minus_273.]

[Update 5: Via Kotaku: A man goes to the hospital after slamming into a metal flagpole during a stampede at a West Bend Wal-mart. Thanks Agrajag.]

[Update 6: A UNC-Wilmington student gets beaten and has two PS3s stolen as he removes them from his trunk. Thanks Curtis.]

[Update 7: A 17-year old has his PS3 nabbed at gunpoint in Pennsylvania's Lehigh Valley. Thanks Tucker.]

[Update 8: Reader Ethan Netland reports on a chaotic scene at the Best Buy in South Portland, Maine. According to Netland, police and employees prevented the mob of 250 gathered people from lining up until the store lights went off and the lights went off at 10 p.m. last night. At that point, as Netland describes it, "all hell broke loose. People were shoved to the ground, punched and elbowed in the face, and the Best Buy Employee handing out numbers was mobbed with people. They tried to maintain order, but were incredibly unsuccessful. ... One older man who had been trying to get a system for his 13-year-old son had nearly been trampled and had injured his leg, but got a place in line."]

[Update 9: Two armed men steal five PS3s from an Englewood, Ohio EBGames. Thanks Keaton2008.]

Tags: launch06, PS3, robbery, Wal-Mart

(Page 1) Reader Comments

dokol: Nov 17th 2006; 2:01PM

Legally, how plausible is a class-action suit against SCEA and/or the retailers by those who have been injured/shot/robbed/etc in the process of waiting in line for a PS3?

dubz: Nov 17th 2006; 2:03PM

PSthrizzee in the hizzouse.

Jojo: Nov 17th 2006; 2:06PM

Great picture for the story.

DG: Nov 17th 2006; 2:07PM

Seems like much of this could have been avoided just by setting the initial price at $1500 or so per console. Clearly, the demand would have met supply at that point, and you wouldn't have so many people waiting in line leading to nonsense like this.

Of course, if people would just learn how to act like responsible citizens, that would help too.

Paul P.: Nov 17th 2006; 2:09PM

They'll catch the robbers from the Gamestop. The clerks probably got their address when they forced them to take a Game Informer subscription.

White Rose Duelist: Nov 17th 2006; 2:10PM

The first shipment of new consoles should be done entirely by mail, for the safety of early adopters. Too much goes wrong with the various campouts.

crono141: Nov 17th 2006; 2:12PM

Dokol,

That is a legitimate question, and one I am also curious about.

Who is most liable:

1. Sony for producing far too few consoles to meet demand?

2. Retailers for not having a plan for the long que lines?

3. Mall/Shopping center for not providing adequate security?

4. Security Company's under contract to provide security, but failed?

There's plenty of sue-able parties here. I think a suit against sony is most likely to fail. Sueing gamestop/best buy might get you a little better chances, but suing a mall might be the best bet, since its mall property/mall security thats failed the most.

Kevin: Nov 17th 2006; 2:12PM

This certainly doesn't help the whole "violence and video games" connection that most of the world makes (especially politicians).

Agrajag: Nov 17th 2006; 2:12PM

Haha, try this one from Kotaku:

http://www.themilwaukeechannel.com/video/10339676/index.html

Walmart pulls some "first 10 from the parking lot into the store" crap, people go crazy, guy runs into flagpole.

Ryan: Nov 17th 2006; 2:13PM

Sony is to blame for this. It's such a shame that news of people being shot over PS3s also doubles as hype for the console. What a sad, sad day we live in.

Shame on you, Sony, for delaying a system twice, then releasing it when it shouldn't have been released without satisfactory units available.

Pinionist: Nov 17th 2006; 2:13PM

"One of the patron's resisted. That patron was shot," what kind of person resists giving to an armed mug 600$ for not being shot ??

MMurdock: Nov 17th 2006; 2:14PM

#1
Next to none. Those people that were injured waiting in line were not forced to wait in line. Many other companies offered a pre-order, and others didn't. Some felt the need or greed to camp out for days to get one. Some got shot, others robbed, but the end all it that no one was made to wait in line.

The worst possible scenario from this camp out is either these companies that don't allow people to camp out at all, or they start taking pre-orders.

