PS3s sell out on Japanese launch day [Archive]

DiGiKerot

11-11-2006, 01:28 PM

[ QUOTE ]
Wrath of the Njr said:
http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/technology/6135452.stm

So a Gundam game is a Japanese launch game. Hmmm....

[/ QUOTE ]

A pretty poor Gundam game too from what I'm hearing.

Apparently the backwards compatibility isn't as 100% as people were hoping - admittedly, it's more a case of minor visual and audio glitches (particularly, but not exclusively, in FMVs), but given it'd got practically a whole PS2 in there it seems odd. Hopefully a lot of these will be sorted in future firmware upgrades (some have already).

Zanza Hiro

11-11-2006, 01:54 PM

eeep, not cool. i have a lot of PS2 games i'd like to still play so, i'm hoping backwards compatibility is 100%

it will be interesting to see what kind of glitches are reported with this first run

Leon_Belmont

11-11-2006, 01:57 PM

[ QUOTE ]
DiGiKerot said:
[ QUOTE ]
Wrath of the Njr said:
http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/technology/6135452.stm

So a Gundam game is a Japanese launch game. Hmmm....

[/ QUOTE ]

A pretty poor Gundam game too from what I'm hearing.

[/ QUOTE ]

I'm still waiting for the exception /images/graemlins/devil.gif

DiGiKerot

11-11-2006, 02:09 PM

[ QUOTE ]
Zanza said:
eeep, not cool. i have a lot of PS2 games i'd like to still play so, i'm hoping backwards compatibility is 100%

it will be interesting to see what kind of glitches are reported with this first run

[/ QUOTE ]

Well, I suspect any of the four or five games which don't work on slimline PS2s (and there are a few) won't work either since it's likely to be the same chipset being used. Johnny may wish to be concerned since I've heard slimline PS2s have had some problems with Initial D:Special Stage...

Other than that, it's mostly things like FMVs freezing (apparently the Sakura Taisen remake jams during the intro FMV) or audio skipping or being entirely missing. There are a few worrying cases were save games occasionally don't work or, worse, corrupt.

Sony's first firmware update has apparently fixes a few bugs, but not all of them.

Zanza Hiro

11-11-2006, 02:14 PM

oh cool, thx for the info. you kno a lot Digi! i recommend either you, johnny or Yuzu for gaming forum mod /images/graemlins/sdsmiley.gif

gaming aside, i am very interesting in hearing how the PS3 functions as a bluray player. for example, i have a XBOX360 but don't use it to play DVD's. will the PS3 be a BluRay player i don't use cuz i have a stand alone or will it be strong enough to use for movie watching?

also will be interested in hearing thoughts on the PSP type OS. is a cool idea, putting music, pics and video on the PSP and being able to play them on a tv kinda like Window's Media or Apple's Frontrow. hoping for good reviews on it, am looking forward to putting anime and mp3's on it, desktops etc. it will be like an all in one combo console i can spend hrs on watching bluray movies, anime, listen to music, read newest manga chapters etc.

Johnny

11-11-2006, 02:14 PM

[ QUOTE ]
DiGiKerot said:
[ QUOTE ]
Zanza said:
eeep, not cool. i have a lot of PS2 games i'd like to still play so, i'm hoping backwards compatibility is 100%

it will be interesting to see what kind of glitches are reported with this first run

[/ QUOTE ]

Well, I suspect any of the four or five games which don't work on slimline PS2s (and there are a few) won't work either since it's likely to be the same chipset being used. Johnny may wish to be concerned since I've heard slimline PS2s have had some problems with Initial D:Special Stage...

[/ QUOTE ]

Yeah some guys on another forum have confirmed it's amongst the games that don't work. That's why I'm hoping my bulky PS2 stays alive for a good while yet (which it should given how well I treat it and the fact it's never *touch wood* given me any problems whatsoever).
But it's only a matter of time before the Arcade 4th Stage version is released on the PS3 and besides, I play the PSP version almost exclusively as it's based on an updated version of the arcade game from the one used in the PS2 game.

naiera

11-11-2006, 02:38 PM

[ QUOTE ]
DeadlyMessiah said:
Not surprised as the Sony fanboys are abundant in Japan. Hell, we already have idiots lining up here for next week. Talk about people not having lives.

