Okay, here we go. The PS3 is due out this Friday, November 17th.
I really don’t think I’m going to get my hands on one. I’m not fanatical enough to camp out for a PS3 (after all, these ain’t Pink Floyd tickets or something). So…I guess I’ll give away my little secret thoughts in a tutorial of sorts.
First, like I said before, if you’re not ready to camp out in front of a store, be ready to not get a unit. Each store is probably going to get 5-10 units *maximum*. That being said, cruise in front of the stores you’re thinking of buying from before they open, say 10 minutes before. If there’s a huge line, just forget it. The other thing to remember is that most of these units being sold are going to EBay, so those guys in front of you are out for cold, hard cash, and liable to want it more than a person who just wants to play the new system.
My tips? Find a store that’s out of the way. Try to think of the least obvious store around. Like — now I don’t know if Radio Shack will even carry them, but here’s an example — try to find a Radio Shack that no one ever goes to, tucked way away in a nook or cranny and hard to see. That’s your best bet. That, or by finding a place you wouldn’t ordinarily think of — like Toys ‘R’ Us. Everybody knows they’re there, so that’s a bad example, but still, you get my point, that’s a place that people are less likely to think of in connection with electronics. The Best Buys and such will be the absolute worst.
Now, let’s say you actually manage to get one. GET A REPLACEMENT OR SERVICE CONTRACT. Sony is rushing these things to market so fast, the early units are guaranteed to have flaws. The first PS2s did, and the first XBox 360s did. Now, if you have a replacement warranty, I recommend bringing that thing in right before the contract goes and insisting that there’s something wrong with it. That way, you’ll get a newer PS3 that will likely have less problems. Keep doing this every time the contract comes up about to expire. Trust me, it’s worth it.
Also, make sure you get the 60 gig HD version. There’s no point in getting the other one, even if it’s cheaper. You’re going to have to upgrade at some point; you might as well get it now.
That’s about all I have to say. Good luck to everyone angling to get one. And don’t get one off of EBay for too much money. Just wait. In three or four months there will be more reliable units on the market, and you’ll be able to pick one up with minimum difficulty. This first rush is going to be insane.
If you think I’m wrong about that, just go to Google and look up some news stories about how the Japanese launch went a couple of days ago. Insane. Huge mobs. People camped out for a day or longer. Do you really need it THAT badly?
Anyway, best of luck. All us PS fans, we must rest assured, we WILL all get one eventually.
Godspeed!