Crowds go mild for PS3 in Australia

The Playstation 3 was Sony's latest 'next-gen' console which has to fight against giant corporations such as Microsoft's hugely popular Xbox360 and Nintendo's Wii. Although the Playstation 3 (PS3) was supposed to have superior graphics and gameplay, thanks to the motion sensing 'Six-Axis', the console launch got off to a feeble start last night. It seems that officials, media and security outnumbered the meager customers that was present for the evening.

Over 500 retailers around the country threw open their doors as the clock struck 12:00am, expecting the frenzy that accompanied the games console's overseas debuts. But most stores were virtually deserted, despite the 20,000 pre-orders for the PS3 that Sony had claimed it received. Were people just too lazy to pick it up at the time? Observations suggest otherwise.

The official launch event held at Myer's Pitt Street store in Sydney's CBD and attended by Sony's local managing director, Michael Ephraim, media and security outnumbered PS3 fans until at least 11:00pm. At midnight, about 40 PS3 buyers had arrived to collect their consoles, causing distress for the army of camera crews who turned up expecting to capture launch mayhem. Boy were they disappointed.

Desperate producers unashamedly asked the crowd to fake excitement when the cameras were rolling, while a team from 2Day FM let out bogus cheers to convince their radio listeners that a launch extravaganza was underway.

This scene was a stark contrast to the US launch in November last year, where one man was shot by thieves and fights broke out over limited stock.In Britain, where the PS3 was also launched today, two major Oxford Street stores in London - Game and HMV - cancelled their launch events amid police fears of muggings.

The PS3 launches with a total of 30 games, each with a recommended retail price of $99.95, which were also more than the prices Sony claimed. One of those games is Gran Turismo: HD, which Sony is offering free - as a download from the Playstation Network - to all PS3 buyers. And Sony said the first 20,000 people to register their PS3 online would receive a free copy of the latest James Bond movie Casino Royale on Blu-ray disc.

From today, Sony will launch into its $6 million marketing campaign, which it hopes will convince the public that the PS3 is not just a games machine but an all-in-one home entertainment system.

The campaign will stress the inclusion of a high-definition Blu-ray disc player, sleek design, 60GB hard drive, web browser and, most importantly, the PS3's ability to act as a multimedia hub for organising photos, music and movies.

This is crucial if Sony is to convince consumers that the PS3's $999 price tag is justified, in the face of the $650 Xbox 360 and $399 Nintendo Wii.

Another disappointment was the fact that the PS3 was originally slated for release locally on November 17, but this date was pushed back to today due to production delays.

It has meant the Wii and Xbox 360 have a significant head-start in the next-generation console wars - the Wii has been on sale since early December, while the Xbox 360 has its first birthday next week. The Wii already selling a staggering 4 million units around the world.

Another potential stumbling block for Sony is the fact that it has priced the PS3 higher in Australia than it has overseas. The console sells for just ¥60,000 ($630) in Japan and $US599 ($740) in the US. Why some people may ask? Was it the shipping? Surely bring boxes over to Australia does not cost $259. Mr Ephraim claimed that because of Australia's currency exchange rate and small population size, it led to a higher cost.

To read the full article, visit The Age