The PS3 preorder experience

by Nick Doerr { Oct 10th 2006 at 12:00PM }

I was there. I waited in line a good hour. Ahead of me? 16 lucky, lucky people with nothing better to do than get to their Athens GameStop at 6AM. How many preorders were taken? 16. That means they stopped when I reached the register. A true shame, since, you know, I kind of need one to properly do my job.

But enough talk of shame and pity and the like! I'm sure you all want to see the pictures of people waiting outside in chairs and stuff. You're in luck. If you click on "continue reading", I'm throwing up another picture there, since it's just... interesting. We also got to see a list of games coming out up until June of next year -- all were slated at a $59.99 price point. That's good. Most of the "good" games are arriving in February, so don't be too disappointed if you weren't able to grab a preorder. Besides, they'll have the bundle packs online by the end of the week.

If anyone has any questions relating to the preorders or the shopping experience in general, leave a comment and I'll share whatever I was able to learn with you.

While I waited in line, I thought I'd snap a picture of everyone looking their best -- of course, they hissed and asked what I was doing. I replied curtly, "working".

Tags: gamestop, Playstation 3, Playstation3, PS3, Sony

Reader Comments (Page 1 of 2)

Mr BoomStick XL @ Oct 10th 2006 12:06PM

WOW, I DID IT!!!! I was the first one in line at my local EB and THIS just made my MONTH!!!!! Yes I LOVE the 360, but I would have been REALLY bumbed out if I missed the PS3 launch!!!!! I'M SO HAPPY RIGHT NOW!!!!!!!

Jake @ Oct 10th 2006 12:15PM

Woot! It's good to live in Maine. Went to my gamestop at 10am and got the four preorders we wanted, one for me, one for my brother, one for my girlfriend and one for my best friend. The last three preorders they had sold to the three other people behind me. Didn't even show up early, sometimes living in the backwoods helps.

Patrick @ Oct 10th 2006 12:21PM

Must be nice, I was #18 =(

peregrine @ Oct 10th 2006 12:22PM

Your store got 16? My room mate and I got to GameStop early and were excited to find fairly short lines… only to discover that our location was only getting two PS3s.

Let me say that again: They only had TWO PS3s.

Granted I was expecting there to be low quantities, but I guess even 400,000 units doesn’t stretch as far as I thought it would. After asking around it would seem that the local EB had more, a whopping 12 units, making a total of 14 units for all of Gainesville (but who needs to sell videogames in a college town?).

ps3less @ Oct 10th 2006 12:42PM

nyc stores had anywhere from 6-12. all of the lists were filled by 10:00am.

Logan @ Oct 10th 2006 12:44PM

Second in line this morning. I got to my store at 3AM and sat outside the door reading for my classes. The other guy there had a cot that he was sleeping on. Eventually, fourteen others showed up and they let us in the store at 9:50 for their 16 preorders. As soon as we got in, about 20 people rolled in hoping to get their orders. I got my premium package reserved and began the countdown to November 17th as I walked out the door with a smirk on my face directed at the less fortunate.

justin @ Oct 10th 2006 1:16PM

i got to my EB at around 10:30 and was still number 10 of 16

Hirsbrunner @ Oct 10th 2006 12:54PM

Was just at my local GameStop. Wanted to reserve the Wii, but they weren't pre-ordering the Wii yet. Then they asked if I wanted to reserve the PS3, their store was allotted 3 PS3s.

I said no thank you.

ozymandias @ Oct 10th 2006 1:13PM

i fully paid for two this moring. Call me all the names you want, but expect to see at least 1 on ebay asap. Im keeping the other one and im hoping to make enough profit to at least partially pay for both. but untill then
*lays a hat on the ground and begins to play a harmonica*

Sonyguy @ Oct 10th 2006 1:18PM

i got to my local EB to late, they had 6 the funny thing was nobody in the line that got one is keeping it they were all for ebay! wtf

Jb @ Oct 10th 2006 2:26PM

Got 2 with my g/fs help. Not real hard and there was just 3 of us out there all morning.

xboriqua1 @ Oct 10th 2006 5:08PM

Got to the gamespot at the walt whitman mall in Melville, Long Island about 9:45 I was number 10 in line someone luckily got out of line (they thought we were waiting for the new mortal kombat........haha) so that made me # 9 pre-ordered my system and was on my way

Kurt Angle @ Oct 10th 2006 1:37PM

I was second in line this morn here in Clearwater, Fla. I arrived at 6:45 and the guy before me only arrived at 6:15. My Gamestop was allotted 8 consoles and right before 10 the 8th person showed up. Then at 10:01, this massive rush of people came in expecting theirs to which I walked past with receipt in hand, smiling. Some guy offered me $1000 bucks for my preorder to which I replied, "You should have been here at 6:45 like me." He got pissed and left. I smiled again in glee.

