GameStop inconclusive about PS3 pre-orders
by Nick Doerr 
{ Oct 2nd 2006 at 10:30AM }
Last week, I went to GameStop to pick up a fresh copy of Valkyrie Profile 2: Silmeria and while I was there, asked about pre-ordering a Playstation 3. I got a clever smirk and "isn't that the popular question this month?" It sure is. The manager of the store told me there was a meeting in Texas to discuss the PS3 preorder crisis that weekend and now, we have our answer. Which is no answer.That's right. GameStop hasn't decided whether or not to do the preorder crisis for the PS3, remembering the 360 shortage and the insanity that followed. Selling out of both the PS3 and Wii is practically guaranteed, so they're... waiting to decide. This pretty much means they won't take preorders. Get out your tents, Sony and Nintendo fanboys! There's going to be a camp-off come launch day for both of us.
Reader Comments (Page 1 of 1)
turtleboy @ Oct 2nd 2006 10:42AM
No need to camp out for me. My gamecrazy store took my preorder. I'm number one on the list. It helps to work at Hollywood video. Oh wait that's a preorder for the Wii not the ps3. Sony sent a memo to gamecrazy weeks ago telling them they were only going to sell to big retail stores. So I guess you ps3 fanboys will be camping out because the ps3 can't be preodered at gamecrazy. It would have helped if Sony had more to launch on the 17th. Oh well go buy a Wii while you wait for the ps3 to clear up it's troubles. You'll have a better chance at a Wii than a ps3 come launch day. Nintendo is at least launching on day one with bigger numbers than Sony.
Mr BoomStick XL @ Oct 2nd 2006 10:56AM
This IS excatly the reason I hate Sony sometimes!! They ALWAYS screw their fans, WE all knew that the PS3 was coming out in November, why is it going to have a shortage and Nintendo will not?? Because Sony always bites off more than they can chew and that's the reason why Sony will fall into thrid place this generation!! If I can't find one I'll be pissed!!!
alienclay @ Oct 2nd 2006 11:26AM
i remember a joystiq article (too long for me to go and look for it) about shady store owners and managers who were getting 360 units and instead of selling them to people with preorders they were hording them and selling them on ebay for mad profit.
i asked my local eb that same question yesterday and they told me straight up they most likely wont be taking preorders.
i was able to reserve my psp 3 months in launch advance last year. what it means to me when gamestop is not taking preorders is they they either don't know how many launch consoles they will be getting, what ratio of 500 or 600 versions they will be getting, people with access are ebay raping, or they don't want to be thoght of as being unfair to people like me who have been walking into the store every other week at both the game stop and the EB in a 2 mile radius for the past 4 months asking this question in an attempt to obtain the one of possibly 3-6 units each store will be getting in.
well screw gamestop anyway. there are other avenues yet unexausted for launch. what they should do is put up little neon signs in the store window to tell you if the system is in or not. lets get some scouts on the toys'r'us, bestbuy, circuit city areas and see what preorder goodies we can do there.
hey nintendo troll turtleboy, thanks for comming out of your shell to comment on ps3fanboy :-)
get over it @ Oct 2nd 2006 11:46AM
turtleboy stick your little fanboy head back in your shell. of course nintendo is launching with huge numbers, they aren't dealing with any new tech in their console and they don't have to deal with the challenges that involves.
as for pre-orders the 360 launched with 40,000 (like sony will) but there were an estimated 75,000 pre-orders... meaning 35,000 pre-orders weren't filled and 35,000 people were wondering what the point of pre-ordering was.
standing in line is a fact of life if you plan on getting one at launch. i'll probably get mine the same way i got my 360... wait until after the new year and walk into a store and pick one up off the shelf.
