Getting a PS3 might be easier than you thought. Despite some stores having started their pre-orders the day after E3, the majority of retailers have held off.
Following the launch date announcement SPOnG decided to speak to everyone we could think of to ascertain what your chances are of pre-ordering a PS3. The answer we came up with is "good".
Although some specialist outlets already have pre-order ‘systems’, none of the non-specialist retailers have started with it yet.
GameStation commenced pre-orders shortly after the PS3 launch was announced for November (go ahead - take a moment to chuckle). When the launch was pushed back, however, it received a large number of cancellations. There's no word from head office yet on the official pre-order line, but SPOnG's local store believes that first dibs will go to the remaining few on those lists. But, as the list has shrunk considerably, expect GameStation to be taking more orders.
Game, on the other hand, doesn't have any official pre-orders as yet. What it does have are long lists of people who want a PS3 and will be contacted as soon as Game gets its allocation figures. So if you're not one of the people on the list, don't expect a PS3 on launch day from Game.
Every other outlet on our list, which included Woolworths, Toys R Us, HMV, Virgin Megastores, Dixons, Currys and PC World, is expecting to start taking orders in the next few days. Retailers, it seems, have learnt their lesson from the 360 and the Wii, and are waiting for a better idea of their allocation before they start taking orders.
If, however, you don't fancy putting in a pre-order you could always head down to your local ASDA on March 23rd. They will not be taking pre-orders, so every console that hits its stores will be up for grabs. Whether you'll need riot gear or you'll be able to send your granny armed only with her Zimmer frame remains to be seen.
Are you ordering a PS3? Do you want to kill SPOnG for the mere suggestion? Let us know in the Forum.
Following the launch date announcement SPOnG decided to speak to everyone we could think of to ascertain what your chances are of pre-ordering a PS3. The answer we came up with is "good".
Although some specialist outlets already have pre-order ‘systems’, none of the non-specialist retailers have started with it yet.
GameStation commenced pre-orders shortly after the PS3 launch was announced for November (go ahead - take a moment to chuckle). When the launch was pushed back, however, it received a large number of cancellations. There's no word from head office yet on the official pre-order line, but SPOnG's local store believes that first dibs will go to the remaining few on those lists. But, as the list has shrunk considerably, expect GameStation to be taking more orders.
Game, on the other hand, doesn't have any official pre-orders as yet. What it does have are long lists of people who want a PS3 and will be contacted as soon as Game gets its allocation figures. So if you're not one of the people on the list, don't expect a PS3 on launch day from Game.
Every other outlet on our list, which included Woolworths, Toys R Us, HMV, Virgin Megastores, Dixons, Currys and PC World, is expecting to start taking orders in the next few days. Retailers, it seems, have learnt their lesson from the 360 and the Wii, and are waiting for a better idea of their allocation before they start taking orders.
If, however, you don't fancy putting in a pre-order you could always head down to your local ASDA on March 23rd. They will not be taking pre-orders, so every console that hits its stores will be up for grabs. Whether you'll need riot gear or you'll be able to send your granny armed only with her Zimmer frame remains to be seen.
Are you ordering a PS3? Do you want to kill SPOnG for the mere suggestion? Let us know in the Forum.
Companies:
Sony
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Comments
Showing the 20 most recent comments. Read all 22.
tyrion 25 Jan 2007 13:35
3/22
SCiARA wrote:
Also, all said they would be pushing packages as opposed to selling on its own.
A sign of slim margins on the console hardware. Weren't retailers doing the same thing with the 360 when it launched, or was that just in the US?
Anyway, as long as you get to choose the games you want bundled, it's not too much of a bad thing. I'd like to get Motorstorm and Project 8, maybe Blazing Angels, but I think I want to avoid Genji. I can see a Motorstorm bundle being a popular one for retailers to push so I may have a chance of getting what I want.
SCiARA 25 Jan 2007 13:38
4/22
yer 360 was bundle orientated. I'm guessing they will go with a popular game, not so popular game and extra controller for about £510ish
more comments below our sponsor's message
schnide 25 Jan 2007 13:45
5/22
SCiARA wrote:
I work near a retail park that has Curry's, Comets, Toys R us and PC World. I've asked all about the PS3 release today and all said the same thing.
I don't think Toys R Us is going to be where the majority of them are sold, this isn't a low-priced Wii we're talking about here.
This is £425 cutting-edge technology (on the consumer level anyway). There hasn't been a clear launch date or price for some time now up until today, so see what happens closer to the launch date.
