Midnight Best Buy Launch Locations for PS3 54
If you're on pins and needles looking forward to November 17th, you'll be very interested to know that Kotaku has a list of Best Buy stories opening at Midnight on PS3 launch day. The list of 18 stores allowed to open at the very start of the day comes from what is apparently an internal memo. The other stores are slated to open at 8am, assuming there are no restrictions on the time they can open (if they're in a mall, for example). As a refresher for launch day fans, make sure and check out the list of launch window titles, and the accessories price list.
Re:And then what? (Score:3, Insightful)
Really. From where I sit there are a few types of people that buy consoles.
1. Nintendo fans - The 10 and under crowd. They love Mario and want a system that they know their young kids will play. These people have no intention of buying a $500 PS3 or even a $300 PS3.
2. XBOX fans - They already bought a 360 and given that less than 10 million sold with a year head start this console looks bleak at best. Unfortunately for Microsoft they are the middle child in this race. They don't have the kids games and they don't have the power/storage of the PS3. I would argue that a lot of these fans will also buy a PS3, but it will be late next year, and they are waiting on a price drop.
3. Sony Fans - They will buy the PS3 at $1,500. However, how many will do that remains a question. Currently it appears that a ton want to, given the prices on Ebay. However, Sony is due to produce 6 million consoles by March of 2007, and their game lineup looks strong. The big question is this. After the 6 million units are sold will the average family drop $500 on a PS3? Time will tell, but these initial fans don't mind waiting until after Christmas to get the PS3, they see it as a value and want "the best console".
4. Budget gamers - These people says things like "My kid won't be getting a XYZ console if it cost $300+ dollars. Well, they fall in to the PS2 camp then. That console is at $130 now and has a ton of games for it. Heck it is still the number one selling console out and probably will be the number one selling console again this Christmas. Yes I know that the Wii is $250, but by the time you add up another controller and games you are over the $300 mark.
5. Every console buyers- these guys will buy every console, and probably have a PC with at least a $500 to $800 video card(s) in it. These guys generally trash the PS3 price but yet have no problem spending $800 on a new video card just to play Oblivion. These guys are few and far between but they are there. They will buy the Wii this Christmas, trash the PS3 and Sony, then buy one with MGS4 or Vision GT next year.
So the way I see it, those that want a PS3 this year and until March will be the type 3 people mentioned above. They will not buy a Wii or a 360. Will there be enough of them to sell 6 million units at $500 to $600 a piece? Well the research done has shown that there is demand for $8 million PS3's at it's current price point, so it looks like Sony will be good for their 6 million. Will Sony lower the price by next Christmas? Well they have shown that they are willing to do that by the price drop in Japan, so I would say definitely. So when the real battle begins next Christmas you could have the Nintendo at $250, and the 360 somewhere in the middle and the PS3 one price drop away from making the 360 irrelevant.
I would say that Microsoft has a lot to worry about.