Kutagari actually Biz Wiz

[Aussie Ben]

While linking to Kotaku makes me cry inside, I thought this article was really great reading (surprise surprise, it wasn't written by the staff). It's got a description of the Japanese launch, along with a couple of videos of the maddening crowds. Unsurprisingly, most of the people lining up weren't Japanese at all, instead poor Chinese people who quickly took their purchase to a nearby truck. Hmm. What I find pretty disturbing is the screaming in the first video - at one point, you hear a woman's scream, and it sounded like sheer terror from being crushed to me.

I've NEVER seen lines like this in real life, ever. The craziest line I've seen (which I also waited in) was for the Krispy Kreme that opened up in Collins Street, Melbourne, a month or two ago. Opened at 7am, and I was there in line at 7pm, still a few shops away from the store. But seriously, that's miniscule compared to what I'm seeing here. I tell you though, I don't miss it in the slightest.

Um. After rereading that, I'd just like to point out that I wasn't waiting in line FROM 7am - I ARRIVED at 7pm and there was a long line. Right.

[ysbreker]

So you don't have to link to kotaku directly: the bbc picked up the news aswell:

http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/technology/6142576.stm quoting kotaku and the email posted there...

[SiN]

Yeah, I read that earlier, it's definitely a sad read.

But Sony are only partially to blame. Yes, it was very irresponsible of them to "launch" with 80,000 units, but I think the same would have happened even if they launched with 500,000 units.

Frankly, this is just capitalism at it's "finest". It kills me on the inside to see that launch day has come to this.

SiN

[Roderick]

Pretty hilarious though. With a Chinese on the podium and everyone evading questions, and the majority of the lines consisting of the Chinese and homeless.

[Aussie Ben]

Let's hope the Japanese Wii launch will top it by being full of prostitues and rapists.

I'm sorry, that was inappropriate.

[vimes]

Since the PS2, I always regarded launch days as the Official Days of Unleashed Capitalism and Retard Consumerism. Getting stampede for a freakin" gaming system?... err, no thanks.

With this one, it is getting really creepy though. The only thing that warms my hearts is to think that hundreds of people are making shitloads of money because Ebay Retards are still around.