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Wii and PS3 Camp-Out Guide

Posted by ryuzaki0 on from the stay-warm dept.

An anonymous reader writes "A Wordpress blogger wrote up a guide to camping out on launch day. From the article: 'This is a download of my experience of over twenty-plus years of gaming and having been a part of six console launch days. No, I've never had to stand on line without knowing that my system was reserved. But I've spoken to enough people and accumulated enough knowledge to share. And with that said, here's my list of guidelines to insure that your camp-out in front of Best Buy, Target, Circuit City or Toys R Us is safe and not in vain.' Good luck to all the readers waiting outside for a PS3 or Wii next week." A lot of it is common-sense, but he has some good advice on pre-planning.

12 of 120 comments (clear)

  1. ps3 by minus_273 · · Score: 4, Funny

    I feel sorry for the people who are camping for Ps3s and going to ebay. They will probably end up like this guy and lose a few hundred dollars.

    --
    The war with islam is a war on the beast
    The war on terror is a war for peace
  2. Does anyone need to camp out for the Wii? by ConfusedSelfHating · · Score: 3, Insightful

    Nintendo doesn't seem to have any production problems whatsoever with the Wii, it's very close to the Gamecube. They can easily churn them out to meet demand. Only in the mind of the most deranged Nintendo fan boy will there be a shortage. I think it will sell very well, especially in Japan. But I think that the only people camping out for a Wii will be Nintendo die hards who want to tell everyone that they camped out for one.

    1. Re:Does anyone need to camp out for the Wii? by HappySqurriel · · Score: 4, Insightful

      Personally, I couldn't get a pre-order but I'm not too worried about getting a Wii at launch and I (sort of) plan on "camping out" ...

      My plan is to show up at walmart at 6:30 or 7:00 sunday morning because they open at 8:00; if I can't get one there I will move to Super Store which opens at 9:30, if I cant get one there I will move to futureshop which opens at 11:00. I expect that at one of my stops I will get a Wii but I'm prepared to go hunting for one.

      As I see it the worst case scenerio is that I will get one in the second shipment ...

  3. Late birds get the worm by mattnuzum · · Score: 2, Funny

    I worked at Best Buy for the '96 Christmas season... some big console was released that year and people waited and waited outside the doors for that release. I don't even remember what the console was.

    We sold out instantly, most of the people left without one.

    One week before Christmas we received a huge supply. People who waited until the last minute to get their gifts all went home happy. How's that for irony?

  4. Alaska... by 7Prime · · Score: 2, Interesting

    Not sure what I'm gonna do, I'm up here in Fairbanks, Alaska, and I'm gunning for a Wii at launch. The only thing is, it's probably going to be at least -10F by the time the 19th rolls around, so I don't know how much "camping" is going to go on. I'm thinking about parking the car close to the store a few hours before openning, and waiting to see when people start to show up. I'll have to ask around about previous launches. Wal-Mart already sold out their pre-orders, as did GameStop, so I'm going after a state-wide chain department store instead, they're usually pretty on top of things.

    Anyone else been faced with cold weather system launches? What was your experience?

    --
    Multiplayer Gaming (defined): Sitting around, discussing single-player games with my friends, at the bar.
    1. Re:Alaska... by joggle · · Score: 2, Informative

      I'm sure I don't need to tell this to someone in Alaska, but be sure not to kill yourself with carbon-monoxide poisoning. While I haven't camped out in Alaska in that weather, I have in Colorado and a nice, toasty sleeping bag does the job nicely, especially if you have something hot to drink too.

    2. Re:Alaska... by ClamIAm · · Score: 2, Insightful

      it's probably going to be at least -10F by the time the 19th rolls around

      As a Minnesotan, I usually laugh at people's "omg it's teh cold" stories. Looks like I can't do that this time. Good game, dude.

  5. Careful by mmbroda · · Score: 2, Funny

    My favorite comment from the article... "My friends and I plan on getting a total of 6 ps3.. 3 of them will be mine. i plan on selling 2 on eBay. my goal is to make $5000. we will be getting in line Wed. around 5pm. Im just worried about security. I heard way too many horror sorries for the 360 launch and for that reason we will have a .45 in the car just in case. "

  6. Brown paper bag, please. by ColaMan · · Score: 3, Funny

    Heh. I notice that the first photo linked in that article has a guy opening what looks to be very much like a bottle of wine out on the footpath.

    Pretentious snob. Beer would have been perfectly fine for that occasion.

    Unless that photo was taken in France, of course.

    --

    You are in a twisty maze of processor lines, all alike.
    There is a lot of hype here.
  7. Delay gratification by Aceticon · · Score: 2, Interesting

    The ability to delay gratification (i.e. don't do it now because it will be easier or the reward will be bigger later) is one of those personal traits which highly correlates with success. It's also one of those things people are supposed to learn when they're kids.

    I reckon that anybody wanting to study those which never learned this valuable ability just has to go check the lines on launch day.

    1. Re:Delay gratification by twistedsymphony · · Score: 3, Insightful

      When waiting in line you're conscientiously waiting for gratification for a number of hours, the reward seems sweeter once you actually get it. Not only that the product is brand new and you're one of the few people to lay eyes on it is mythical in a sense.

      Waiting to buy your console months later it looses that sense, the prize isn't as sweet because you can just walk in and get one, and seeing it become common place for people to talk about it kiosks popping up everywhere maybe you've played it a couple times at a friends house it's not as special once you get it.

      I've had my consoles both ways, while buying any new piece of entertainment equipment is exciting, there is something particularly special about bringing home some tech not just new to you, but to the whole world, and waiting in line to get one makes it even sweeter because once you get one you fee like you've earned it. You're entitled to your opinions on the subject but that's genuinely how I feel about it.

      --
      Collector's Edition
  8. Prank the campers by British · · Score: 3, Funny

    I postd this to the ps2 newsgroup..

    1. get a legit PS3 box
    2. Stuff it full of computer parts(small ones). Go into store.
    3. Walk out of a busy Best Buy or WalMart or Target and yell out loud
    "hey I got a PS3!" while holding it over your head
    5. Accidentally drop it
    6. pretend to be sad and open the box as onlookers watch & pull parts out.

    If you do this, have a friend videotape it and post it to youtube. If
    it doesn't work, put it all back into the box and try another store.

    If there's enough onlookers, or better yet, PS3 campers, it might be
    fun.