[/ QUOTE ]

I don't think you're being very nice there. What makes you an idiot for wanting to play PS3 games as soon as possible? Not to mention watching Blu-Ray movies, which would be my main use of the console for a while if I got one now. If I had the money for a console, and could figure out what Blu-Ray region I wanted to be able to watch, I'd buy a PS3 ASAP.

Zanza Hiro

11-11-2006, 02:45 PM

yeah, i can understand how we might think lining up for a week is excessive and idiotic, but it really isn't. some people just really really like certain things, and don't mind sacrificing to have it right away

while i personally could not (notice i said could not, i actually think it would be kinda fun) to line up for a week for a PS3, it is just not possible with school or work. i admire the dedication tho, they are sacrificing a warm bed, good food etc. just to have a chance to get a PS3 at Launch. can't say they are idiots or have no lives for sacrificing for something they love and enjoy. at the end of the day, we are all just doing what we can to get by in this ridiculous ly boring RPG called life /images/graemlins/catgirl0.gif

p.s. too bad my life isn't a FPS, i'm studying right now, got a Boss Battle called Midterm on tues -_-

DiGiKerot

11-11-2006, 02:47 PM

[ QUOTE ]
Zanza said:
while i personally could not (notice i said could not, i actually think it would be kinda fun) to line up for a week for a PS3, it is just not possible with school or work. i admire the dedication tho, they are sacrificing a warm bed, good food etc. just to have a chance to get a PS3 at Launch. can't say they are idiots or have no lives for sacrificing for something they love and enjoy. at the end of the day, we are all just doing what we can to get by /images/graemlins/catgirl0.gif

[/ QUOTE ]

Honestly, after having to queue up for a week in the kind of conditions these people probably have to, I'd be too knackered for at least two or three days to actually enjoy playing the console /images/graemlins/sweat200.gif

ape2020

11-11-2006, 02:48 PM

[ QUOTE ]
Naiera said:
[ QUOTE ]
PandaPhil said:
Jeez. Fooking company under-produces their hot new console so that it sells out within the hour on release day and is almost impossible to find?!

[/ QUOTE ]

If they could've produced ten times what they were actually able to, it'd still have sold out and left thousands unhappy.

[/ QUOTE ]

Instead they cut it back even more to 80K and left millions unhappy. /images/graemlins/tongue.gif /images/graemlins/tongue.gif /images/graemlins/tongue.gif

-chimp1010

naiera

11-11-2006, 02:52 PM

I don't think they cut back; I think they put as many out on the Japanese market as they believed they could, seeing as they need a certain amount for the US.

jecca-neko

11-11-2006, 05:31 PM

[ QUOTE ]
PandaPhil said:
As I've said many times before, I'll stick to PC gaming thanks.

[/ QUOTE ]

All gaming has its issues though. PC gaming has the problem where if you're really into it you have to update your PC fairly regularly to keep up with the latest games.

Me, I'm an EXTREMELY casual PC gamer in so far as I typically only play the non-MMO RPGs. Thus, I manage to do crazy things like get away with not updating any of the hardware in my PC for the past 2 years but I'm still able to run Neverwinter Nights 2 decent. However, I HAD built my computer nearly top of the line 2 years ago...

Ahem. Anyway, I'm not surprised by this. I expect the PS3 launch in the US to be equally crazy. I do not envy the stores that will be getting them in when it comes Friday.

Elendil

11-11-2006, 05:58 PM

[ QUOTE ]
Naiera said:
[ QUOTE ]
DeadlyMessiah said:
Not surprised as the Sony fanboys are abundant in Japan. Hell, we already have idiots lining up here for next week. Talk about people not having lives.