I think that an all online launch day would be awesome. Order your system via phone, email, or live chat @ sony.com. 1 per household. System ships directly to you signature required. just my opinion

: Nov 17th 2006; 2:14PM

Since when did buying a console become an athletic event? So, all the fatasses lose out on PS3, looks like a wii is better for them.

minus_273: Nov 17th 2006; 2:17PM

this seems to be incredibly common now. Gamespot forum poster mugged:

http://www.gamespot.com/events/ps3launch/forums/show_msgs.php?topic_id=25148561

martoon: Nov 17th 2006; 2:18PM

we were at Circut City in Mt Lourel, NJ and everything went smoothly thanks to Steve the "Line-Maker". But across the parking lot at the best buy, there was rumored to be 6 to 7 fights over the course of Tuesday and Wednesday night. BTW, anyone want to buy a PS3? One of the best comments I heard that night was, REPORTER: So, what games are you going to buy for your new Playstation 3?", Guy on line: Ebay.com"

StoneGold: Nov 17th 2006; 2:19PM

How about the guys that robbed the store are responsible? What, you going to blame the US Mint now for making money valuable?

Drav: Nov 17th 2006; 2:20PM

Why should anyone but the people rioting be liable at all? No one, including Sony and the retailers, is forcing these people to act like brute animals with the rioting, robberies, and violence.

It's like calling the US Govt liable for bank robberies because they print the currency. Or suing DeBeers if a family member gets hurt at a jewelry store by a diamond thief during a heist.

number40one: Nov 17th 2006; 2:21PM

This morning, I was thinking we should call today "Black and Silver Friday."

From the sound of all of this, maybe it should be "Black and Blue Friday."

ba dum bum

Zoot Suit Jedi: Nov 17th 2006; 2:24PM

Hopefully (but not likely) these situations will demand better steps be taken in cosole launches in the future. There are several small steps that can be taken to ensure the safety of folks lookng to score a console.

1. Provide protection. Rent-a-cops would probably be sufficient.

2. Organize the launch. Rather than leaving the organization up to the mob of customers, actively manage the group as soon as the number of customers waiting meets the number of consoles available.

3. Make more consoles - Increase supply to meet demand. Easy enough. Don't announce launches if reasonable worldwide demand can't be met.

4. Inflate launch prices - (see also #4 - DG) Reduce demand to meet supply. People will buy these things @ $1500 even if you announce that in 8 months the price will drop to $600. (See EBAY) But the amount of folks with that kind of liquidity is far fewer than those who can spare a few hundred.

Launhes are getting out of hand and something should be done about it.

Sorry for the soapbox speech - but this crap is ridiculous. No one should be shot at over merchandise.

Zoot Suit Jedi: Nov 17th 2006; 2:27PM

crono141,

sorry for basically repeating - I was typing as you were posting.

minus_273: Nov 17th 2006; 2:39PM

as penny arcade put it last year, Hes got a gun!

jason: Nov 17th 2006; 2:40PM

I can't help but see the irony in this. People camp out to try and make a quick dollar off of real gamers who actually want the system, or parents who want to get it for their kids. Then they get robbed/shot. What goes around comes around. Serves them right for being greedy.

32_Footsteps: Nov 17th 2006; 2:44PM

You know, I'm sure this isn't counting instances of minor assuault (hair pulling and the like) that happen that don't get as much attention as these things.

Personally, I have a mental image of Kutaragi raising a gladius and yelling, "At my command, unleash Hell!"

socrates: Nov 17th 2006; 2:45PM

Blame Sony? For the fact that some people are fighting and robbing stuff?!?

Wow.

It never ceases to amaze me how ridiclous some people are in their hatred of one company which has done nothing but offer you a product. That is such an irrational thing to say, that the extent to which console fever and bitterness has to have sunk into the brains of poor crono, dokol and Ryan...

Kish: Nov 17th 2006; 2:46PM

In a "we're just asking for a lawsuit" move, retailers in Rexburg, ID (walmart) decided they would randomly anounce over the intercom where we will be selling purchase vouchers over the intercom. Obviously the place was stuffed with well over 100 ps3 hopefuls.

Finally the time comes, at nine thirty they announce the spot and there is a MAD DASH as the entire overstuffed store simeltaniously converges on the shoe section. Hehe, good times.

Luckily this is a mellow christian college town and things stayed remarkably civil, even with only 4 ps3's available.

Brian: Nov 17th 2006; 2:48PM

@22

Uh..a reporter interviewing the campers got "shot", and the two gunmen robbed the actual store. How do you know all the people in line wanted to eBay it? Nine out of ten maybe, but still..

32_Footsteps: Nov 17th 2006; 2:50PM

"I can't help but see the irony in this. People camp out to try and make a quick dollar off of real gamers who actually want the system, or parents who want to get it for their kids. Then they get robbed/shot. What goes around comes around. Serves them right for being greedy."

So what you're saying is, people deserve to be assaulted, robbed of their hard-earned dollars, and even shot because they want to make money in a legal fashion?

If you don't like the way things work, work to change them - in this case, try not buying into the overhype that accompanies console launches these days. And try convincing others to not buy into the overhype. Don't slam people for trying to take advantage of it.