DomZ @ Oct 10th 2006 1:50PM

They left out working folk so I sent my mom over to a remote EBGames in a pretty bad neighborhood. I found out at 9:30, by 9:35 I had called 5 EBGames in the area to find out they were all sold out already. She left where she was at 9:40 and got there at 9:55. SHE WAS FIRST IN LINE with 6 "nerds" showing up right behind her as she called them! She preordered a 60gig for me!! I'm still Best Buy camping for fun/to pay for my PS3 (thank you eBay!)

JasonIsSoHappyToday @ Oct 10th 2006 1:45PM

I normally check my email at about 8:30am, but because of an early meeting today, didn't get to check until almost 10am. When I did, saw the email from EB about the PS3 preorders. Immediately called the closest EB and asked if they had any preorder allocations left and they said yes but only a few. Tried to get them to take my preorder over the phone, or at least hold a spot for me until I got there, but they would have none of that. Well, I work in an executive park right next door to the big mall here in Burlington, MA (which is where the closest EB is located, at which I do pretty much all of my videogaming business), so I told my boss I had to leave for 15-20 minutes and walked over their as fast as I could. There was one girl in line (hmm, guess what she was preordering?) and I feared the worst...but then the phone rang and the employee says to the caller, "Yes, but we only have a couple left."...I was golden! I asked and they told me they were allocated 13 PS3's. So, got my PS3 Premium Preorder in and was back in my office 17 minutes after I left. Oh, and just a couple of minutes after I got back, a co-worker of mine called the EB I was just at, along with a second EB and a GameStop (all of which are within 1 mile of where I work) and none of them had any more preorders available. Man, am I lucky. Christmas has officially come early this year for me! Thank you Santa!

Colin @ Oct 10th 2006 1:42PM

I got my PS3 (preorder)! My friend and I were numbers 1 and 2 in line.

Course we got there at 2am. :D

Most people started showing up around 7-8, but there was a steady stream of people. At least 20 people in line with more people going back when they saw the line.

8 hours to get a preorder? Totally freaking worth it. :p

-Colin

Kendal @ Oct 10th 2006 1:50PM

I went with a friend at 6:30am, and waited until 10 when they opened. We were the first in and the first out with our preorders. My gamestop got 13 PS3s.

I'm so glad we got one though!

stewis @ Oct 11th 2006 3:00AM

Well i would have been pre-ordering mine at what ever silly hour was needed but... sony thinks us europeans dont mind waiting... :-|

Jonathan @ Oct 11th 2006 6:54PM

Man - I got lucky. I got a call from the local EB manager and he said because I pre-ordered Resistance FOM I was on the list automatically to pre-order a system. All I had to do was show up today and put my $100 down and I was guaranteed a pre-order!

No line waiting for me :P

George @ Oct 10th 2006 1:59PM

Here is my story.

I skipped school and headed to the nearest EB and no one was there so i waited for about 20 min for the store to open and to my surprise NO PREORDERS FOR CANADA YET. I AM SO PISSED OFF RIGHT NOW!!!!

Too much Hype @ Oct 10th 2006 2:05PM

I seriously hope that no one buys from idiots selling them on Ebay. I don't call these people real gamers. Just a bunch of scam artists.

glaci3r @ Oct 10th 2006 2:13PM

Gamestop/EB won't take preorders over the phones to prevent people from buying PS3s remotely and resell them on Ebay. Talked to my friend who is a manager before the store opened this morning. had to get my cousin to go put my name down because that EB is 200 miles away from where I live. Thankfully, i have annual leave to enjoy my PS3 with my cousin who put his name down too

Anthony @ Oct 10th 2006 2:49PM

I was gonna go to get one, but then i remember that i have a life.

Joost Schuur @ Oct 10th 2006 3:12PM

Glad I'm not the only nutcase who went to his GameStop at 2 AM. Was #1 in line with #2-4 not even arriving until 5:30 AM at the South Coast Plaza Mall (security let me in a little earlier than their 6 AM opening time).