[/ QUOTE ]

I don't think you're being very nice there. What makes you an idiot for wanting to play PS3 games as soon as possible? Not to mention watching Blu-Ray movies, which would be my main use of the console for a while if I got one now. If I had the money for a console, and could figure out what Blu-Ray region I wanted to be able to watch, I'd buy a PS3 ASAP.

[/ QUOTE ]

I think he meant the people who are standing in line in front of some store to get a PS3 are idiots. If you are missing school/work to stand in line for an entire week to buy a gaming console, then you might have a problem.

Suwako Moriya

11-11-2006, 06:03 PM

[ QUOTE ]
Zanza said:
oh cool, thx for the info. you kno a lot Digi! i recommend either you, johnny or Yuzu for gaming forum mod /images/graemlins/sdsmiley.gif

[/ QUOTE ]

Err even if offered, I think I'd pass on being a mod. Although it would bring a smile to see one of the gurus here suddenly get promoted. I can see it now "Well johnny I'm impressed by your dedication. You even built a time machine to buy the PS12. Thus you are now a gaming mod" /images/graemlins/sdsmiley.gif

As for the PS3. Hearing there are bugs and problems with the backwards compatibility just confirms to me that waiting off is a good thing. Either way I can hope that years down the road things are fixed. As I continue to work on my backlog. Which means I should be playing and not posting. Err maybe a bit later today or tomorrow.

Phil

11-12-2006, 12:55 AM

[ QUOTE ]
jecca-neko said:
[ QUOTE ]
PandaPhil said:
As I've said many times before, I'll stick to PC gaming thanks.

[/ QUOTE ]

All gaming has its issues though. PC gaming has the problem where if you're really into it you have to update your PC fairly regularly to keep up with the latest games.

Me, I'm an EXTREMELY casual PC gamer in so far as I typically only play the non-MMO RPGs. Thus, I manage to do crazy things like get away with not updating any of the hardware in my PC for the past 2 years but I'm still able to run Neverwinter Nights 2 decent. However, I HAD built my computer nearly top of the line 2 years ago...

[/ QUOTE ]

Same here. Got a pretty mediocre video card (GF 5700FX) but I've not had much trouble running games (at least as recently as Half-Life 2 and Doom 3)

We may not be cool like the PS3 kids, but at least we'll never have to stand in a long ass line to upgrade our video cards.

prismic

11-12-2006, 01:01 AM

first PS3's sold to scalpers (http://www.kotaku.com/gaming/top/foreigners-and-fights-ps3-jpn-launchs-dark-side-214130.php)

We all joke about this, but still kind of scary to see it come true.

Arcturus

11-12-2006, 02:33 AM

So, they sold both of them, did they?

Lego

11-12-2006, 04:59 AM

Kotaku had a really good post up on how most of the first PS3's were bought by Chinese people for Japanese salary men. No, I'm not pulling that out of my ass, go read it. It saddens me a little, but the same stuff happens over here.

naiera

11-12-2006, 05:42 AM

[ QUOTE ]
Elendil said:
I think he meant the people who are standing in line in front of some store to get a PS3 are idiots. If you are missing school/work to stand in line for an entire week to buy a gaming console, then you might have a problem.

[/ QUOTE ]

Knowing his views on Blu-Ray and the PS3 I think it's a bit more than just standing in line. I don't think that's all that dumb if you really want the console, but for Deadly Messiah it seems you're an idiot just for wanting a PS3.

lostnomad84

11-12-2006, 08:27 AM

[ QUOTE ]
Lego said:
Kotaku had a really good post up on how most of the first PS3's were bought by Chinese people for Japanese salary men. No, I'm not pulling that out of my ass, go read it. It saddens me a little, but the same stuff happens over here.

[/ QUOTE ]

The Kotaku article and even a Gamestop employee telling me last night, "People are buying the PS3 just to sell it on e-bay," make me question the actual demand of the console. I know there are hardcore gamers who want the console on day 1, but watching the video and pictures from Japan, I just really wonder what percentage of gamers are in that line and what percentage of the business men or paid Chinese workers are in line for the console. But it is really sad when the first PS3 was sold to a guy that didn't even care.

