23 replies to this topic

[MetalSlime23]

Can anyone help explain why there is a drought with PS3 consoles right now? None of the stores where I live have had any in stock for close to 6 weeks, and I can't even fine one online.

Everyone tells me that Sony isn't supplying at the moment. This doesn't really make a lot of sense considering that the economy is in a downturn. If people want to buy PS3s, then supply them! How can you make money off of something if you don't supply it? Is this some kind of a strategy to generate hype and boost sales in the long run?

What's the deal?

[revolutionika]

maybe they are selling alot of them???

i havent noticed a drought in my area

[Reaperman]

there isn't a shortage of big games coming out for it right now. I think sony may be moving more consoles than expected. They pushed games back from xmas season to early this year and may not have believed as many folks had an extra $300 for new hardware when santa wasn't around.

underestimation of the power of the tax return?

Edited by Reaperman, Sat Mar 13, 2010 10:46 AM.

[Crazy Climber]

Both Target stores by my house have been sold out for weeks. Best buy only has the deluxe edition bundle pack (which I have no interest in) I keep debating snagging another PS3 with the price cut but my desicion has been made pretty easy since they are sold out

[Crazy Climber]

Oh and another thing, it seems they always disapear like this right before another console change (bigger hard drive/price drop/etc..) You don't think Sony is already planning yet another console revision do you? If so when will they learn to just leave stuff alone, makes me afraid to buy something since something better might just come out in a few months.

[MetalSlime23]

A friend of mine told me that the US government purchased a whole bunch of them to create some sort of network for a project. It seems kind of far fetched, but it could be part of the reason I can't find one.

My fat 60 gig launch system still works fine, but I had a bit of a scare a couple of weeks ago on 2-28. It made me think that might want to consider getting a slim soon.

[Mord]

MetalSlime23, on Sat Mar 13, 2010 3:19 PM, said:

A friend of mine told me that the US government purchased a whole bunch of them to create some sort of network for a project. It seems kind of far fetched, but it could be part of the reason I can't find one.

My fat 60 gig launch system still works fine, but I had a bit of a scare a couple of weeks ago on 2-28. It made me think that might want to consider getting a slim soon.

That was on Kotaku months to a year or more ago regarding networking the PS3s together, running Linux, to brute force people's passwords and the like on seized laptops/etc I believe. That wouldn't have caused this shortage tho if that's the case since the Slim models don't run Linux. The government would have purchased a large number of the original Phats for that kind of project...

I'd say it's probably more that people are buying more due to the various games recently released, including FFXIII. Regardless of what people are saying about the game, it's not going to stop a lot of people from taking the plunge. Sony probably just got caught unprepared... unless they were hoping for a 'shortage' to go "see? we can't keep these things on the shelf! (quick, turn the production line back on!)"

I believe there's still plenty around where I live but I guess I should double check since it's been a few days.

[moycon]

I'm looking for one too.
There is indeed a drought and Sony knows about it and they say it's going to last a bit longer.

http://www.vg247.com...ger/#more-84204

[Crazy Climber]

Target in my area is still out, just checked.

[Mendon]

Over the past month or so, I've only seen a couple of PS3's on the shelves and each time its been one, lonely 250gb system.


Mendon

[Crazy Climber]

It's kind of working...I feel like if I see one now I am going to buy it! I was still in the maybe phase.

[Gabriel]

MetalSlime23, on Sat Mar 13, 2010 3:19 PM, said:

A friend of mine told me that the US government purchased a whole bunch of them to create some sort of network for a project. It seems kind of far fetched, but it could be part of the reason I can't find one.

My fat 60 gig launch system still works fine, but I had a bit of a scare a couple of weeks ago on 2-28. It made me think that might want to consider getting a slim soon.

Back up your data. I wouldn't worry too much about your downloaded games. Movies will be unretrievable if your system dies. But get your save game information backed up onto USB drives or something. If you play PS2 games, then back up your virtual memory cards to real cards.

Mine just died, and no place in town has a SATA to USB or IDE adaptor. I can't just pop the old HDD into a new PS3 either, because it will immediately format the drive.

I had just bought Final Fantasy XIII. I got to play it for 5 hours, and then the next day I got the YLOD. I loved my PS3. It was an absolute dream system. I wasn't happy to be trading down to a slim. But there aren't any for sale anywhere.

[monzamess]

If you just want a PS3, the newest fat models (80GB and 40GB) are plentiful (and sometimes cheap) on the used market. I know they're not the best models but they're reliable and play all PS3 games.

Also a few weeks ago I noticed several slim models up on eBay at or below retail with free shipping, which is cheaper than buying locally and paying tax... assuming they're not scams (these didn't seem to be).

[MetalSlime23]

Gabriel, on Sun Mar 14, 2010 11:57 AM, said:

MetalSlime23, on Sat Mar 13, 2010 3:19 PM, said:

A friend of mine told me that the US government purchased a whole bunch of them to create some sort of network for a project. It seems kind of far fetched, but it could be part of the reason I can't find one.

