Yodobashi Camera tells our informant that the store has enough supply to feed all those willing to wait through the cold Tokyo night. Of course, if the line grows far beyond the 200 (and this is a couple of hours before the trains have ended) who knows what will happen.
Stay tuned for more coverage straight from Japan.
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Okay, PSP fans, this is it! Sony's first foray into the world of portable gaming arrives to Japan in just a few hours.
As we revealed in previous stories (surely you read about our Sakuraya adventure?), IGN already has numerous PSP systems reserved for our editorial brethren, and will be picking up the systems leisurely on Sunday afternoon.
But what about those who weren't hardcore enough to refresh their web browser over and over again for two hours in order to secure a system through Sony or wait in line all night to obtain one of few pre-orders at a store? These unlucky kids have only one option if they want to get a PSP at launch: wait in line all night and hope you make the cutoff before all systems are accounted for.
The number of systems Sony Computer Entertainment will be providing is in question at this point. Official numbers point to 200,000 units going out to retailers, but a few sources have suggested that there may be fewer than this. The Sakuraya outlet in Shibuya where we reserved one of our systems told us that they'd be getting just 50 units a launch -- and this is one of Tokyo's big outlets, spanning six stories in one of the most crowded areas of the city.
Considering the expected demand for the system, 200,000 units will probably be insufficient, leaving many empty handed on Sunday. There's relief in sight, though. SCE has promised added shipments of 100,000 units a week throughout the year. Just yesterday, the company informed users of its PSWorld e-commerce portal that it would begin taking reservations on Sunday at noon for a new batch of systems set to ship on 12/22. Other retailers have stated that they expect to get shipments gradually throughout the end of the year, but none have been willing to take pre-orders for specific dates.
Of course, all this means little to gamers based in America. The PSP won't arrive to American shores until some time early 2005, and by that time SCE will have hopefully geared up production enough to meet demand in all territories.
To give you a glimpse at the pre-launch buzz for the PSP here in Tokyo, we took our cameras to the usually crowded Shinjuku and Shibuya areas to see if anything big was going down on the PSP front. Here's what we saw.
http://gba.ouroad.org/misc_download/2004/12/psp01.jpg
Bic Camera in Shinjuku has DS and
PSP playable on its second floor.
http://gba.ouroad.org/misc_download/2004/12/psp02.jpg
The game section of the same store
also has the two systems together.
http://gba.ouroad.org/misc_download/2004/12/psp03.jpg
Outside, this store's fueling system wars!
http://gba.ouroad.org/misc_download/2004/12/psp04.jpg
Bic has been good enough to translate its redistribution
warning sign into English and Chinese.
http://gba.ouroad.org/misc_download/2004/12/psp05.jpg
Bic in Shinjuku didn't have any lines when we checked at
8:00PM, but the store promises to open at 6:55AM for PSP.
http://gba.ouroad.org/misc_download/2004/12/psp06.jpg
The giant Yodobashi Camera in Shinjuku already
had a line when we checked in at 7:30PM.
http://gba.ouroad.org/misc_download/2004/12/psp07.jpg
Forty people (and two bums) planning to wait until the 6:00AM
special opening time. Update: this was apparently just
the end of the line outside Yodobashi Camera! The line has grown
to well over 200 people some seven hours prior to the store's opening!
http://gba.ouroad.org/misc_download/2004/12/psp08.jpg
The store's attractive PSP display was managing
to draw large crowds when we checked in.
http://gba.ouroad.org/misc_download/2004/12/psp09.jpg
This upstanding citizen enjoys a
game of Minna no Golf Mobile at the store.
http://gba.ouroad.org/misc_download/2004/12/psp10_1102796982.jpg
Moving over to Shibuya, Tsutaya also didn't have any lines,
probably because they've gone full pre-order for the PSP.
They do have a nice little display next to the DS display.
http://gba.ouroad.org/misc_download/2004/12/psp11.jpg
This area outside Bic Camera in Shibuya had
a countdown leading up first to the launch of
Dragon Quest, then to the launch of the DS. For
the PSP, they've got light bulbs. Lots of light bulbs.
http://gba.ouroad.org/misc_download/2004/12/psp12.jpg
We thought this crowd was lining up for the PSP, but it was
actually just a bunch of protestors (along with lots of cops --
we're talking one police officer for every three protestors.
http://gba.ouroad.org/misc_download/2004/12/psp13.jpg
There may not have been too many people set to
wait up all night when we went around Tokyo,
but that didn't keep Garfield's excitement in check.
http://gba.ouroad.org/misc_download/2004/12/psp14.jpg
Even Snake seemed to have caught PSP
fever when we ran into him in Shinjuku.
Although there's already a giant line outside Yodobashi Camera and stores have started displaying promotional items for the PSP, we haven't seen as much retail buzz for the PSP as we did the DS in the days leading up to launch. Nintendo's portable was making more noise just prior to its launch, with more public presence, a loud pre-order campaign (this is the biggie, something that the PSP lacked), countdowns outside retailers, more visible demo units, and a real sticky theme song. The PSP's presence has been quiet in comparison.
Then again, with only 200,000 units to go around, and most reports suggesting that demand will far exceed that, the quiet could be intentional on the part of SCE and the retail community (the latter party probably preferring to push products that will actually be in good supply).
We went around Tokyo at around 8:00PM, prior to the closing time of most electronic stores. While Yodobashi was good enough to set aside space for a line ahead of time, other stores hadn't followed. That should change once stores close and they have space in front of their shops for line management. We expect that, before 12/11 gives way to 12/12, lines will have formed outside Bic and other stores that haven't been taking pre-orders.
Stay tuned to further reports from Japan as the PSP launches.
-- Anoop Gantayat 我也想去排队啊...好羡慕那个排在前面的老兄... 有机会我也想去排一次队。。。。。不一定是新机。。。。 我很想感受下排队买机的滋味啊 估计我门可以为我门的后代去排队买主机！ 估计我门可以为我门的后代去排队买主机！
嗯感觉不错啊 估计我门可以为我门的后代去排队买主机！
我有后代了也要先给自己买新主机 我有后代了也要先给自己买新主机
呵呵，说的好 呵呵，说的好
然后与子同乐嘛
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