I don't remember a Wii frenzy two months before launch either, and I certainly don't remember it for the 360..
majin dboy 25 Jan 2007 13:56
6/22
sciara il add u on my 360,do u have room on ur friend list. im have the same gamertag as i do spong username.
SCiARA 25 Jan 2007 14:06
7/22
schnide wrote:
This is £425 cutting-edge technology (on the consumer level anyway). There hasn't been a clear launch date or price for some time now up until today, so see what happens closer to the launch date.
I don't remember a Wii frenzy two months before launch either, and I certainly don't remember it for the 360..
1st and foremost its a games machine.
SCiARA 25 Jan 2007 14:08
8/22
majin dboy wrote:
sciara il add u on my 360,do u have room on ur friend list. im have the same gamertag as i do spong username.
I'm not on live at the mo as i'm swapping ISP, add me anyway and i can accept through xbox.com.
hopefully back on in a couple of weeks
SCiARA 25 Jan 2007 16:20
9/22
tyrion 25 Jan 2007 18:54
10/22
SCiARA wrote:
http://www.play.com/Games/PlayStation3/4-/1032615/Sony_Playstation_3_PS3_Console_With_60GB_HDD_3_Games/Product.html
They've had that up for so long it used to have SingStar as one of the games!
SPInGSPOnG 25 Jan 2007 21:19
11/22
tyrion wrote:
http://www.play.com/...
FFS, who wrote this crap.
An illiterate Play employee wrote:
PS3 is the most advanced computer system that serves as a platform to enjoy next generation computer entertainment contents in the home, realized through the combination of Cell and RSX processors, in addition to the playability of a vast catalog of PlayStation and PlayStation 2 software titles.
That says that the PS3 is the most advanced system that uses a Cell processor. Maybe because it's the only one!!!!
A retard Play employee wrote:
Having Giga-bit Ethernet and a pre-installed hard disk drive (HDD) as standard in PS3, users will be able to download a variety of contents as well as access on-line games and services over the network.
That says that users will have a pre-installed hard drive. I bet they won't.
A f**kwit wrote:
The new controller for PS3 has been created by refining and improving the world's most popular PlayStation controller which has shipped more than several hundred million units worldwide.
more than several hundred million.
more than several hundred million.
Could they be any more precise?
Play are a bunch of idiots wrote:
The controller for PS3 employs a high-precision, highly sensitive six-axis sensing system
That'll be the X, the Y, the Z, and the... the what other three axes, exactly?
F**k off and die you Play c**ts wrote:
By applying this technology, it will become possible to freely control the PS3 system over the network.
WTF? Just. WHAT THE F**K?
We've got a page, and we're gonna write on it. Unfortunately, we don't have a clue.
Has anyone noticed how bad Play suck at selling anything but CDs and DVDs that steal hospitals and schools from the UK? If you want to buy a Plasma TV from them, you can't sort or filter by screen size. Or order by price. Nice!!!
SCiARA 26 Jan 2007 08:45
12/22
Yes, with HD-DVD's they are adamant that its region locked. Even emaild me to tell me so:
"Regional Encoding Information
The same regional encoding will apply on HD DVD's as with the standard SD DVD's.
The HD DVD format for the UK and Europe is Region 2. Therefore, any HD DVD player bought in Europe, which is not specified as Multi-Regional, will play R2 discs, as they are intended specifically for the European market.
HD Region 1 DVDs are intended for the USA and Canada, and will not play on your HD DVD player unless it has been specifically modified to play all regions. Please ensure that you are aware of your HD DVD player's capability before placing your order.
Kind regards
Email Support Team
Play"
t**ts
"Regional Encoding Information
The same regional encoding will apply on HD DVD's as with the standard SD DVD's.
The HD DVD format for the UK and Europe is Region 2. Therefore, any HD DVD player bought in Europe, which is not specified as Multi-Regional, will play R2 discs, as they are intended specifically for the European market.
HD Region 1 DVDs are intended for the USA and Canada, and will not play on your HD DVD player unless it has been specifically modified to play all regions. Please ensure that you are aware of your HD DVD player's capability before placing your order.
Kind regards
Email Support Team
Play"
t**ts
config 26 Jan 2007 10:06
13/22
Rod Todd wrote:
Play are a bunch of idiots wrote:
The controller for PS3 employs a high-precision, highly sensitive six-axis sensing system
That'll be the X, the Y, the Z, and the... the what other three axes, exactly?
Yup, three axes it is.