Our line eventually grew to about 21 people, but by 9:30, they announced they only had 10 units to go around. They had some problems with their system updating to do the pre-orders, apparently because their phone lines were constantly in use by people calling in about pre-orders. In the end, they took down names * phone details and made us buy $100 gift cards that they kept. They did enforce a 2 game pre-order rule (I had already gotten COD3 and Resistance the week before).

Curiously, they claimed they're getting 'as many $599 systems as needed'.

microdot @ Oct 10th 2006 3:13PM

@ Anthony

you had to go fellate the dog this morning again, didnt you? dont lie. no need to cry about it.

i scored mine several months ago, so thankfully... no line waiting for me.

The1 @ Oct 10th 2006 3:25PM

I will have two. 1st in one store and 5th in the other.

John @ Oct 10th 2006 7:47PM

Agreeing with #2, it is good to live in Maine. I was so desperate to get a system I woke up at 6 AM and drove to the Gamestop in Bangor and was delighted to see no one there at 7 AM. At 7:30 I decided to check the Bangor Mall and there was a group of a dozen or so kids in front of the EB there. I promptly drove back to Gamestop and waited there. Around 8 AM people started to roll in, and I was happy to be the first in line to pre-order a Premium 60 GB Playstation 3 when the doors opened at 10. They said they were taking orders for 8 systems, and there was close to a dozen people in line. I swear, if first doesn't net me a system, I'm gonna be some pissed.

Silver @ Oct 10th 2006 3:28PM

I went to to GameStop at like 8:20am, there was only 1 guy waiting.
then at 9:30am the manager came and asked was we there for the PS3 we said yea then he said that there store is to new so only the older stores are getting them, i was so mad, so i rushed to an older GameStop i was like number 18 at 9:45. by the time i was 6 or 4 for the counter they said they just cores now, I was piss, so then it got to me and it was over....so i just have to do what i call a mad dash in the mall at Toys R Us like i did for PS2.

Adam @ Oct 10th 2006 3:29PM

A lot of people in line to buy a system that most launch games are just multi-console sport games.. shame

Gamey McGee @ Oct 10th 2006 3:36PM

I want a PS3 bad, but I can't justify a pre-order if I have to wait in line. There's no point. The launch day titles will be nice, but most people know the best games won't be out for about 6 months. If I have to wait until Christmas or even beyond, it won't be the end of life as I know it. I'll get by. I have a top-end PC for gaming, a PSP, and a PS2.

Bob @ Oct 10th 2006 3:37PM

It's not a scam if you think about it. It not the sellers fault, namely me, if people are willing to pay more than double for a ps3. Nobody is forcing people to get one. If anybody is intersted he me up.

MTheory @ Oct 10th 2006 3:52PM

Same thing happened to me George.
Lucky I only live a five minute walk away

serb @ Oct 10th 2006 4:07PM

its not a suprise that bigger and more important cities got more ps3

@ozymandias
good for u, but how did u get two, i thought it was 1 per household
i only got to pre order one
(btw i live in cleveland and my store got 20 ps3s)

Aaron @ Oct 10th 2006 4:59PM

I was 1st in line at 6am this morning at my GameStop (Bellevue Square, Bellevue WA). They only had 5 to give out.

Hito @ Oct 10th 2006 4:35PM

Was #1 at my Anaheim Gamestop ^^ (got there at 6:30ish) Also got my receipt laminated

ozymandias @ Oct 10th 2006 4:45PM

serb
I gave a buddy of mine $50 and a cold six pack (standard friend payment for any favor) if he stood in line with me. It helps because he has a good rep with the local gamestop

However, this purchase (pre purchase?) has hit my pocket book and credit card pretty hard. in short im poor and would not hesitate to sell both if i dont break even on the first one.

ozymandias @ Oct 10th 2006 4:46PM

serb
I also paid the full price, not just the minimum $100 dollars.

Isagani @ Oct 10th 2006 5:37PM

I wasn't able to get a preorder in either... EB game out tickets to people in line before store opened (8AM said the guy workin the store)... oh well - i guess i'll have to wait and see what bestbuy, circuitcity, or costco have going in terms of getting a PS3 this year. If nothing relatively simple comes up, i'll wait until Jan/Feb like what ended up happening when I went for a PS2. Anyone else thing EB is setting the store quantities very low to make more money with the online bundles??? Me thinks that's what's going on...

oh well, guess my PS2 and Xbox360 will have to tide my urge to play games on the PS3...more time to read reviews, get opinions, and see what kind of hardware kinks there will be

