It is coming. I know I keep saying this, but I am the only person that we have that knows editing, and I have been pulled in eight different directions all this current semester. Thought My goal is to have it up during this holiday break.
Now if you notice this title refers to both the delayed episode three and a fourth episode. The fourth episode is about the Playstation 3 and Wii launches. All of the SBN team had a hand in this episode. Kyle, Porter, Ryan Russell, Kat, Joe, The guys from F.I.I.K. (WARNING: 17+ Content), and more people.
Before I go into the launches of each system, I want to mention a really great website I ran across today. NexGenWars.com is keeping tally of worldwide system sales of the 360, PS3, and Wii. They keep the site updated as soon as they get information.
As you can see above the numbers do sway for Microsoft, but keep in mind that they have been out for a year. Now on to my thoughts of the launches.
Playstation 3
People got in line to get the $499/$599 system (depending where you were in line) 36 hours before the launch of the system. From the looks of the six stores we covered, Best Buy had more systems per store with an average of 25. Stores seemed to have this worked out pretty well. First come first serve was the way systems were given out. Apparently the Best Buy in Novi, MI has a problem...They had over a thousand people to get 28 systems. They raffled off tickets to see who got the consoles. This did not go over well. Police and from what we hear...even the Swat team had to be deployed out there to control the crowd.
Other than that, we heard of no major problems in the area. This is not saying that there were not problems. On CNN's website, they had stories of people getting mugged and shot while waiting in line. At a Wal-Mart, some genius thought it would be a great idea that they people that want a chair to wait for 24 hours for the fabled PS3, should run a 50 yard dash to the chairs. One guy ran into a POLE! I hope the person who smoked up that idea got fired.
There seemed to be a 50/50 mix of people who wanted the system for them self and people who wanted the system so they could turn a profit on eBay. A Playstation 3 went as high as, and no I am not kidding, $15,000.00 USD. I often wonder who has the money to spend that they could afford paying 25 times the amount of the MSRP! Then I realize that it would not matter in the long run and move on. Still though, it still needs to be asked....Who needs a PS3 that bad? I am sure that a lot of people could wait.
On a final note, I want to talk about the numbers launched in North America. First their total was cut to 100,000 in Japan and 400,000 in North America. Just before the Japan launch they announced that they can only ship 80,000 in Japan, but still confirming the 400,000 in North America. Two-three days before the system was launched here Gamestop announced that they would not be able to fill all of the preorders for the PS3. To be honest, I thought that this was Gamestop's fault not Sony's. I was wrong. Sony only sent an unconfirmed 200,000 systems for the North America launch. This is what caused the low(er) numbers everywhere. This is possibly why the prices went so high on eBay, but the big question is lingering after the launch. Namely, how is this going to effect Sony in the long run? Also, was the Blu-Ray worth the trouble. Time will tell us the answers to both of these question. Until then, if you are one that is wanting a Playstation 3, happy hunting and I wish you luck on finding one. Keep in mind that if you can afford it, eBay is always open.
Wii
To be honest, Nintendo needs this. They need to make up ground lost while the Playstation 2 and Xbox had their run during the last generation. Is Nintendo doing things right?
Simple answer.....Yes.
Nintendo enters this generation like it did the last...being the cheapest of the three. Besides that they are taking the proverbial road less traveled, and have steered away from the "HD era" that Sony and Microsoft claim is here, and focused on a new way to play the game.
The launch of the Wii showed that if you supply it, they will buy it. Coming out two days after the Playstation 3 hurt the Wii launch in one way. Retailers expected the same violence that they saw two nights before. There was none to be had compared to the PS3 launch. The stores did a first come first serve for the people waiting in line for the Wii.
Meijer in Canton, MI was a different matter. Friday night, those who arrived between the hour of 11:00pm and 12:00am were given a ballot to fill out. Then they chose names out of a hat to see who got the seats to wait for the Wii.
Yes you read that correctly. They raffled the chance to wait for a Wii in the layaway department of that Meijer. Fifteen "lucky" people were picked for the spots and they picked five extra in case any of the fifteen left early. Granted that you were allowed to get up to go to the bathroom and grab food, they just stated that you could not leave for no more than 15 minutes at a time.
After a few calls to corporate, The manager came around 9:00 am to try to solve the situation. The disagreement was peaceful, no insults were exchanged and no violence. The manager could not help but to relate this to the Playstation launch. (On a side note, she kept calling it the Playstation 2). So this could be the reason she said she could have use escorted off the property by the police. We will probably never know why she felt threatened. After about a half hour of open discussion a lot of us realized that it was more of a communication error and felt better about the situation, but still disagreed with the choosing process.
For the time, the people waiting in line and their friends who where offering them moral support interacted with everybody else. Multiplayer DS games were being played. One person bought a copy of Monopoly. Kyle regaled us with a story about once an hour. Come about 12:30pm, the manager announced that we could get wristbands and go home, and come back around 11:30pm. This allowed all of us to get some sleep. Well by all I mean everyone but me. I had prior commitments.
In the half hour before the launch, the people with wristbands came back. They got the systems with no problem. Surprisingly, they had no copies of Zelda, and no extra Wiimotes or nunchucks. Rainchecks where given to the people who bought the system for the deal they were offering with the Wiimote. The deal offered those who bought a Wii and an extra Wiimote a free nunchuck attachment. A $19.99 value!
Stores had more Wiis and the launch went off without a hitch. Many Target stores had over 80 Wiis. Best Buy in Novi had something in the range of 100-110. The system sold out on day one and it has been hard to the accessories for the console.
Final Thoughts
Sony has seemed to stumble with the launch of their Playstation 3 system. They had the hype, but in the end it is their own cocky attitude that is driving them into the ground. They are losing once exclusive titles such as Grand Theft Auto. They are losing money because they are trying to force a new format on to the market. As time goes on, the Playstation 3 is look less like the system to get. They are trying to do too many things while not focusing on making one thing right on the system, Microsoft is focused on the online aspect and have a great online service. Nintendo is focusing on how the game is played and is changing the way one thinks about games with a well thought out controller.
To those trying to find a PS3, all I can suggest is that you memorize the phone numbers to the stores, and call them often. Though if you are looking for a Wii, wait until this Friday, the day after Thanksgiving. Apparently, Best Buy along with a few other stores are holding what systems the are getting so they have enough to advertise that they have the system. With reports coming in of the second shipments already sent out from both Sony and Nintendo, I don't see any reason not to believe this.
On a side note I just want to add that I feel that our fourth episode will be in two parts due to the amount of footage we have. Work on this will be started Monday.
--Keith Dotson
