Anybody camping for a PS3?

[AlanS17]

I missed the pre-orders so I'll be camping out to get a PS3. I imagine I'll go to Fry's. That's where I grabbed the XBOX360. It's a Christmas gift for my brother (but I'll still be able to play it whenever I want).

Anybody else going to camp out?

[rumpelstiltzkin]

I am actually waiting patiently until 1 of my old friend gets 1. I am planning to leave my house at about 2.30am and sneak into his house and into his room were he will be sleeping and steal it. I used to go up to his house to get stoned and i know his front door is never locked. I might have to step over his dad in the living room as he is usually chewing on the carpet but it will have to be on a weekend because his parents are alcoholics.     I am actually not jokeing by the way.

[AlanS17]

Is that how you fund you BYOAC projects?

Anyways, back on topic... I never camped out until the XBOX360. It was freezing cold, and I have an idea it'll be equally cold this time. I know some people think it's cool, but I'm not looking forward to it. Hopefully it'll all be made up for when that PS3 comes out of the box?

[Zapatistab]

Is that how you fund you BYOAC projects?

Anyways, back on topic... I never camped out until the XBOX360. It was freezing cold, and I have an idea it'll be equally cold this time. I know some people think it's cool, but I'm not looking forward to it. Hopefully it'll all be made up for when that PS3 comes out of the box?

When you waited at Fry's for the 360, was it first come first serve, or did they do vouchers? Also, what time did people start lining up?

[AlanS17]

At about 7:45am, they handed out vouchers. At 8am, they opened up the store for anyone holding one. They had a line roped off, but they made no attempt to try to organize it. We were all responsible for using the honor system.

I actually sold my voucher to a guy at the end of the line for $100 while my brother went inside and bought himself a 360.

We got there at probably around 7pm or 8pm the night before. I don't exactly remember the time. I'll probably be there a little earlier this time because of rumors of short supply. It's not like i've got anything else to be doing during that time.

I just wish I had someone to wait with me so I won't be bored.

[lcddream]

if you get a ps3 and don't sell it on ebay, well 

sorry but it is too much of an opportunity to make some extra cash

[AlanS17]

if you get a ps3 and don't sell it on ebay, well 

sorry but it is too much of an opportunity to make some extra cash

I can always see what kind of money it fetches, but like I said before... it's a Christmas gift for my brother. Maybe I can get someone to stand in line with me so I'll have a back-up.

[crashwg]

I'm hoping to get out of work in time to hit Walmart who will be selling them at midnight.  If I can't though I'll check out BestBuy and CircuitCity.  We're also trying to organize it so my GF can come with and we can get two.

And, yes, I do plan on selling them on eBay.  $5-600 on a game console is insane and I wouldn't pay that if I made $100k!

[ChadTower]

Looking on ebay now, some of them are getting in the $5000-10000 range.  That can't be real.

[AlanS17]

Looking on ebay now, some of them are getting in the $5000-10000 range.  That can't be real.

Oh, it's very real. But nobody will  live up to it if they're smart. Better to ruin your whole ebay reputation than live up to a $5000 bid.

I'm thinking I'll hit Wal-Mart early in the day to find out how I fall into line. If I don't get a good spot there, I can always move to Fry's and do the overnight thing.

[ChadTower]

Hrm.  Well, if you can make $1000 on it with that amount of effort, damn that's a free Star Wars cab.  That would be worth the effort.

[AlanS17]

I just found a list of the Best buy stores that will be having midnight launches, and one of them is just 15 minutes from my house! Maybe I won't be waiting all night in the cold after all.

Best Buy Midnight launch info

[ChadTower]

    * Park Lane, TX
    * West LA, CA
    * Chesterfield, MO
    * El Cajon
    * Superstition Springs, AZ
    * Chapel Hill, OH
    * Richfield, MN
    * Galleria, TX
    * Butterfield RD, IL
    * Wester Hollywood, CA
    * Ann Arbor, MI
    * Gwinnet, GA
    * Hialeah, FL
    * South Tampa, FL
    * Mt Laurel, NJ
    * Manhattan NoHo, NY
    * Landmark, MA
    * Manhattan Midtown, NY

Erm, there is no Landmark, Massachusetts.

[somunny]

Landmark *Center*. 

[AlanS17]

Erm, there is no Landmark, Massachusetts.

Those refer to street names or other location designations. The one that's close to me is Park Lane, TX. It's in Plano, TX but it's located near Park Lane. And Galleria? There's no Galleria, TX but I'm sure you can figure out where that's located.

[ChadTower]

That's smack in the middle of Boston proper... eff that, you'd have to be there two days prior.

[AlanS17]

My Best Buy is in the northern suburbs of Dallas, TX. I expecet there will be a decent line. I have a plan, though.

I'll get in that line some time in the morning to save a spot in line . If it looks like I won't be getting one, I'll move over to Fry's in the early afternoon to secure one there.

That guarantees me a PS3 for my brother. Now I just need to figure out a way to get my friends on the bandwagon to buy some extra units for Ebay. (Of course, I would be handling all Ebay transactions and taking a cut.)

[Zapatistab]

Apprently Fry's is going to force people to buy huge bundles. Hope it isn't true.

http://kotaku.com/gaming/ps3/rumor-frys-forcing-mega-ps3wii-bundles-in-store-214459.php

[ChadTower]

I'm tempted to call around now and see if any local stores have full payment presale slots left.  I dont' want one but it would be nice to snag a free grand to knock off the mortgage principal.