YourMomsBox @ Oct 10th 2006 5:26PM

So I get to my local ebgames store at 10:00 on the dot,thats when they open.Number 11 they were only taking 8 preorders fine, theres a gamestop(at a mall) and another ebgames within a three mile radius. I decide on ebgames because the mall is going to be crazy. So me and two other dudes peelout of the parking lot and I do like a buck twenty to the other ebgames.Its like 10:16 no line and like two dudes in the store(one clerk).As soon as I walk in the clerk says something quietly to the two customers then starts talking loud at this time i find out the customers are his buddys and he's telling them they should have been there earlier, then these two mountain dew comercial rejects start laughing and goofing around saying I guess we wont get our ps3.Right there in my head Im thinking i smell something fishy and its not your moms box.No one is regulating this if you work at ebgames/gamestop and there's one clerk he can sell to whoever he wants.If his other buddies are at school or couldnt leave work(LIKE I DID!!) he can do what he wants.So to that clerk I Hope your moms box gets punched and to ebgame/gamestop a big fat greazy F U. I'll wait maybe I'll find one in DEC/Jan if I'm lucky.360 doesnt impress me and the wii well I'm not 13 or retarted.Well thats that bitches

The Enlightened @ Oct 10th 2006 5:45PM

@Nick Doerr
I was just wondering as you’re the most prevalent blogger on this site that your higher ups, as you like to call them couldn't secure you a journo/test PS3 for you (so that you can work….), just like some of the Joystiq bloggers got the journo (Black) 360s.
The Enlightened

ndoerr @ Oct 10th 2006 5:58PM

@ The Enlightened -- ah, let's just say Sony and Joystiq don't get along. Since we're affiliated, we're not exactly in their brightest lens, either. A shame, since I truly do support and believe in Sony.

Aragorn @ Oct 10th 2006 6:17PM

Dear PS3 fansboys:

I have no doubt in my mind that each of you who gets a ps3 will love it, and that love will be well placed.

BUT YOU'RE STILL ALL CRAZY FOR PLUNKING DOWN $500/$600 (not including accessories and games) ON ONE CONSOLE, LET ALONE A FIRST GEN!!!!!!

pythn2005 @ Oct 10th 2006 6:18PM

from what i hear it seems like the ps3 is gonna sell out on preorders only

Fakk2 @ Oct 10th 2006 6:43PM

this morning was crazy! I got the phone call yesterday about the preorder being today when they opened at 10am. So I stayed up all night to preorder mine as I knew I would just sleep in too long if I went to sleep. at 2 AM I went to gamestops, and the mall and looked around and saw nobody standing in line and felt relieved it hadnt started yet. Went back at about 6am and there were a ton of people standing in front of one of the gamestops (we have 3 GS stores within 2 minutes of each other). So I went to another GameStop and it had just as many damn people waiting outside. There was at least 15-20 people in each line... I decided to go over to the mall and see what was up there, and there were 2 people in line there at GS. So I sat in line and it got longer every 20 minutes, finally we get in the mall and sat in front of GS till 9:45 am and the manager showed up and told everybody after the 10th person to just forget it, that they only are getting 10 possibly. I got inside GS and preordered my Premium console, bought Resistance Fall of Man, and was happy Im at least in line to get one. The manager pretty much guaranteed I was gonna get one upon launch. The phone was ringing off the hook with people calling in to see about the PS3 preorder and the manager kept telling them no, sorry, cant do it now, too late...etc.. I hope I get mine, I cant wait for the PS3!! Im probably gonna pre order a few more games as well, they all look so good, especially with HDMI.

Mustafa Ehsanyar @ Oct 10th 2006 7:10PM

YES!!!!! its good to live in VA... i came at 3 PM ang got my PS3 first !!!!! and i preordered resistance!!!

Simskid @ Oct 10th 2006 7:51PM

I can't believe so many people are buying PS3's only to sell on ebay. This really undermines the allure of the PS3 and shows how poor console supply can destroy the a new system launch.

B33 @ Oct 10th 2006 9:24PM

Gamestop has the prices messed up. It's $50 for first-party and $60 for third-party.

tozza @ Oct 10th 2006 11:00PM

Pre-orders opened here in Japan on 10/7 at a medium sized chain store. The big shops don't seem to even offer pre-orders and a lot of people didn't know about this. I didn't find out about it till the next day but went in first thing in the morning and reserved a 20 (5th in line) and a 60 (3rd in line). The cool thing is they don't ask for any money down but I get a receipt pretty much guaranteeing I'll get one on launch day. Not surprisingly, there are already some dudes with scans of their receipts peddling them on Yahoo Auctions.