PS3 Outcome, Leaving Tomorrow

Followup: My Playstation 3 camping friend survived the Wal-Mart ordeal, making a tidy profit on eBay. It really seemed like a lot of radio and TV commentators missed the point when discussing the “console camping” phenomenon. My impression is that there were at least as many profiteers as there were PS3 Fanboys, and the 12,000+ consoles currently for sale on eBay confirms that in part. But somehow, all of the questions asked of the people waiting in line were “What’s so awesome about the PS3?” And all of the answers were “The graphics are great and I just love playing games!”

Tomorrow we leave for Orlando for a week. Work will follow me, to some extent, but it will still be relaxing. I’m looking forward to it.

Dispatches from a PS3 Camper

My buddy is holed up at an undisclosed Wal-Mart here in Georgia waiting to get a Playstation 3 when they are released tomorrow morning at midnight. Here are his hour-by-hour updates.

Tuesday 9:54pm

1st in line

We’ll see if they get any premiums
this is so ridiculous that I had to come out here 2 days early, but i am glad I prepared for the missed time

We talked on the phone this evening and he indicated that an evil manager had told everyone that if they fell asleep, they’d be kicked out of the store. I told him to stand his ground and reminded him that you’re not trespassing until someone asks you to leave and you refuse. As of yet, they haven’t done this yet. I don’t understand the “you can’t sleep” policy, considering that it doesn’t seem to have been a rule anywhere else.

Wednesday 1:25pm

my officers were cool and echoed your notion that if they asked us to leave that we would have to–i passed that onto the crowd before the officers finished talking with the manager, but when they came out they just said for us not to get unruly and everything would be fine

34.5 hours to go

Wednesday 2:02pm

now the manager went around posting that they may not get the minimum 10 consoles specified in the ad but they will issue up 10 rainchecks for every console they get less than 10

I don’t feel that they’ll get 10 but I do hope they get 1

Thursday 8:09am

preliminary indications from alleged inside sources at the store say 6 consoles will arrive
and they are not divulging this to the last 4 people in line for fear of retaliation

i had originally thought I might try for two by going to the as-of-yesterday underpopulated Eatonton store, however, due to the amazing sleep deprivation policy instituted by management here–I no longer feel that would be a safe endeavor to undertake btwn 12am and 6am tomorrow

to me their idea of us not sleeping seems to create much more potential liability–sending us out at midnight than any damage to reputation or appearance which is what I understand concerns them about us dozing off in layaway

Thursday 8:53am

we actually should have tried harder to sleep last night b/c there is no opportunity now, but the night manager came and gave us a speech about how he hoped everything would go smoothly and that the officers that would drop in from time to time would not have to straighten anything out–which was totally justified b/c until that point we had created 0 problems or hassles for the store–I in fact was aiding in the direction and location of deep cover layaway operatives at customers’ requests

that said they now have a full complement of day Nazis including Himmler from the other day who threatened to kick out a dozing camper–so to avoid friction and losing my place after almost 40hrs of waiting I am going to do my best to continue to remain awake

but again, to me, the plan to deprive 10 customers of sleep for a prolonged period and then send them to drive home at midnight [doesn’t seem like a good idea]

Thursday 11:37am

The bad manager just came through and said they are not getting 6 but 2. I am #1 in line so that’s where we stand.

At about the 12-hour mark, they announce that they’ll have rainchecks available for those who don’t get one tonight.

Thursday 11:51am

actually the line may expand since they are gonna do 8 raincheck per, before 10 seemed like the maximum line spot, but with 4 consoles and 16 rainchecks total–the list can accomodate 20 people.

I’ll post more as we reach the thrilling conclusion.