Sony pleased as Punch with PS3 launch

And do note the capital "P" in the headline. Quite surprisingly, the true origin of the phrase has more unintentionally amusing connotations than was previously expected -- the thought of a bowl of pineapple party punch being simply delighted as drunk teenagers scoop out its innards never did make any sense. Now we know better and, thanks to Sony's neck crushing PRm (as in PR arm, you see), we even know that Sony is satisfied with the events that comprised the PS3 launch. Then again, who isn't? Right?

According to Dave Karakker, senior director of corporate communications for SCEA, the primary points of interest are as follows:

• Good news, everybody! The initial allocation of consoles sold out within hours. And by everybody, we don't mean consumers.
  
• The best-selling game was Insomniac's Resistance: Fall of Man, followed by some angry football guy. Neither of these games manages to live up to the excitement generated by being shot while waiting in line or engaging in gladiatorial combat over that last PS3.
• The $599 PS3 model outsold the cheaper version.
  
• The "buzz" around the PS3 launch had a halo substitute effect on other Sony products, giving the PSP and PS2 healthy sales boosts of over 20% each.
  

Furthermore, Sony remains committed to pumping out a million PS3 units before the end of the year. The sooner we get this launch nonsense out of the way, the sooner we can switch on our consoles and start playing some games. That's the medal that awaits us once we leap over the launch hurdle. (Feel free to interpret that phrase a bit more literally.) Sony's official launch statement is after the break.

"Sony Computer Entertainment America couldn't be more pleased with the response we have seen from consumers since the launch of PLAYSTATION 3 on Friday. This truly demonstrates the power of the PlayStation brand and further validates our belief that consumers see real value in an entertainment system that will define the next decade of digital entertainment. At this point, we are focused on getting as many new PS3s to the North American market as possible for the holidays, including airlifting systems to the territory on a constant basis. With PS3 manufacturing now running smoothly and product being aired in weekly, we're focused on our goal of shipping a million units to retail by the end of the calendar year. Due to the immediate nature of these shipments, we will not be providing weekly updates on North American supplies."