
Originally Posted by
Wikipedia
Launch
The PlayStation 3 was released in Japan on November 11, 2006 at 0700. At Bic Camera's Tokyo flagship store more than 1,000 customers queued up for launch, with staff and police having to keep control.[37][38] Furthermore there were reports that the launch was disorganised with many of the initial consoles being obtained by businessmen who paid mainly Chinese nationals to buy the console without any software,[38] to resell on eBay. The PlayStation 3 will be released in North America on November 17, 2006. Ken Kutaragi has stated that the PlayStation 3 will launch on March 7, 2007 in Europe. According to Gamespot.com 88,400 PS3 systems were sold in Japan during the launch. Playstation 3 launch was also hampered by shortages in Japan.([3])
Sony recently announced to retailers like Gamestop that for the American release, stores would only get between 200,000 - 250,000 units rather than the 400,000 they promised would ship for launch day.[39] Gamestop/EB and other retailers have responded by placing embargoes on employee pre-ordered purchases, trying to free up as many units as possible to avoid irate pre-order customers angry at not receiving promised goods.