My fat 60 gig launch system still works fine, but I had a bit of a scare a couple of weeks ago on 2-28. It made me think that might want to consider getting a slim soon.

Back up your data. I wouldn't worry too much about your downloaded games. Movies will be unretrievable if your system dies. But get your save game information backed up onto USB drives or something. If you play PS2 games, then back up your virtual memory cards to real cards.

Mine just died, and no place in town has a SATA to USB or IDE adaptor. I can't just pop the old HDD into a new PS3 either, because it will immediately format the drive.

I had just bought Final Fantasy XIII. I got to play it for 5 hours, and then the next day I got the YLOD. I loved my PS3. It was an absolute dream system. I wasn't happy to be trading down to a slim. But there aren't any for sale anywhere.

I noticed the drought when I started looking for a replacement for mine when I thought it had died. I didn't realize that you could backup your saves to a USB drive. I will have to give that a try. I expect that mine will have a similar fate as your any day now.

[moycon]

MetalSlime23, on Sun Mar 14, 2010 12:18 PM, said:

I didn't realize that you could backup your saves to a USB drive. I will have to give that a try.

Neither did I!
Several people here on AA have it in their heads that PS3 never break down, obviously this isn't true because several members on AA have mentioned their PS3 have died. I am going to back mine up as well because the fact is you never know!

[xg4bx]

moycon, on Sun Mar 14, 2010 2:54 PM, said:

MetalSlime23, on Sun Mar 14, 2010 12:18 PM, said:

I didn't realize that you could backup your saves to a USB drive. I will have to give that a try.

Neither did I!
Several people here on AA have it in their heads that PS3 never break down, obviously this isn't true because several members on AA have mentioned their PS3 have died. I am going to back mine up as well because the fact is you never know!

if you have a non-slim model you can also transfer your saves to an sd or pro duo card.some games have copy protected saves but 99% should easily transfer.

[Taskmaster99]

was at K mart this weekend. Out. Target still had a few and Best Buy was overloaded!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

[KrazyKaiju]

My local Target has no 120GBs in stock but they do have about a dozen 250BGs. Same with Walmart. Makes me wonder if Sony is clearing out the 120GBs in order to make the 250GB the new base model.

[Mendon]

monzamess, on Sun Mar 14, 2010 12:16 PM, said:

Also a few weeks ago I noticed several slim models up on eBay at or below retail with free shipping, which is cheaper than buying locally and paying tax... assuming they're not scams (these didn't seem to be).

I know what you are saying but unfortunately, any words of "limited", "collector" or "short supply" often raises the price on items: I was looking at the "Movers & Shakers" list on Amazon this morning and noticed that WorldWide Distributors had the only new PS3 120gb and 250gb units on the list. They were only asking the over-inflated prices of $409 for the 120gb unit and $469 for the 250gb unit plus $29 shipping on either.

I picked up my Collectors Edition of God of War III last night ($99 and well worth it, IMO) and see its already priced at over $200 by re-sellers.


Mendon

[godslabrat]

Mord, on Sat Mar 13, 2010 3:47 PM, said:

I'd say it's probably more that people are buying more due to the various games recently released, including FFXIII. Regardless of what people are saying about the game, it's not going to stop a lot of people from taking the plunge. Sony probably just got caught unprepared... unless they were hoping for a 'shortage' to go "see? we can't keep these things on the shelf! (quick, turn the production line back on!)"

You can't get much more "Sony" than that. Remember two months after launch, when every store had dozens of PS3s piled around, and Sony had the balls to say "We promise we'll resolve this shortage any week now!"

[orangest]

Sony's timing tricky for God of War III

Quote

"God of War III is a cornerstone for the PlayStation 3 because it's one of only a handful of big properties that's exclusive," said John Taylor, managing director at Arcadia Investments.

Now that Sony has a highly anticipated video game on its hands, good luck in finding a PlayStation 3 to go along with it.

A supply shortage is making the powerful console -- which also plays Blu-ray discs, DVDs and music and connects to the Internet -- extremely hard to find at retailers, hindering the company's ability to capitalize on the excitement.

Recent visits to Best Buy, GameStop and Target stores in West Hollywood found all of them sold out; a clerk at Target said it hasn't had any in stock for a couple of weeks. Wal-Mart online and Amazon.com didn't have any available either.

"It's not ideal, I won't kid you," said Jack Tretton, president of Sony's U.S. video game division. "But I firmly believe we'll get our hardware back in stock and keep selling God of War III for a long time."

[MetalSlime23]

Some idiot at Sony got fired over that one. Why wouldn't you supply consoles when there is a game in high demand? Idiots.

[xg4bx]

it's still not as bad as the phony shortages that nintendo continually creates. ram chips, mario kart or the wii anyone?

[moycon]

Just FYI, Amazon has PS3's back in stock. I finally snagged a Slim!!