PS3 Lines Already Forming In America

Wowzer writes "Nine days until Sony's PlayStation 3 launches in America, and lines are already forming. From the article: "Someone went to Best Buy this morning and saw about 7 people waiting outside. He went inside and one of the workers told him that they had been there since Monday. It must be a tough job being such big PS3 fans and being the butt of many passer-by jokes like 'Where is the line for PS4? Is it on the other side?'"

Damnit...

[TrippTDF]

... How the hell can you afford to stand in a line for over a week?? Are you taking vacation time from work? Are you unemployed? Unemployable? And why the hell would you stand in a line for a week even if you had the time? Stupid kids and their rock music.

Actually...

[SuperPunch]

Actually it looks like the started monday. (11.06.06) I believe this thread was the first: http://www.cheapassgamer.com/forums/showthread.php ?t=114295 [cheapassgamer.com] Quote from the post: "I went to Best Buy this morning for a job interview (got the job, but it's seasonal) and I saw about 7 people waiting outside. I went inside and one of the workers told me that they had been there since Monday. Do these people have no lives? The awesome thing was, as I was waiting outside, I saw a bunch of people coming to Best Buy and picking up Gears of War. A few people made some funny remarks. One guy is like, "I hope you guys brought enough food!" Another one said, "Where is the line for PS4? Is it on the other side?""

Mad

[herczy]

Oookay... So they spend 7 days. And hygiene stayed at home. And it got to be very unhealty. But, I suppose, if you like something, 7 days are not so much.

Holding tables at the food court

[BadAnalogyGuy]

I went to eat with a bunch of friends at a mall food court and noticed an optimization problem. All the seats were full. Some people who were carrying food were forced to walk around looking for tables while others were 'holding' tables waiting for other members of their party to buy and bring back food.

By essentially creating a semaphore on the tables, the 'holders' were forcing a backlog of 'eaters'. By taking the resource and not using it, they blocked other users who would be ready to use the table immediately. With more 'eaters' coming out of line, the more crowded and backed up the general flow of customers got.

By sitting in line for a PS3, you're perhaps creating a slight advantage for yourself, but you are unoptimizing the situation for everyone else. You don't smell nice either, and you look like vagrants standing around in front of Best Buy.

Lines FTL

[Anonymous Coward]

Only people lining up are those that really want to for the "fun" of it or because they're gonna flip the thing on eBay. Sucks that most of the initial units are going straight to the secondary market. Hell with that - http://www.playstationfinder.com/ [playstationfinder.com] FTW.

How does this work

[optimusNauta]

Will someone honestly answer me this. Do they put 2 weeks of food in a cooler? Do they sit with their best pal and take turns waiting in line? Does Best Buy obligate me to respect their encampment and let them buy first? What if I just waltz in on the appropriate day and put my tent in front of theirs? Can they be arrested for sleeping on the sidewalk? Can Best Buy kick them out? How does this work?

Ok....

[Anonymous Coward]

so why wouldn't these idiots just go to a more desolate area that does not yet have people camping out like retards. I'm at Purdue in West Lafayette Indiana and there isn't a single person camping in front of any store. Might as well just come out here and save yourself at least 5 days or so.

Either that or just stop acting like such a pathetic lame ass.

All i can say is WTF...

[JoBlo69]

When the xbox 360 came out well about a week before i realized that is was going to take more than just walking into a walmart day of the launch and picking one up with no prob. It soon dawned on me that i would have to take extream measures (not THAT extream) to get my 360 on launch day. Me and a friend ended up driving out of town about 60 miles and came across a fredmyers (northwest department store)and we where 3rd and 4th in line. We had to spend the night in almost freezing weather but it got done and i made twice my money back when i listed it on ebay the day after... To me that was worth it, financhaly...

But for me the logic doesnt work. I cant justify spending a week and a half out side of best buy for the "chance" to get a PS3. The only whay i would do it is if i was Garenteed to get one and ablr to sell it for more money than the lost days working. And at my salary good luck even at the vey bloated Pre PS3 sales happening on ebay right now. There going for at least $1500...

I fail to see why anyone sane would stand around outside for 10+ days waiting for a PS3 that they may or may not get unless that are hoping to make alot of money reselling it to someone else just as desprate to get one...

they'll be soooo disappointed

[netean]

I've spent some time with the new PS3 (via work) and I have to say they'll be really disappointed.. Vastly overpriced, really buggy software (OS is flaky, real flaky) and the games (i've played) aren't much better!!!, poor build quality (drive access fails, disc fails to spin, connectors loose at the rear), poor controller, etc.

They'll have the same games they bought before on their ps2, just much more expensive this time around.. Games WILL look great (as long as they have HDTVs) but, in all honesty I think it's going to crucify Sony... it's just such a pile of crap you wouldn't believe.. NO really, it just doesn't work the way you'd expect/want and when you factor in that SONY made it, not some junky two bit chinese company you've never heard of.. it's just shocking.

it's just so disappointing you won't believe it.

D&D in Line

[Phaxn]

Just think of all the D&D you could play while waiting!

All About Games

[aphxtwn]

I think buying a console on the first day is more for novelty than anything else. Chances are people who get the PS3 on the release day will be playing Gears of War a lot until the PS3 gets some good games out. I waited a while in line and bought my xbox 360 the day of its release. To be honest, in retrospect I wouldn't do it again. After I got it, I hardly played it because there weren't any real titles I liked. Now I'm stuck with an early revision of the 360 which sounds like a hair-dryer. Generally, launch titles suck because developers are pushed by the console manufacturer to release and they're not familiar with new hardware and may not be able to make full use of its abilities. I have to admit, the Wii looks interesting though. The only reason I would buy it is because of the new Zelda game.