Snippets of the PS3 launch in Japan

So the PS3 was finally launched in Japan. True, there weren’t enough PS3 units for everyone; but for those hardcore fans who braved the chilly November 10 night just to secure themselves a numbered ticket, well, I’m sure they weren’t disappointed.

And by hardcore, I mean, those who were willing to camp out of stores the night before the PS3 launch (say, around 6 p.m., maybe?). That’s what a 22 year old-student did at Shinjuku, and he was rewarded with the first PS3 unit at the Yodobashi camera.

Ken Kutaragi also made an appearance at the Bic Camera main branch to hand out the first console to a young customer from China.

According to our source, there may be a lot of units to go around for the hardcore PS3 fans, but it sure weren’t enough for everyone. The unlucky ones who weren’t aware of the limited stocks and waited in line Saturday morning wound up rather disappointed. As early as 8 a.m., “Sold Out” signs were already posted.

Gamespot noted that those who fell in line during the 11th were quite different from those who waited for numbers Friday night:

The crowds we saw in the overnight lines consisted of hardcore gamers, foreigners, and homeless people hired by scalpers. They were mostly male, and many of them wore heavy clothing to survive the cold, additionally prepared with portable chairs and handheld gaming machines.

Those who fell in line Saturday morning, on the other hand, were composed of parents, grandparents, and “a good number of females.”

Now, we’re sure those who didn’t get their PS3s during launch won’t be disappointed for long. Gamespot says that Sony expects to provide a hundred thousand units every week after the launch.

So the PS3 was finally launched in Japan. True, there weren’t enough PS3 units for everyone; but for those hardcore fans who braved the chilly November 10 night just to secure themselves a numbered ticket, well, I’m sure they weren’t disappointed.

And by hardcore, I mean, those who were willing to camp out of stores the night before the PS3 launch (say, around 6 p.m., maybe?). That’s what a 22 year old-student did at Shinjuku, and he was rewarded with the first PS3 unit at the Yodobashi camera.

Ken Kutaragi also made an appearance at the Bic Camera main branch to hand out the first console to a young customer from China.

According to our source, there may be a lot of units to go around for the hardcore PS3 fans, but it sure weren’t enough for everyone. The unlucky ones who weren’t aware of the limited stocks and waited in line Saturday morning wound up rather disappointed. As early as 8 a.m., “Sold Out” signs were already posted.

Gamespot noted that those who fell in line during the 11th were quite different from those who waited for numbers Friday night:

The crowds we saw in the overnight lines consisted of hardcore gamers, foreigners, and homeless people hired by scalpers. They were mostly male, and many of them wore heavy clothing to survive the cold, additionally prepared with portable chairs and handheld gaming machines.

Those who fell in line Saturday morning, on the other hand, were composed of parents, grandparents, and “a good number of females.”

Now, we’re sure those who didn’t get their PS3s during launch won’t be disappointed for long. Gamespot says that Sony expects to provide a hundred thousand units every week after the launch.