Kotaku
If you've been looking for Wiis or Playstation 3s you've probably noticed they're not just sitting around, at least not that I can tell.
While shipments seem to be trickling in, I don't believe any store has either console just piled up.
I went to my local Best Buy Sunday night to buy an incredibly over-priced HDMI switcher for my PS3 and cable box and stopped in on the gaming section to check things out.
There obviously weren't any PS3s or Wiis around, and I sorta dreaded going up to the blue shirt to ask if any were in the back. I knew there weren't, but had to check, and expected a melting look of disdain when I asked.
Fortunately, the blue shirt had pity on me, just spewing out the next-gen console facts. Both flavors of 360s were readily available. The last Wii shipment the store received came in that very day, but sold out quickly. The last Playstation 3 shipment the store got was a "surprise shipment" that arrived a few days after the launch day and sold out immediatly.
While Best Buy was expecting more Wii in before Christmas, they weren't expecting any more PS3s, but the employee said they could always get more "surprise shipments" of Sony's console.
I suspect what this really means is that they don't plan on advertising PS3 stock because it's a trickle, but that they will be advertising Wii stock because enough are showing up to warrant the inevitable lines that form.
I asked how I was supposed to figure out when a PS3 was in the store for sale and she said, "if you see people running to the back of the store and shouting on their cell phones, we probably have Playstation 3s in stock."
Yeah, that or someone's robbing the place.
Comments
reminds me a lot like what happened during the ps2 launch.
I just got a call from Toys R Us here in Canada. I pre-ordered my 60 gig ps3 in April, and I got shafted at launch (they started pre-orders here in February). I was 18th in line when I placed my pre-order. I guess the second shipment came in but they could only offer me a 20 gig today. I reluctantly passed up the offer to wait for the 60 gig I had originally ordered. What can I say? I don't want wires running all over my apartment. I just hope that it doesn't mean I won't see one until 2007. Next week? Maybe?
please?
I had almost, verbatim, the exact same experience yesterday. Only I sucked it up, woke up around 6am and got to Best Buy for a three hour wait, where I was #17 in line to get one of the 52 Wii's they had received sometime Saturday and had held overnight because it was going to be advertised in the Sunday paper. And they said finding a PS3 at the store would be 100% blind luck because they weren't holding any overnight until Christmas Eve, if they even get them.
Well i can tell you : not in Europe :p
2 hours ago I checked EBGames online and they had the 20GB PS3's up for order, saying they expect a shipment by December 8th. So I think it's pretty much bunk that stores aren't getting any more shipments before Xmas - they're getting them, they just ain't saying so. They know people will find the PS3's without broadcasting the fact that they're getting them.
The Wii is a different story, as there's greater supply, so the lips will be a bit looser.
I camped at a gamestop in Monte Clair, Cali on black friday morning. They ended up getting 9 Wii's and 0 PS3's. Luckily I was third in line and got my Wii :)
Why did they even make the 20GB PS3 again? It seems everyone is trying to avoid it, taking it up as a consolation prize. A lot of people seem to be willing to shell out the $600.
Well one is at my house...I assume most have gone to houses!
I went to BB yesterday, maybe about 2 hours after they opened, only to find their latest Wii shipment had been sold out. The guy said they got 43 systems in.
Guess Ill have to try again next Sunday.
Im in the same situation as Ninjaball, waiting for my promised 9EB games9 preorder from launch. They had a couple of 20gbs in for a while but I dont want that crap I want my 60 gig, I need the wifi. So I could of been had it but am waiting hopefully for this week to get it...but I cant even find a wii I dont know what happened to that black friday rumor that all stores were holding back ps3's and wiis for the friday but they weren't I went to target that morning for the 6 o clock opening and they had none. Who knows when Ill get either one.
Where have they gone? ebay, that's where.
!! I was lucky enough to pick up a Wii this past saturday, although i wasn't counting on it...
I went to a Toys'r'Us that had no Wiis, and a crummy selection of DS games, (which was my initial intent for going shopping that day). When i went to the EB games inside the mall across the street, it seems that they had received stock while I was there (and was purchasing NSMB for the DS). After i shove the copy NSMB into my knapsack a seperate line has started and I go stand in line after considering just leaving (and im glad I didnt). I was sixth in their line and then had a seperate cash register just for Wii shoppers. The line quickly grew to at least 15 ppl, and they had over 20 apparently. However they were out of the nunchuncks, which frightened the elderly couple in front of me (since they really had no idea what they were doing).
I shoved the Wii and a copy of Zelda into my knapsack after once again emptying my debit card at EB. The wii is now sitting in my apartment bedroom in its box tempting me, but i plan to wrap it and give it to my younger brother for christmas. Ive opened it once just to see and feel the system for myself. I had no idea that there were USB ports in it until i saw them myself.
Anyways, im pretty sure EB sold out within an hour, mayber two, but it seems as if they are expected to get shimpemts like this on a regular basis. (Where is Kotaku's EB games' spies with this info?)
Why did they even make the 20GB PS3 again?
They made it for those that only want to buy the PS3 for Final Fantasy XIII. In fact, the only people i know that are considering the purchase of the PS3 are only doing it for that one sexy reason.
Really though if you don't need the wifi, then why not get the 20gb version? Since they are upgradeable, save yourself the $100 and take that and buy a 320gb Western Digital hard drive!
