PS3 MIDNIGHT MADN355 – 11/17/06

Not completely NSR…..you’ll see below in AWE

Date: November 17th, 2006

Location: Palo Alto, CA, USA

Losers: Skier666, mc_roon, and freeskisquaw

Synopsis: No, we didn’t score one, but we wasted no time, and had an equal chance.

Music: Shinehead – World of the Video Game sample clip

http://www.amazon.com/gp/dmusic/medi…A2WG4CRR75XQ5B

After analyzing the internet fine news reporting on the hot issue of how to score a PS3 on launch day, we decide that two norcal Sony Style stores will be the best bet without camping out on a sidewalk with a PSP in tow. Calls and recon were made from Tuesday through Friday afternoon.

At 1:00 pm on Thursday, a line and a list had formed in front of the San Jose Sony Style of which maybe 20 units were going to be sold. I talked to #23 in line and he gave me the lowdown. The list was approved by management, so that location was pretty much a "no go."

By Friday afternoon, a line at the sidewalk at the Stanford Shopping Center was formed with around 18 people at 4:00 pm. mc_roon was going to get on the list but then after talking to management, the list "means nothing to me" was the response. So, the story was at Midnight, the line would "begin." A bum rush? A riot? Seriously, how is this going to work?

We arrive, along with running shoes, to beat the gamers to the door. The rest can be told through the pics…..

We park at the Caltrain station at 11:15 pm to be incognito….

Next, we arrive at one of the nation’s high-end outdoor malls…

.

And for the ski-related theme…That’s right AUTHIER VAMPIRES!

I’d look pretty killer in that outfit on the right…

Mmmm….VAMPIRES and MARKER M38’s, now that’s a combo!

We reach "the crowd" and ask questions. It seems that they are going to RAFFLE off the 16 units they have.

I can deal with a raffle…shit, we just got here. And guess what, we’re the last people to make it in!

They make announcements and crowds literally run to hear what they are saying.

So we had our shot. Three people out of a couple hundred isn’t the worst odds, but it was exciting nonetheless.

Of course, we don’t get one, so we roll in hyperspeed to Fry’s down the street.

Super quiet, not that many people….

We talked to this guy making cocktails, where he tells us there are 28 units and 30 people in line. He’s #10 and has been waiting since Thursday.

Here’s the front of the line…freeskisquaw offers to buy some spots but was quoted $1500. Therefore, we all bail.

A foggy 280 drive back to SF at 1:30 AM…

All in all, we didn’t really waste that much time, just a Thursday night, and it was pretty entertaining.

Here’s to the Xbox720, PS4, 9D0, and the Dreamcast2 launches in the future!