Dan @ Oct 2nd 2006 12:06PM
I think you forgot a zero there. PS3 is launching with 400,000. I'm most likely going to wait until later to pick one up as well. If I somehow can get one around launch time I'll probably just eBay it anyway to pay for part of my own system.
nillo @ Oct 2nd 2006 12:27PM
One reason why I like all the PS3 hating that goes on in online communities. It increases my chances of owning on come Nov. 17 :)
alienclay @ Oct 2nd 2006 2:34PM
yeah, and at least sony is being upfront with the reason for shortage and the number of units actully comming out. M$ was all secret squirl on us about why there were so many supply problems.
with the ps3 the problem is one, and one at the source. no doubt they have little techie elves working round the clock scratching their heads to figure out how to make more blue laser doides. and because far more than just the PS# is at stake (how about sony itself and half the Blu-Ray disc asscociation using sony as a laser supplier,)there is no reason to doubt that sony can and will put out 2mil by the end of the year.
or whatever. i'm still trying to overcome a hurdle of my own,... the wife.
Joost Schuur @ Oct 2nd 2006 1:07PM
My local Software ETC (South Coast Plaza, Costa Mesa, Orange County) said they'd know for sure on Wed, but expected that they wouldn't be taking any pre-orders at all.
henning @ Oct 2nd 2006 1:33PM
I'm lucky that in Canada Toys 'R' Us took preorders, and I was the first on the list at the local one. (They are no longer taking preorders.) But I've heard about problems with Toys 'R' Us so I'm looking for an alternate pre-order source. So far, unsuccessfully. The Sony Store is telling me they're not doing pre-orders. (A switch from what they told me earlier.) I refuse to camp out, so that may limit my options!
alienclay @ Oct 2nd 2006 2:25PM
the sony store in my area told me no-no on preorders as well. i had no hope in them anyway as they didn't even get any launch PSP last year.
DaveTehWave @ Oct 2nd 2006 3:49PM
FINALLY someone gets the story RIGHT.
As per usual, 1UP distorted the info and that has spread across the web...
http://www.1up.com/do/newsStory?cId=3154128
silentbob343 @ Oct 2nd 2006 6:28PM
hmmm would you rather they allow pre-orders and then not be able to deliver enough to cover, ala MS and the 360. Or play it safe and wait until you get a hard & fast figure on the number of consoles the store will receive. I know I would be pissed if I had a pre-order and I show up only to hear I'm sorry we didn't get as many as we expected.
Can you imagine if stores had started doing preorders when Sony said they would have 2 million PS3s available worldwide instead of the updated 500,000?
Like it or not it's a smarter move.
sonyguy @ Oct 3rd 2006 2:12PM
The ps3 sucks. I'll stick with my ps2. I agree with turtleboy. Let's just buy a Wii. I'm pissed with Sony this round. I've been waiting and waiting for something great with the ps3 and Sony just keeps screwing up. Blue ray is such a rip off. Sony is making better games for the ps2 right now then the ps3. Why get a ps3 when the ps2 is still kicking ass.
Silverfrog @ Oct 4th 2006 9:47AM
What they need to do is allow us to get on a virtual list (i.e. stand in a virtual line) now. That way, when they do know how many units the store will be getting, they can just tell people, "sorry, we only have xx number of units, so your place in line is null and void". Then, on launch day, people who stood in the virtual line can just walk in to the store to claim their consoles. Of course, with a virtual line, they would have to show up to get the unit. If somone who was in the virtual line didn't show up on launch day, they should forfeit their unit and that unit should be sold first-come, first serve in person.
moltensteel @ Oct 9th 2006 1:13PM
Hers the deal. We all Know years in advance when a new system is releasing. All hardcore gamers know if you want a system on launch better go up and order it early. Now that a b unch of whining cryu babies waited till september or october of 2005 to put their money down on a 360(because they are cheapskates). Its been the same system back to super nintendo why does it have to change to please the few cheapo whiners. I feel really betrayed by gamestop. They have had my patronage for nearly 15 years and with no presells give me one good reason why to shop there? They are not the cheapest nor do they have the best selection of games.I just feel i've payed my dues as a gamer and just because someone got bent out of shape due to a policy that has been in effect for years shouldn,t have pressured eb and gamestop to change their policy. I spend between $2000 and $3000 on games a year and darn it i deserve to be treated right by my game store and get mine on launch. I payed for my 360 6 months in advance in full and dam it i deserved it on launch. Just like i planned on preorderin the wii and ps3 6 months in advance. This weeds out all the non hardcore line waiters. They dont have the interest nor the money to drop $600 6months in advanced. I just can't believe that 15 years of patronage and this is the way their main customer base gets treated!!!!!!!!!!