Playstation 3 Frenzy...

Discussion in 'Fred's House of Pancakes' started by Mystery Squid, Nov 17, 2006.

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  1. Mystery Squid

    Mystery Squid Junior Member

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    Papers this morning are littered with various accounts of angry mobs, people getting hurt, and even SHOT, for the Playstation 3.

    What gets me is, how f'in trivial this all is? Seriously. I can see doing that sort of thing, for let's say, some drug company who has a monopoly on some sort of miracle cure who's out to juice you for everything you've got, or even against some major employer who's committing some egregious employment offense, but for a video game console?

    We're doomed. This, to me, is one of the more conspicuous indicators that surfaces every now and then, and makes it perfectly clear just how much America has been "dumbed down"....
     
    #1 Mystery Squid, Nov 17, 2006
  2. Jeannie

    Jeannie Proud Prius Granny

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    I wonder what would happen if there were a rule that you must submit proof that you've read at least 5 books in the last 2 years in order to be eligible to buy a video game player?
     
    #2 Jeannie, Nov 17, 2006
  3. efusco

    efusco Moderator Emeritus
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    The whole XBox360 thing is still in my mind...we went to dinner a couple days after those came out and the waiter/chef (Japanese Hibachi dinner) rambled on the entire meal about his Xboxes and how his buddy stole one of his and how much he was selling them for, blah, blah, blah. Now you can get them on-sale for $300 sometimes.

    Is your PS2 just so out of date you can't wait 3 months for the new one's price to come down and become widely available?

    I agree, I just don't get it.
     
    #3 efusco, Nov 17, 2006
  4. Mirza

    Mirza New Member

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    Two of my friends spent a good week debating why the PS3 or Xbox360 is better... to the point where they don't hang out anymore!
     
    #4 Mirza, Nov 17, 2006
  5. Mystery Squid

    Mystery Squid Junior Member

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    ...and on top of that, once again, we hear how because of some aspect or other of the manufacturing process, there aren't enough units given the demand.

    BS. They're fishing for demand. They'd much rather have an unfilled demand, and no consoles on the shelf, opposed to the inverse and price dropping....

    I really feel bad for parents of non-upper middle class folk... Their kids whining about how they must have a $600 toy for Xmas... That's probably a months rent for average America...

    Even though these consoles were pretty expensive back in the day, I swear they've out grown inflation... I remember when I got the Nintendo for Xmas '86, and I think it was around $99.00 or $199 back then. Steep, but most certainly not a rent or mortgage payment...

    on the flip side, video game "cartridges" have actually dropped in price... back in '91 a major "new" Nintendo game was $50, as are most new games today...
     
    #5 Mystery Squid, Nov 17, 2006
  6. Trollbait

    Trollbait It's a D&D thing

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    Maybe it's time for me to get a PS2.
     
    #6 Trollbait, Nov 17, 2006
  7. Alric

    Alric New Member

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    I have to admit I'll be there for the Wii launch. I have a soft spot for a certain italian plumber and a green tights-clad hero. I think it will be a lot more fun than the PS3. Not to mention cheaper and more physical.

    And yes, I read (or listen) to 2 or 3 books a week..:)
     
    #7 Alric, Nov 17, 2006
  8. Tideland Prius

    Tideland Prius Moderator of the North
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    <div class='quotetop'>QUOTE(efusco @ Nov 17 2006, 07:07 AM) [snapback]350761[/snapback]</div>
    The issue is that the next shipment isn't until Christmas or, most likely, next year, thus the frenzy. Sony has repeatedly cut expected production numbers because it couldn't keep up (it promised 1M units at launch).

    The price won't come down for at least 2 years. IIRC the PS2 didn't drop in price until 2003?
     
    #8 Tideland Prius, Nov 17, 2006
  9. Stev0

    Stev0 Honorary Hong Kong Cavalier

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    Why haven't videogame console prices scaled? I spent about two grand (2005 dollars) on an almost-but-not-quite state-of-the-art computer system last year which now is already considered an antique. However, it's literally over 1000 times better than what my neighbor got twenty years ago. Then it was considered a state-of-the-art system ("a 40 megabyte hard drive? Why do you need something so big?") and cost him... two grand (1986 dollars).

    I guess it's our old friend, supply and demand.
     
    #9 Stev0, Nov 17, 2006
  10. Mystery Squid

    Mystery Squid Junior Member

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    <div class='quotetop'>QUOTE(Tideland Prius @ Nov 17 2006, 01:18 PM) [snapback]350797[/snapback]</div>
    I soo don't buy the line Sony is giving on this... If there's any, ANY, vast multi-national corporation with the resources to pull it off, it's Sony. Likewise with MSFT. It's no coincidence MSFT was in the EXACT same boat last year... This is market manipulation akin to price gouging.
     
    #10 Mystery Squid, Nov 17, 2006
  11. Mirza

    Mirza New Member

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    Wow, what a point MS... Never thought about it in that way!
     