Johnny

11-12-2006, 08:40 AM

[ QUOTE ]
lostnomad84 said:
[ QUOTE ]
Lego said:
Kotaku had a really good post up on how most of the first PS3's were bought by Chinese people for Japanese salary men. No, I'm not pulling that out of my ass, go read it. It saddens me a little, but the same stuff happens over here.

[/ QUOTE ]

The Kotaku article and even a Gamestop employee telling me last night, "People are buying the PS3 just to sell it on e-bay," make me question the actual demand of the console. I know there are hardcore gamers who want the console on day 1, but watching the video and pictures from Japan, I just really wonder what percentage of gamers are in that line and what percentage of the business men or paid Chinese workers are in line for the console. But it is really sad when the first PS3 was sold to a guy that didn't even care.

[/ QUOTE ]

While it's true that people will be buying just to sell on eBay, all that Kotaku article is going to do is blow open the whole anti-Sony/PS3 thing all over again without actually being of any use to anyone.
I'm not denying that it happened, but I do not believe for one minute that the majority or anywhere near majority of Japanese PS3 sales were for the purpose of selling on. The majority of people that were in those queues were the hardcore who wanted their console on day one and the ones who will be playing them right now. Obviously I didn't ask every PS3 buyer in Japan and so don't have any hard evidence to back that up, but it goes without saying.
It's, IMO, not a very nice thing to be doing taking advantage of people to buy a console for you which you will sell on for a lot of profit, but there will be people who now believe that the majority of PS3 sales were done this way.

At the end of the day, it's all about supply and demand. Does it really matter that much if people are buying to sell on? Yes, it may hurt Sony's public image when Ken is shaking hands with a guy who doesn't even know why he's there aside from being able to make a couple thousand yen, but if the hardcore are willing to pay twice the amount for a launch console then people will equally be willing to queue all night to get one and make a tidy profit then it will happen.

For instance, there was no way of me getting a Japanese PS3 at launch unless I flew over and queued. I found one on eBay at twice the price and decided I'd pay it to get one so quickly. I was happy because I secured a launch unit, the guy who sold it to me was happy with his £300 profit and the way I see it it's fine.

Lego

11-12-2006, 08:49 AM

That pretty much hammers the point home. They wouldn't be doing this if people didn't buy it.

DiGiKerot

11-12-2006, 09:19 AM

[ QUOTE ]
johnny said:
For instance, there was no way of me getting a Japanese PS3 at launch unless I flew over and queued. I found one on eBay at twice the price and decided I'd pay it to get one so quickly. I was happy because I secured a launch unit, the guy who sold it to me was happy with his £300 profit and the way I see it it's fine.

[/ QUOTE ]

Well, you are happy with that, but the problem I see with the Kotaku article is that the minority of people really screwed things up for a lot of people. How would you feel if you had flown over and queued up only for some guy being paid to queue to push in in front of you and buy the last console?

The lack of organisation for this launch event has pretty much screwed up the console launch for a lot of people who'd only be able to afford one a retail price and may have been queuing for hours only for someone who doesn't care in the slightest to take advantage of the confusion and jump in. I know I'd be pissed, anyway.

I can't say its really Sonys fault or anything, but the fact that these things go on at console launches just frustrates me.

badasscat

11-12-2006, 09:32 PM

[ QUOTE ]
lostnomad84 said:
The Kotaku article and even a Gamestop employee telling me last night, "People are buying the PS3 just to sell it on e-bay," make me question the actual demand of the console.

[/ QUOTE ]

Somebody said this on another site I frequent and it didn't make any more sense there either.

Who do you think these middlemen are buying these consoles for? Do you think they're snatching them up, only to be unable to sell them? Why do you think they're getting bid up to $2,000 or $3,000 on Ebay? Are those just other middlemen? Are we just on an endless supply of middlemen, basically a console pyramid scheme?

The only reason these middlemen exist is because there is sufficient demand to enable them to operate. If the demand didn't exist, there wouldn't be enough profit potential. The fact that middlemen have muscled in on this deal suggests there is more demand, not less.