Psyclerk: Nov 17th 2006; 2:54PM

I had Bon Jovi's "You Give Love a Bad Name" going through my head by the time I finished reading this article. So...

Shot through the heart
And you're to blame
Sony, you give games a bad name
I stood in line just to play your game
You give games a bad name

I'll spare you the rest.

Brian: Nov 17th 2006; 2:56PM

@ #19

The person who suffered a gunshot wasn't shot for the PS3. Hell, he didn't even have one at that point.

He was shot because he refused to give the man his money. I'm sure the gunman realised that a good majority of the people in the line had at least $650 in cash on their person.

crono141: Nov 17th 2006; 2:57PM

What boggles my mind about the PS3 mugging, is that there were 20 people in line, and 2 guys with guns.

Are americans so damn cowardly that they couldn't jump these guys and beat the living snot out of them? Especially after they had already shot someone?

razer: Nov 17th 2006; 2:59PM

This speaks volumes about American Society! This is why if I'm standing in line I will have my firearm on me. So if one of these wimpy thugs wanna rob me I will (with great pleasure) end their existence. This is why I believe every American should own and carry a firearm. If everyone is potentially armed it might make these criminals reconsider.

crono141: Nov 17th 2006; 3:02PM

Here here, razor!

Charlton Heston would be proud!

And that wasn't sarcasm. I'm all about lossening the restrictions on arms ownership.

HenryJonesJr: Nov 17th 2006; 3:04PM

What speaks volumes about American society are those here who are crying for lawsuits. How is anyone other than the criminal responsible for any of this?

Danny: Nov 17th 2006; 3:05PM

"What boggles my mind about the PS3 mugging, is that there were 20 people in line, and 2 guys with guns.

Are americans so damn cowardly that they couldn't jump these guys and beat the living snot out of them? Especially after they had already shot someone?"
"This speaks volumes about American Society! This is why if I'm standing in line I will have my firearm on me. So if one of these wimpy thugs wanna rob me I will (with great pleasure) end their existence. This is why I believe every American should own and carry a firearm. If everyone is potentially armed it might make these criminals reconsider."

These two comments being right next to each other makes me so happy. AMERICA, FUCKING A!

Judd: Nov 17th 2006; 3:06PM

Ok, it might be a generalization, but who are the kinds of people who really want a PS3? A large majority of people are either buying the PS3 because A. They are hardcore gamers who need to have the system first day, but even more so B. The urban culture. Trust me the best selling game of the PS3 launch is not going to be Resistance, it will be Madden.
"Oh yea, I gotta get that Playstation. I love that shit. Madden and Grand Theft Auto."
"Do you realize Maddden is on every system?"
"No, no it's gosta be da Playstation."

Personally, if you asked me what systems I think will be the best this generation it would be 1. Xbox 360 2.Wii 3. PS3. But if you ask me which system I think will be the best selling it would be 1. PS3 2. Wii 3. Xbox 360.

Playstation is really the only mainstream system. The Xbox brand is getting there. And people still view Nintendo as a kiddy system. Even though Nintendo is trying to appeal to an older crowd this generation, and the Wii and DS might start appealing to parents, it's not going to appeal to the 20's and 30's gangster crowd. And these mainstream douchebags are the kinds of people who are into hip-hop,blings and guns(don't mistake that comment as racism. I know plenty of white people like that). So let's no longer ignore the elephant in the room. A large group of people who are getting the PS3 are into a violent culture. Yes it is a generalization. But you don't see Jack Thompson arguing cases over some kid playing a Nintendo game. I promise you that during the Wii launch people might get robbed, but they won't get shot.

n2: Nov 17th 2006; 3:07PM

I'm sorry, but this is getting out of hand. It's a video game system. And according to Sony will have shippments every week (assuming you believe Sony). Even if for some reason there are not shipments every week, it WILL be in stock again. It's not like at $600 this item will be scarce forever.

I fail to understand why they had to have people racing to get into line. In my local area, they've been lined up for days. It's orderly. People seem to be friendly.

It's one thing to be excited and generate buzz over a product. It's another to put peoples lives in danger.

I truly hope people learn from this, and it's not repeated for future launches.

Greg: Nov 17th 2006; 3:12PM

"This just in, video game console launch turns into shootout as cowboy jackasses endanger everyone around them. Several dead."

USA! USA!

Also, razer: If you're standing in line? At the PS3 launch? Did a time machine come with your gun? Or maybe you mean you'll be packing the next time you're in line anywhere, because that's really what you need to do- who knows when some dirty minority immigrant will try to brush against you while you wait for your McGriddle? Blow their heathen ass away, that's what I say.

Drav: Nov 17th 2006; 3:17PM

I don't even know what you're talking about, Greg. But thank god you're here to characterize every gun owner as a racist xenophobe.

