http://www.kotaku.com/assets/resources/2006/11/ps3launchfaces.jpg


At the worldwide sales debut of PlayStation 3, Sony's newest console attracted dozens of media outlets and thousands of people willing to camp outside overnight for a chance to score the 60,000 yen game system.

Minutes before the clock struck 7:00 A.M. and Sony's new PlayStation 3 console would officially go on sale, a company representative addressed the crowd of media and the new face of early bird game console buyers - Chinese nationals.

"Everybody, the PlayStation 3 is the door to a new world of interactive entertainment," the spunky Japanese rep trumpeted as SCE CEO Ken Kutaragi joined her on stage.

Unfortunately for her and the rest of the Sony entourage, the men and women standing patiently in the front of the line either didn't understand what she was saying, or didn't care - the first buyers of PS3 were largely elderly Chinese men and young Chinese women with shaky Japanese language skills.

This became readily apparent when Kutaragi welcomed the first official PS3 owner on stage for an on-spot interview. A 26-year-old Chinese man politely stood on stage while the organizers earnestly tried to squeeze some information him.

Questions like "When did you start lining up?" and "What games will you buy?" were left unanswered as the young man shook his head, refusing (or unable) to respond. The Japanese media would later catch up with him, confirming suspicions that the first PS3 buyer didn't understand Japanese. An eyewitness claimed the young man didn't purchase a single game for his brand-new PS3.

This is the true face of the PlayStation 3 debut in Japan. Hardcore gamers are not here waiting in line overnight, buying a first-run PS3, and running home to play some good old next-gen gaming. Rather, opportunistic Japanese businessmen have the largest presence, hiring poor Chinese men and women to wait in line for a PS3, one which will later be sold on web auctions to wealthy gamers around the world for exorbitant amounts of money.

Based on my observations of the first twenty PS3s sold at Bic Camera, they were all purchased by Chinese nationals, none of whom bought any software. After making their purchase, television crews asked for interviews but all were declined. These temporary owners of PS3s would then make their way down the street where their bosses waited. After several minutes, a dozen PS3s were rounded up, as their Japanese business manager paid out cash to those who waited in line for them. I witnessed a homeless-looking Chinese man, in his sixties or seventies get paid 20,000 yen for his services and was then sent away.

The sales spree continued back over at the registers, and not everything was running smoothly. One elderly Chinese man, next in line to buy a PS3, was in a state of panic. He explained to a Bic Camera employee that his "friend" has his money, but that he is further back in the line. After further investigation, these poor Chinese are not given the 60,000 yen to purchase the PS3 until minutes before their reach the registers, perhaps out of fear that some will run off with the money. The Bic Camera employee assisted the elderly gentlemen, escorting him back to the cash registered after he received the cash from his good "friend."

11/12/2006 10:55:30 AM

They only had 80,000 available for sale.

It's doubtful that many more than 10,000 went to people that will actually open the box and PLAY it.

I don't see how you can call that a success on any level.

Unless of course you're talking about making money, and not actually providing and enjoyable gaming experience to the masses.

But who wants that anyways, right?

11/12/2006 11:02:28 AM

^^ random pale face in that photo

11/12/2006 12:45:00 PM

gotta love japan

11/12/2006 1:33:13 PM

Considering the lengths people have gone to to get it, I'd call that a fucking success. But, my title was sarcastic nacho.

11/12/2006 1:52:18 PM

I'll wager that at least one of them gets dookied on.

11/12/2006 6:35:57 PM

basically the article says

"LOL"

11/12/2006 6:41:19 PM

^^thats like sayin someone here in the US will eat a cheeseburger while camping out. some things are just a given.

11/12/2006 7:14:54 PM

Man, I don't wanna blow my whistle or anything

http://www.neogaf.com/forum/showthread.php?t=128756

IT'S OVER 100

11/14/2006 6:18:23 PM

i also loved the random white guy in the photo too

i'm sure the same thing, to a lesser extent, will happen for the wii if it hasn't already

11/14/2006 9:12:30 PM

Playstation sucks.

W00t.

11/14/2006 10:31:45 PM