Wow, that's really stretching it.

The bottom line is this - if there were only one production run and it was only available that one release day then yes... it would be rare. However it will be made in abundance and will be clogging the shelves for years to come. So no, it will definitely not be rare. Release day will not be the only opportunity to pick one up.

Desperation to be the first to own something does not mean that the item is rare. It just means there are a lot of suckers out there.

True. As a former collector of action figures, I know all about limited runs from producers that do nothing but create a feeding frenzy at secondary market prices.

I think ebay should put some kind of hold on systems just launched or really hot items. Make it so you can't sell them till they have been out for a little while. It's rediculous all the people buying to resell. I was talking to a friend who works for KB toys and he said one person had all their preorders on the new Elmo. All 15 of em. My girl works at a gamestore and hasn't had one preorder who said they actually wanted the system. I hope it backfires big time. After all, this is a $500-$600 system to begin with. Thanks to everyone who will keep actual gamers from getting a PS3 this year.

You can't rape the willing.



That is one of the most common responses and also quite possibly the most asinie. So you are saying a non-gamer is going to be the one picking up these systems at $1000+? For what? A door stopper? Get real. If actual gamers aren't paying that price, who is?

In fact that statement is completely ass-backwards. Anyone willing to spend more than the SRP I view as MORE of a hardcore gamer than one who is willing to wait.

Why doesn't ebay just throw millions of dollars in a barrel and burn it while there at it because thats what they would be doing to themselves. They want to sell as many items on ebay, as fast as possible, for the most money as possible.

I wouldn't go that far. I bet more than half of the sells of limited consoles on e-bay during the november/december period are just rich people buying them for their spoiled brat kids who want them for X-mas.

I bet if this was launching with the same number in March, demand wouldn't be quite as bad, as I think more of it is "got to have it for x-mas" than hardcore gamers that just have to have the system now (though there are plenty of those).

Right. I'm just pointing out the fallacy of the following statement that I have seen on numerous boards:
Saying someone who spends $1000+ won't be using it is absurd. A gamer will get it, albeit a gamer with deeper pockets than the gamer that wants to spend $600. The system will end up in a gamers hand regardless of price.

I didn't know whether to comment on this or the little dig at Josh and his phd.

I briefly considered reserving one and reselling it on ebay since i easily could have taken a half day and gotten in on one (my local EB had 16 pre-orders, a few showed up at open and the last one was taken an hour after open). Then i remembered that even though it is the US and it is indeed based on capitalist principles i don't necessarily need to buy into that ideaology.

That being said i am amused by the suckers who pay ridiculous amounts of money to have it NOW NOW NOW versus when they will be freely available. The feeding frenzy with the 360 was just as amusing.

Sony should just price the system at $1,500 and cut out the middle man if that's what people are willing to pay.

Of course then companies might not be willing to release games for a system that expensive, but they can always drop the price after Christmas.

Oh I know and agree. I just disagree with the extra assertion than those that pay $1000 are more hardcore than those that can only afford it at retail price and will camp out to get one.

I think most of the ebay purchases are for x-mas presents (so its parents spoiling their kids, rather than hardcore gamers buying them directly) or just lazy rich people that have to have every new toy and may only play games casually.

But you're right, obviously who ever buys them at either price will be gamers, I just don't agree with the logic that thosw willing to pay $1000s are more hardcore.

Why? Why should eBay not be allowed to make money just because (a) Sony is (and some say purposefully) holding back on their initial release numbers on launch date and (b) some people are stupid and just have to have a new item NOW, no matter what the cost? If eBay doesn't take the auctions, there's enough other sites that will, not to mention other ways of selling that will bring in just as much money. This isn't an obscure item that only 3 people want, it's one of the top 10 new items this year in electronics and toys, and you're going to have a horde of buyers no matter what venue you use.


Sounds like whomever allowed that person to get away with it needs to be reprimanded, and the person's reserves need to be cancelled for all but one. Gamestop / EB is only allowing one reserve of a PS3 per person per household across their entire chain, so I don't see why one little KB Toys can't recognize the same greaseball has all 15 of one item reserved at their store.


I'd like to see it backfire also, but seeing as how the initial planned release dropped from 4 million units to about 200,000, and Japan is hardly getting any and Europe is getting none, that's not going to happen.


Well, thanks to Sony and their usual piss-poor launch strategy, those "actual gamers" that want to have a PS3 this year and can't wait until next year when they'll be all over the place are the reason why this system is going to be fetching around $1500 or more on eBay.

Yeah, I didn't really buy that when I typed it. I was thinking of all the parents out there willing to drop a G on their kids for Christmas, which is fucking absurd. Because no doubt, that won't be the only thing they get. I can't imagine a parent only having 1 box to open under the tree.

The more i think about this post the funnier it is becoming. You sir should get some bonus gamer and/or mod points for bringing the funny. I actually had someone ask me what i was laughing about at the computer screen.

i can't believe this prices on ebay.
that justifies the 200am wakeup and 230am campout.

screw the getting up up 1:00am 3 days before they hit the shelves in order to get in line, just buy a gun and hit the stores at 10:00am on the 17th. its much easier that way, plus you don't have to front the 600.00 per system.

I saw one drop for 1900 last night, and be bought.

Are they getting worse? I haven't looked yet.

Man, you guys suck.

I'll be sure to compain even more now just to annoy you pricks.

Has that 200k number been confirmed? That last "official" number I saw was 400k - then on the wikipedia (source of all things true) I read 200k, but no source was cited.

I've not seen confirmation of the 200K number either. It could be the US alotment, as it is 400K for North America.

But I'd be shocked if Mexico and Canada get 50% of the NA units.

i'm going to open it and play the damn thing

yeah, I'd be surprised there too. With less than 20% of the US population, getting 50% of the shipment up North(back home)? Seems unlikely.

someone should try to track the total # of PS3s that end up on ebay. I would love to see how many of the total shipment end up there.

I will put in a preorder, but I'm not waiting in line or going to sell it on Ebay. If I get it now, I'll be happy if not I'll just wait.

Sorry, brain fart there. I meant to say 400k. GS told me an original allotment of 2 mil for the US, and that dropped to 400k.