Why did they even make the 20GB PS3 again?
Don't forget the HD video crowd. Since it's now got HDMI, there's no reason to get the 60GB if you only plan to play Blu-Ray on it. (As a lurker on an A/V forum, more than a few people are interested in the PS3 solely for that reason. Games? What games?)
Why did they even make the 20GB PS3 again?
I ask that same question, it would of made since to stick with one configuration and go mid price of both $550. But some dude at eb was all happy because he scored a 20gb that no one wanted so he could put it on ebay, which prolly wont do so well seeing that the numbers have dropped really low profit wise. but for an intial statement of sony saying that there would be more 60s than 20s it seems the other way around because twice when the eb dudes said that they were getting my 60gb shipment they got in 20gbs instead, so I dont know whats the deal now.
Where have all the PS3's and Wii's gone? Well Wii's are flying off the shelves because smart people are purchasing smart technology, not FORCED technology. The PS3's are disappearing cuz the Wii is simply consuming them for nourishment (although I don't know how healthy that can be.)
Nintendo World Store in NYC seems to have them daily shipped in.
But if you get there after 11pm - it's less likely to get one by just walking in.
I've scored 3 consoles there.
One for myself, and two for XMAS gifts.
Good luck finding one man!
No wonder connections are so inconsistent with online gaming. Does everyone use crappy wireless connections?
Between 54Mbps (or less) and encryption (which you should be using), you're wasting our time. Go wired already. Leave the wireless gaming to the DS and the PSP.
@SuicideNinja
Yea I would go that route if I wanted a 100 plus foot cord going thru my house to connect to my router that's next to my pc not near my tv, I use the wireless adapter for the 360 and no one complains and it never really shows lag.
You can count me among those who will probably only be getting a PS3 for FFXIII... but even then, I'll be waiting until the 20GB is well under $200. I'll just have to find sometime to do with my time over the next decade before that happens.
I guess I'll just be playing with my Wii (obligatory horrible Wii pun.)
Yeah the WiFi was the decision maker for me as well. I was REALLY tempted to take the 20 gig when asked today though.
The same woman that called today told me two days ago that they didn't expect any until Christmas. I think the corporate headquarters of the big-box stores are sending out "cover our asses" scripts to be read to anyone calling in. And who can blame them? I want my PS3 but I'll never pretend that this launch has gone anything other than piss-poorly.
Wasn't Nintendo intending on doing weekly shipments of the Wii up until Xmas?
Although, over at nintendo_wii on LJ, there have been a few reports of stores having a few Wiis left over from Black Friday. I don't think I believe that, but they're saying it.
OK, but about the Wii, has anyone ever heard of Wal-Mart taking rainchecks? I called and they said they were getting 5 Wiis in today but they had 11 rainchecks so these were already taken. That's pretty lame.
My wife just called to tell me she had a 20 gig in her hand over at Toys R Us and that they had three or four more sitting there. I managed an ebgames pre-sell for the 20 last week and just canceled it. I'm going to stop at target after work and pick up a couple of GAMES OF MY CHOICE! I have now shed the shame of bending over for the dreaded online bundle. Newark, Ca. store by the way.
A Best Buy in my hometown 18 Wii on Sunday. Good thing I was home for the holidays. The blue shirt said they had only gotten 5 PS3 in since launch day, but they didn't put them on the shelf. People had to ask for them.
So don't be ashamed. ASK!
Why did they even make the 20GB PS3 again?
I have an answer too! It's one of those marketing principles. People are more willing to pay more for a "premium" version of something, anything, if there is a cheaper "basic" version available for them to turn down.
HAHAHA Sony,
underdelivering and calling it Suprise Shipments
Just go to the Nintendo World Store in New York like I did. They don't have any Wiis but they seem to have more than enough of every type of Wii controller.. Oh and cables. What was Nintendo thinking? I want a S-Video cable!
I walked into Super Target around 1:00pm and they had 3 PS3s sitting on the shelf. I bought one, it's on Ebay right now. :)
I'm a stocker at costco and we've received about 3 pallets of wii's versus 0 ps3.
Go fuck yourself, superbad.
Need one?
http://img243.imageshack.us/img243/9179/picture003sw8mn8.j...
Yeah, I'm pretty sure nobody's gonna be 'hiding' them now that Black Friday is over.
Man, I was apprehensive at first. But as the days tick by and Wiis are nowhere to be found, spending $350 for one on eBay seems smarter daily. Now, if I could only find some damn nunchuks...
Anyone who buys from ebay is stupid. And people who sell ps3s and wii on ebay should be slapped along with their parents. Any parents who raised evil money vultures who feed off other people's misey should be ashamed for their failure of parenthood.
Superbad shows what the ebay culture of today is to make quite buck at expense of others. Anyone who buys from them on ebay is stupid. I hope superbad gets what he deserves and it isn't money.
My BB store received 52 Wiis that were held for the Sunday ad, and had more than 200 people waiting when the store open. No idea when the next shipment will be, but likely to see one by the end of the week. As for PS3...we also received a "surprise shipment" last Wednesday. About 15 minutes before we opened, a semi-panicked manager came to me and we rushed together a table of games and accessories. 26 total systems, gone in about an hour. I doubt if either system will see an advertised amount until they can meet demand.
...long time passing, where have all the ps3 & wiis gone, long time ago...
50 (useless) points to those who get the reference.
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