Shakin’ in their boots. That’s the impression we got from game retailers Gamestop and EB Games following their announcement of preorder plans for the upcoming Sony Playstation 3 console. It took just a day for both to sell out their preorders, after their conditions for consumer purchases were released to the public yesterday morning. 
Today, both face a tirade of angry Sony fanboys who won’t be getting their system come November. To make matters worse, one retailer is facing allegations that its employees engaged in unfair conduct when arranging for their own shiny, new PS3.
The Sony Playstation 3 is the most powerful of the next-gen consoles, upping the ante on the competition from Microsoft and Nintendo. It offers the consumer a muscular cell processor and the new Blu-Ray high definition DVD player, all for a not-so-lean $600 USD. It is slated for release November 14th, but as the date approaches it appears few will be picking up a PS3 that day. Just 400,000 units will be available for the North American market, with another 100,000 offered to Japanese gamers.
The shortage was most visible during yesterday’s announcement from major game retailers Gamestop and EB Games. In that shivering, whimpering, statement, each detailed plans to have just eight consoles on hand for launch day, with a $100 deposit required in the weeks beforehand. Weeks? That turned out to be hours, with each retailer reporting complete sellouts across the board.
EB Games, originally Electronics Boutique (love that name), is facing the ire of gamers as a result of the sellout. Though one might see EB Games as an easy scapegoat, there have been a few reports that the retailer’s employees took advantage of the PS3 preorder method. You see, EB workers hardly have to jump through the flaming circus loops that the consumer faces, meaning they can have first crack at the coveted console. Expect Ebay to light up with the sleek system in the next few months, with a number of EB employees cashing enough to upgrade from a Corolla to Camry.
There is one glimmer of hope for desperate Sonyites: although EB Games quickly sold out its American orders, Canadians have yet to get their shot at the console. It’s likely anyone from North America could pick up a PS3 through the Canadian release.
Speaking from experience with Canadian EB Games, however, Canuck gamers can expect each store to carry one console. Actually, scratch that; maybe one controller.