Gatts

11-12-2006, 09:37 PM

[ QUOTE ]
Jeff Williams said:
The fact that middlemen have muscled in on this deal suggests there is more demand, not less.

[/ QUOTE ]

Of course the supply problem inflates the demand.

badasscat

11-12-2006, 09:47 PM

[ QUOTE ]
Lego said:
Kotaku had a really good post up on how most of the first PS3's were bought by Chinese people for Japanese salary men. No, I'm not pulling that out of my ass, go read it.

[/ QUOTE ]

I read it, and I wouldn't suggest you are pulling it out of your ass, but I would suggest "Tokyo-based reader Dirk Benedict" probably is.

I'm not saying none of this happened. But he writes "Based on my observations of the first twenty PS3s sold at Bic Camera, they were all purchased by Chinese nationals,"

He also says "After making their purchase, television crews asked for interviews but all were declined."

Does this not raise any obvious red flags for you?

1. He personally witnessed the sale of all of the first 20 PS3's? How did he get such a prime viewing spot so close to the cash registers, and how was he able to watch them all?

2. He is able to discern a Chinese national by looks alone? He says he spoke to a few, but did he speak to all 20 of the first people in line post-purchase?

3. He personally knows that every single one of these people was asked for an interview, and that every single one of them declined? (And furthermore, that they all declined because they were Chinese?)

4. He is at one store in a heavily travelled area of the most populous city in Japan. This was a nationwide launch. Assuming his account is accurate (which it clearly isn't), was this also happening in Hokkaido? Fukuoka? Chiba? Is his larger point - that this was a failed launch based on what happened at one location in one city - at all valid even assuming his account is truthful?

He's writing what appear to be some clearly unreliable perceptions of one line at one store, and everybody takes his word as gospel. Why?

I think the photo at the top says it all, and actually serves to disprove the article. I see 2 old guys (who may or may not be Chinese) out of probably 50 people. I also see one western guy. The rest all look like pretty normal Japanese, although for all I know maybe they are all Chinese. Kinda doubt it, though; in fact, doesn't just saying that sound borderline paranoid? You're in Japan, you're in a big lineup of people who look like totally normal Japanese, yet because a few are Chinese, that means you must be in a sea of Chinese nationals? The whole thing just sounds really weird to me.

Lego

11-13-2006, 07:05 AM

I can see what you're getting at Jeff, and I agree big time. But I think the perception that the article gave opened the eyes to many of gamings faithful to what actually goes on at console launches. It happens in the US and Europe to, lets not forget that. Take a look at all of the PS3's up on Ebay at the moment.

indigo0086

11-13-2006, 09:03 AM

[ QUOTE ]
Jeff Williams said:
*snip*

[/ QUOTE ]

The true underlying point of the article was that Sony had the nerve to release the console in the one country they know it will sell out and create a ton of hype with so little units, plus he was dissapointed that there were no police there to organize the crowd given the nature of the release. The chinese men were the opening but towards the end he was pretty much criticizing the authorities and the store owners for not organizing the release.

Javan

11-13-2006, 09:40 AM

Is legal for a company to deliberately create product shortages in order to increase price and demand? Is it nothing more than market manipulation?

indigo0086

11-13-2006, 10:02 AM

[ QUOTE ]
Javan said:
Is legal for a company to deliberately create product shortages in order to increase price and demand? Is it nothing more than market manipulation?

[/ QUOTE ]

Bah, fanboys will always enjoy being raped by the companies they love. meanwhile those they abhor are giving free handies.

Rhodes

11-13-2006, 01:40 PM

its on Mandarake, 60 gig version.

ouch thats what 2+ times the cost?

Skywise

11-13-2006, 01:48 PM

NCSX is cheaper at $989. Not that that's exactly a bargain either.

Magus427

11-13-2006, 04:00 PM

[ QUOTE ]
Rhodes said:
its on Mandarake, 60 gig version.

ouch thats what 2+ times the cost?