Zoot Suit Jedi: Nov 17th 2006; 3:22PM

Guns are for pussies.

DiahrreaMan: Nov 17th 2006; 3:26PM

It's inceidents like these that make us gamers and the games we play look like a BAD/MAIN influence on violence. If we don't want to be seen that way, it's up to us to start by behaving like civilized people. And, its not like you're gonna die if you don't get a PS3, its more likely you'll be near dying if you try and get one under these circumstances. Makes you wonder how the Wii launch will turn out? Any guesses?

STILL WAITING FOR GOLDEN SUN 3 DAMMIT!

AZ I BORICUA: Nov 17th 2006; 3:29PM

Some major organizational needs here. For example guy camp out for days sleeping at a wal-mart 4 nights in a row. People show up days after up to hours before the store opens. Manager shows up to store and says, "form a line over there and run to the doors, but first let me calls the cops and a couple of ambulances." This is where people get hurt. No running needed. If you took 4 days off work to go camp out and you are first in line. I think you should be the first to purchase it. why is runnign needed? So the guy who got there 4 hours ago can have an equal chance at getting a ps3 as the guy who camped out for 4 days. Stupid shit if you tell me.

Personal expirience: i camped out @ a Target in Arizona for 48 hours and was the first in line when they closed on nov. 21st. Then an hour later all employees are leaving and the manager is leaving too but says, you al form a line over there and run. A guy who got there after they closed that night got a choice of a premuim xbox 360 and i didnt. But i gave up 2 days of work and sat there for 48 hours and got beat by a casual gamer who just happened to stop by a store doing this stupidity and got lucky. Tought Shit huh?

Sorry guys but i have to vent here. It gets me pissed off that stores are doing this. But what makes me even more pissed off is:

#1 95% of people in line for this system, dont know WTF a ps3 is! (#1 reason why lines are so long and there is so much violence is, buy for $600 and sell for anywhere between $900 to something like $15,000 on ebay.)

#2 A lot of innocent people are getting hurt, shot, robbed. (come on guys!)

#3 Some hardcore gamers dont have one but, Some casual, his wife, son, daughter, mother, father, mother in law and father in law have one. (or atleast were in line for one with him)

#4 Hardcore gamers camp out for their stuff for days, some casual comes an hour before and now has an equal chance @ getting one.

Solution to all of this: The night before the launch when the store closes, manager steps outside to a line of people (no running, if you camped all week and were the only one there you get the first ticket), hands out tickets to first random number of people (according to how many they are receiving), and send them home. We open at 10am please be here then. Good night. No camping, all gone, no shooting, no one gets robbed, no sleeping outside, manager and police dont have their hands full. Job well done.

pirahna1: Nov 17th 2006; 3:31PM

All I know is if I was the guy that got shot waiting in line I would personally deliver an asskicking to every fucker in that line. 20 people versus 2 with guns, who do you think would win? Seriously I would have delivered a jolly-stomping unlike no other to those assholes. Why would an entire line let 2 men rob them all? Freakin america is a bunch of pussies. Grow some balls and stand for your fellow man.

Drav: Nov 17th 2006; 3:33PM

If by pussies you mean young women protecting themselves from getting raped, and old women preventing themselves from being robbed, then sure you could say guns are for pussies.

Saneless: Nov 17th 2006; 3:35PM

hah hah. I hope they all get hemorrhoids.

I love the stupid people running. Because surely having something civil like a raffle for the spots would've been too easy and non-humiliating.

crono141: Nov 17th 2006; 3:41PM

Exactly what I was trying to say pirahna1. You'd think after 9/11 where a bunch of guys with BOX CUTTERS hijacked a plane and killed 3000+ people, that americans would start standing up to people who threaten them.

Our society has been pussyfied.

Zoot Suit Jedi: Nov 17th 2006; 3:42PM

43-

I'm sure that is an accurate representation of the target demographic of the firearms industry.

I'm also confident that those descriptions portray the people waiting on line for a PS3.

Thank you. How naive of me to think that all of the gun toting rednecks and wankstas out there were pussies.

They are simply afraid of getting raped.

crono141: Nov 17th 2006; 3:48PM

Criminals have no problems getting ahold of guns, no matter how illegal you make them.

Gun control law and registration only hurts law abiding citizens.

TB: Nov 17th 2006; 3:52PM

The funny thing is so many people want the ps3. But most people dont want it to play, they want to sell it on ebay and easily double or triple their 1 day investment. Leaving people that actually wanting it to play spending $2500 on ebay to play resistance and ridge racer. I'm not saying its stupid, but xbox 360 is a much smarter purchase at this point in time.