
Originally Posted by
The Press Democrat
The lines, which began forming outside some stores last Friday, are filled with people willing to endure rain, boredom and the occasional snide comment to ensure they walk away with a coveted PS3.
Some are hard-core video gamers unwilling to wait until next year when the consoles are expected to be more abundant.
"It's now or never," said Nick Howshar, 17, who started camping outside of Circuit City on Tuesday. "If you don't get it now, who knows when you'll get it?"
But most are profiteers who hope to cash in on the craze and immediately resell their new PlayStations online for $2,000 or more.
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The encampments are not expected to get bigger. Employees at most stores have told those waiting how many units they have available for Friday. In some cases that was fewer than the number of people waiting in line, dashing the hopes of some people at the Santa Rosa Best Buy who already had spent a cold night waiting.
"They basically came out and said they had 22 machines, and we were like 35 in line," said Jeremy McNutt, a construction contractor who camped overnight Tuesday with his 48-year-old mother. "So we decided to pack it up and not wait another three days. It was kind of brutal."
To ensure he gets one, SSU student Chris Silva set up camp Friday next to the entrance of the Rohnert Park Wal-Mart. He is first in line but has endured two nights of cold rain and a near fistfight about someone's place in line. More rain is expected today.
"It's going to get worse as it gets closer," said the beleaguered Silva, who is forced to sleep in his chair because Wal-Mart forbids campers from pitching tents.
People waiting in line at Wal-Mart have been told by employees that the store has 10 units - six of the premium consoles that cost $599 and four of the basic consoles that cost $499.