[/ QUOTE ]

Cost of what? The Japanese retailers were given free reign to set the price of the 60GB unit to whatever they wanted to. The only one with a fixed price in Japan is 20GB unit.

-Magus

Skywise

11-13-2006, 04:23 PM

Japanese retailers set it to 60k yen.

Magus427

11-14-2006, 08:49 PM

Unofficial launch PS3 software sales from Famitsu:

http://www.kotaku.com/gaming/ps3/tally-up-them-sold-ps3s-214543.php

Reselling of 100 Japanese PS3s:

http://www.joystiq.com/2006/11/14/some-dude-is-reselling-100-ps3s-gonna-get-paid/

-Magus

beatmania

11-16-2006, 03:43 AM

[ QUOTE ]
Magus427 said:

Reselling of 100 Japanese PS3s:

http://www.joystiq.com/2006/11/14/some-dude-is-reselling-100-ps3s-gonna-get-paid/

-Magus

[/ QUOTE ]

Not gonna happen if this ahole bids on all of them.

http://page6.auctions.yahoo.co.jp/jp/auction/f48389592

Rhodes

11-16-2006, 11:43 AM

need yahoo jp id which i dont have nor know how to set up...

Chloe

11-16-2006, 01:48 PM

Johnny has valid points, but still, I see the real problem being Sony deciding to launch with only 80k units...or was it 100k? Either way, with the Nintendo launch set to go with 4 MILLION units, WTH was Sony thinking? I saw it mentioned in the BBC article mentioned lower down in the kotaku blog on that story that Sony was having component problems; if you know you have component problems, why are you launching??? /images/graemlins/stunned0.gif

I mean, I understand you want to hit the X-mas shopping season in the US say, but if you don't have the units to sell...why do it? That BBC article also went on to say this was one of the most critical launches in Sony's history, and that they didn't want to lose two X-mas seasons to Microsoft if they delayed it again. While I can understand the second part, I don't follow the gaming news enough to know what the deal on the first part is; why is this one so important for Sony?

I just don't understand why they would launch now, if they can't meet the demand. If they are going to be able to put a ton of units on the market in say 3-6 months then it might be good for them, but I really think hyping a system up and then forcing people to cool their heels for months is really, really bad PR.

Btw,just to show how clueless I am about gaming in general, when I first posted this I wrote "Kotatsu" instead of "Kotaku". Just brilliant. /images/graemlins/sweat000.gif

ape2020

11-16-2006, 02:43 PM

[ QUOTE ]
Kingmole said:
I mean, I understand you want to hit the X-mas shopping season in the US say, but if you don't have the units to sell...why do it? That BBC article also went on to say this was one of the most critical launches in Sony's history, and that they didn't want to lose two X-mas seasons to Microsoft if they delayed it again. While I can understand the second part, I don't follow the gaming news enough to know what the deal on the first part is; why is this one so important for Sony?

I just don't understand why they would launch now, if they can't meet the demand. If they are going to be able to put a ton of units on the market in say 3-6 months then it might be good for them, but I really think hyping a system up and then forcing people to cool their heels for months is really, really bad PR.

Btw,just to show how clueless I am about gaming in general, when I first posted this I wrote "Kotatsu" instead of "Kotaku". Just brilliant. /images/graemlins/sweat000.gif

[/ QUOTE ]

Sony is deep in the red.

-Their TV market has been taken over by the Chinese
-Their portable music market was lost to Apple's IPOD
-Their entertainment division movies and music is down
-They are sporting a black eye with the secret drm on music cds
-The massive battery recall and lawsuits
-The raging HD format war against HD-DVD
-Massive cost of developing Cell and Blu-ray
-Two fierce competitors in MS and Nintendo that have money to stick with it and both launching either earlier or at the same time as them this gen.

The big S needs this console to be a homerun plain and simple. They already game MS a lead by delaying the PS3 once. A lead MS showed it really need to get its shit together and is now starting to really shine. And while they are trying to dismiss NinnyT (like most everyone else in the media) I'm sure they don't want to give them a headstart too.

-chimp1010