[Zapatistab]

bestbuy.com posted their gudelines regarding PS3 vouchers.

http://www.bestbuy.com/site/olspage.jsp?id=pcmcat106800050008&type=category&h=387

[ChadTower]

I wonder what time people would be lining up.

[AlanS17]

Apprently Fry's is going to force people to buy huge bundles. Hope it isn't true.

http://kotaku.com/gaming/ps3/rumor-frys-forcing-mega-ps3wii-bundles-in-store-214459.php

Wow, that's retarded. Thanks for the heads up. When we got the XBOX360, we had to buy 2 games with it. That was irritating enough because we were limited to which games we could bundle, and most of the choices sucked. This is infinitely worse. I can always wait at Circuit City or something.

[shmokes]

Anyone know how Wal-Mart's working there sales?  It's open 24 hours per day, so I can't imagine the line would form outside.  And will it go on sale at mid-night or like 5 a.m. (the time they start their Black Friday sales)?

[ChadTower]

They're not open 24 hours here.

[mairsil]

Well, it is already too late to camp out in some places. I took some pictures of the line outside of the Circuit City in Rockville (midnight opening, 100 consoles). I started a thread for line pictures here:

http://forum.arcadecontrols.com/index.php?topic=60157.0

[AlanS17]

The Circuit city near me will only be getting 7 units. They have no line yet. Best  Buy will get 26. If that's the case, their line is already full. Hopefully the Circuit City line will remain empty til Thursday. I'll have to keep an eye on it.

I'm trying to pick up a PS3 with the least amoutn of waiting possible. It's almost like gambling. What can I get away with?

[Tahnok]

Well, it is already too late to camp out in some places. I took some pictures of the line outside of the Circuit City in Rockville (midnight opening, 100 consoles). I started a thread for line pictures here:

http://forum.arcadecontrols.com/index.php?topic=60157.0

Crazy. I went to my Circuit City tonight. I thought the one tent out there waiting was mad. I can't believe some places already have a whole tent city.

[AlanS17]

There were 8 or 9 tents in front of Best Buy, but Circuit City was absolutely empty. Not a single soul. That's my back-up plan if Best Buy falls through. I'll probably show up at BB around 3am or 4am on Thursday morning for their midnight launch. If the line there looks too long, I'm off to Circuit City.

I think lines attract more people. As people as scared they'll lose they're opportunity, they start jumping in line.

When the XBOX360 came out last year, there was over 300 people in the Best Buy before the first person got into the Fry's line.

[ChadTower]

I wonder how many the Target by my house will get.

[AlanS17]

You can always call and ask. Worst case scenario is that they just don't know. I think those chain department discount stores get very few, though. I know the Wal Mart by my house got just 2 XBOX360's when they came out,

[ChadTower]

Hrm.  Well, it's a very new Target in a quiet area with relatively few people in it.  Compared to the bigger ones in more crowded areas.  So at least it has that going for it.

[somunny]

I wonder how many the Target by my house will get.

Which Target is by your house?  Try this link:

http://wickedsick.org/wii_finder/

edit:  Sorry, wrong console.

[AlanS17]

Hrm.  Well, it's a very new Target in a quiet area with relatively few people in it.  Compared to the bigger ones in more crowded areas.  So at least it has that going for it.

That might keep the line shorter, but it won't make the supply any higher. You would still need to show up very early if you wanted to secure a spot in line. If the XBOX360 is any indication, any non-electronics store (ei. Wal Mart, Toys R Us) will only get a couple.

[johnm160]

I will be waiting. I refuse to pay 5-600 for a game console! (sure I dump that much into my arcade cabinets. It makes no sense I know) So  I will be waiting till the price comes down (years) I still don't even have an xbox 360.....waiting patiently.

Good luck though

[ChadTower]

That might keep the line shorter, but it won't make the supply any higher.

True enough, but I'm not willing to wait much longer than a couple of hours.  So that is the best shot, IMO.

[AlanS17]

That might keep the line shorter, but it won't make the supply any higher.

True enough, but I'm not willing to wait much longer than a couple of hours.  So that is the best shot, IMO.

If you get there by 4am, you might still have a shot. It's hard to say. It really depends on the place and how lucky you are.

One of the only good things about getting there the night before and waiting all night is that you get to sleep through most of it. In that respect, it's better than waking up super early to go stand in line.

[ChadTower]

Not for me.  I don't sleep anyway.  And sitting there all night by myself isn't much of a good time.

[AlanS17]

Not for me.  I don't sleep anyway.  And sitting there all night by myself isn't much of a good time.

Of course you don't sleep. That would cut into your forums posting time. 

I don't really feel like camping without someone to join me, but I think I'm going to have to if I'm getting that PS3.

[shmokes]

There's a Wal-Mart in my town, but the nearest Best Buy and Target are about an hour away from me.  If Wal-Mart won't do I would have to plan on camping if I want one, cos I ain't getting up at 2 or 3 in the morning to drive all the way down there only to find the lines already ginormous.

[ChadTower]

The Target is the only store I'm willing to head to at that time of day... it's about 5 mins from my house.  The rest are all very high traffict Best Buy/Circuit City places 20 minutes south that will have looong lines of ugly fat people from RI.