No doubt the six refers t movement along each axis, X, Y and Z, plus the rotation about the axes, better know as pitch, roll and yaw.
schnide 26 Jan 2007 10:37
14/22
SCiARA wrote:
1st and foremost [PS3 is] a games machine.
No it isn't, you're thinking solely as a gamer, and as you might have already guessed, Sony doesn't care about you as much as you wish it did.
Nintendo is sidestepping the hardcore gamer market altogether and reaching out to an audience who didn't necessarily play games before.
Which leaves Microsoft as the ones striving to please the old gaming market, and people such as yourself. They may well be doing a good job of it.
But games machines are moving out of your bedroom, and the market's moving on.
SCiARA 26 Jan 2007 10:41
15/22
schnide wrote:
But games machines are moving out of your bedroom, and the market's moving on.
i've heard this since the Sega Saturn days
schnide 26 Jan 2007 10:42
16/22
SCiARA wrote:
schnide wrote:
But games machines are moving out of your bedroom, and the market's moving on.
i've heard this since the Sega Saturn days
My Sega Saturn plays DVDs as well as games?
Quick, power mine up! Who else knew!?
SCiARA 26 Jan 2007 10:53
17/22
S**t on a stick you’re a funny one...
I’m not even gonna bother replying the obvious to this.
I’m not even gonna bother replying the obvious to this.
schnide 26 Jan 2007 11:06
18/22
SCiARA wrote:
S**t on a stick you’re a funny one...
I’m not even gonna bother replying the obvious to this.
I’m not even gonna bother replying the obvious to this.
Oh okay, then let me continue. The Sega Saturn existed in the early days of disc-based media. While VCD's were available for both the Saturn and the Playstation, neither widely promoted their use.
However, it was the Playstation which brought gaming to the masses and - regardless of whether you think that's a good or a bad thing - made it socially acceptable and common to have a gaming machine underneath your TV.
The Playstation turned Sony into the gaming brand that leads commercially today.
The Playstation 2 was aided by and furthered the use of DVD and became both a games machine and a DVD player for many people.
The Playstation 3 has gaming, DVD and Blu-Ray facilities as well as other media. It is now more than ever aiming to be the centre of the living room.
If Microsoft had launched the Xbox 360 with a HD-DVD player built in, they would not be so worried about the launch of the PS3.
Gaming, my friend, has moved out of the bedroom.
You'll no doubt be pleased that it is actually happening this time.
SCiARA 26 Jan 2007 11:13
19/22
you have your views i have mine, i'm not going to get into another Sony this Sony that debate. Its so boring.
schnide 26 Jan 2007 11:14
20/22
SCiARA wrote:
you have your views i have mine, i'm not going to get into another Sony this Sony that debate. Its so boring.
Okay, that's fine by me.
I'll shout you downstairs when your dinner's ready.
;)
config 26 Jan 2007 11:16
21/22
schnide wrote:
SCiARA wrote:
1st and foremost [PS3 is] a games machine.
No it isn't, you're thinking solely as a gamer, and as you might have already guessed, Sony doesn't care about you as much as you wish it did.
No way. Right now, Sony cares very much about the gamer. The PlayStation division has been buoyant throughout the past turbulence its home electronics arm has endured.
It understands that gamers are the primary supporters of PS3, and it's acceptance into homes is by the grace of gamers. Gamers are Sony's means to getting its HD entertainment hub (PS3, obv) into those homes, with the aim of establishing Sony and Blu-Ray as the dominant entertainment delivery platform. The company also understands that, as a gaming device primarily, it will fail unless it flanked by an army of top quality games.
Just like Microsoft, but with less of the cloak and dagger (and appendage-free HD disc playback).
schnide 26 Jan 2007 11:53
22/22
config wrote:
schnide wrote:
SCiARA wrote:
1st and foremost [PS3 is] a games machine.
No it isn't, you're thinking solely as a gamer, and as you might have already guessed, Sony doesn't care about you as much as you wish it did.
No way. Right now, Sony cares very much about the gamer.
Don't get me wrong, I'm not saying that Sony doesn't care about the gamer at all but it's not going to the lengths that Microsoft are to please them.
At least what I mean is, Sony is at least concerned with casual gamers as it is with the hardcore, whereas Microsoft is largely targeting the former.
Sony in the meantime are (as we've both said) fully aware that Blu-Ray is another application of the PS3 and it's not just gamers who are going to be buying it for that, so it needs to look after the massmarket as well.
I think our work is done here..