    #11 Mirza, Nov 17, 2006
  12. Alric

    Alric New Member

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    <div class='quotetop'>QUOTE(Mystery Squid @ Nov 17 2006, 12:24 PM) [snapback]350805[/snapback]</div>
    I think the problem is that Sony is selling the PS3 only reluctantly and for marketing reasons. Estimates are that they are losing up to $300(!) dollars per unit because of the advance components that are in short supply. So it would make sense to wait until the components go down in price. However, from a marketing point of view they couldn't wait since both the Xbox360 and Wii would just take over the market and people would ignore a late comer PS3.

    I bet they are selling the least amount of PS3s they estimate keeps them in the race. No wonder all launch games have received terrible reviews and seem rushed.

    By comparison Nintendo will make a hefty profit from each Wii since technologically, they are only slightly faster gamecubes with innonative controlers. All reviews agree the games are nothing special graphically but so much fun you won't care how they look.

    Cheers,
     
    #12 Alric, Nov 17, 2006
  13. aaf709

    aaf709 Ravenpaw of ThunderClan

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    We were in a mall and saw several tents in a line outside a Walmart. We didn't know why until we saw a sign saying that the line for the Playstation 3 was outside. Scary.
     
    #13 aaf709, Nov 17, 2006
  14. Mystery Squid

    Mystery Squid Junior Member

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    <div class='quotetop'>QUOTE(Alric @ Nov 17 2006, 01:34 PM) [snapback]350818[/snapback]</div>
    Yes, that's the official party line, and exactly what supposedly happened with Xbox last year. But I think of it like this, you're a high tech firm, and Sony is looking to give you a contract for your parts, I'd say they likely jump at having a shot at it.... They said the same thing about Xbox, oh we're losing xxx per system (although curiously, in relation to what exactly is never clearly revealed)... What, you mean to tell me, SONY can pump out a million plasma tv's, a million VIAO laptops, a million desktops, a million cybershots, yet has trouble with the PS3??? (I'm not arguing with you, just saying!!! :) )

    It's simply I don't believe the line.... What I see on the street is an unusual trumped up demand, and an unusually high price point... Gee, where have we seen this before?

    AT THE PUMP.
     
    #14 Mystery Squid, Nov 17, 2006
  15. KMO

    KMO Senior Member

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    Things like the PS3 are far more complex to produce. They're going to be using custom integrated circuits specially designed to do the job at a low price point. Those ICs might only just be ready, and production may not be ramped up yet. Plus it's got a BluRay drive on - not exactly a mass-production component at this point. It's not a question of just bolting together fairly common componens.

    And on top of that, I'm sure the PS3 is going to sell in far higher volume than any individual model of anything else they sell, and initial demand is going to be very high. It's not like there's a range of PlayStations at different prices, with gradual frequent refreshes throughout the range. There's just one model, replaced every 5 years. Meeting the initial demand surge is bound to be difficult.
     
    #15 KMO, Nov 17, 2006
  16. Godiva

    Godiva AmeriKan Citizen

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    <div class='quotetop'>QUOTE(efusco @ Nov 17 2006, 10:07 AM) [snapback]350761[/snapback]</div>
    I hope you didn't leave him a tip.
     
    #16 Godiva, Nov 17, 2006
  17. galaxee

    galaxee mostly benevolent

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    amazing how worked up people get over something entirely trivial...
     
    #17 galaxee, Nov 17, 2006
  18. bigdaddy

    bigdaddy Member

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    Yeah, it's not like Priuses were selling over list for awhile...
     
    #18 bigdaddy, Nov 17, 2006
  19. airportkid

    airportkid Will Fly For Food

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    <div class='quotetop'>QUOTE(galaxee @ Nov 17 2006, 09:28 AM) [snapback]350874[/snapback]</div>
    Whatever it is, it's in our genes, ineradicable. There was similar mania for Cabbage Patch Dolls and Beanie Babies - commodities created specifically to induce and exploit the tendency to mania!! (We only hear about the successes - there are doubtless commodities launched every week to do the same thing but misfire).

    The question mentioned several times already in this thread about "why the urgency?" underscores the irrationality of the impulse. The only reason you'd need a PS3 (or Cabbage Patch Doll or Beanie Baby) right this minute has nothing to do with need and everything to do with "keeping up appearances."

    Oops - gotta run - I just heard a shelf collapse in the room where I keep all the Cabbage Patch Dolls and Beanie Babies and Tickle Me Elmos and Hula Hoops and if can force the door open enough I might be able to get in there and fix it ---

    Mark Baird
    Alameda CA
     
    #19 airportkid, Nov 17, 2006
  20. TonyPSchaefer

    TonyPSchaefer Your Friendly Moderator
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    Don't look at me; I play MAME.
     
    #20 TonyPSchaefer, Nov 17, 2006
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