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We all Remember the Launch of the Playstation 2,The whole thing was a complete mess and the only thing holding it together was the Preorder forms.There was a Major Production Problem and shortage of Hardware needed to make the PS2 which meant the demand was far more than the consoles availible. With this knowledge of limited amount and some very smart marketing by Sony everyone dashed into their nearest shop and attempted to buy one.
The lucky people who ordered theirs months before were the only people with a chance of getting theirs on launch day. And as for the People who ordered theirs from October onwards had only Sony's word of "Sometime before Christmas". Sony tryed really hard to keep this promise and as far as i know succceded. Costing £300 tagged along with a long wait and alot of hassle was it really worth getting at launch?
The Playstation 2 price has been knocked down by a tad but for £299 you can now get one with 2 controllers,8 mg Memory card and a remote control.Alot more games are now availible than there were on November 24th, The Hard Drive/Internet is on it's way and nearly all the PS2's problems are out in the open.
I couldn't wait to get my hands on my Playstation 2 but as fantastic as it is and putting aside the fact that it plays DVD's and enhances PS1 games, I think that we're all still after them long awaited PS2 titles and When these finally arrive the PS2 will be easily availible,alot cheaper and you can take it home the same day.
All I'm saying is the main reason we wanted a PS2 apart from the fact that it is the most amazing console ever is for the games and apart from a rare few out there isn't much that couldn't wait.If you are after Gran Turismo,MGS2 and all the other top Titles, It would have been alot easier to buy one when the console finally found it's feet.
Do you agree??
The lucky people who ordered theirs months before were the only people with a chance of getting theirs on launch day. And as for the People who ordered theirs from October onwards had only Sony's word of "Sometime before Christmas". Sony tryed really hard to keep this promise and as far as i know succceded. Costing £300 tagged along with a long wait and alot of hassle was it really worth getting at launch?
The Playstation 2 price has been knocked down by a tad but for £299 you can now get one with 2 controllers,8 mg Memory card and a remote control.Alot more games are now availible than there were on November 24th, The Hard Drive/Internet is on it's way and nearly all the PS2's problems are out in the open.
I couldn't wait to get my hands on my Playstation 2 but as fantastic as it is and putting aside the fact that it plays DVD's and enhances PS1 games, I think that we're all still after them long awaited PS2 titles and When these finally arrive the PS2 will be easily availible,alot cheaper and you can take it home the same day.
All I'm saying is the main reason we wanted a PS2 apart from the fact that it is the most amazing console ever is for the games and apart from a rare few out there isn't much that couldn't wait.If you are after Gran Turismo,MGS2 and all the other top Titles, It would have been alot easier to buy one when the console finally found it's feet.
Do you agree??
Page:
Personally, I don't agree that the PS2 launch was a mess - never have, never will.
Obviously the situation was not ideal in any country except Japan, with shortages the world over, but that was down to two factors:
1. There were problems early on in the production of PS2's custom chips.
2. The demand for the machine was just so massive.
I think Sony would have struggled to meet the demand even without the chip manufacturing problems. This isn't a swipe at Nintendo or Microsoft, but I think that the GameCube and X-Box will do well to match the demand for PS2. Why? Because despite the fans they have, many people are cautious.
A lot of people are wary of Nintendo after the N64, feeling let down at the relative lack of support it received, despite the initial promise. When I expressed interest in buying a GameCube at work, a colleague told me that he would never touch a Nintendo console again because he felt so let down with his N64. True, GC has much more support, but so did Dreamcast compared to Saturn. I'm not saying GC will fail, because I don't think it will - just suggesting that it *may* have a slightly tentative start.
And many people are even more dubious about the X-Box, partly because it's from Microsoft, and partly because it may not take off in Japan. You pretty much have to sell in Japan if you want to be seen as a serious contender.
Anyway, back to PS2's launch...
I think Sony UK were unfairly targetted over the launch issues, as they were sold short by Sony Japan. By the time global launch dates arrived, demand for PS2 in Japan was still massive, and logically, Sony Japan wanted to keep their home market satisfied - any company would do the same. Consequently, the rest of the world essentially had to make do with whatever units Japan could spare.
The pre-order system implemented by Sony UK was, in my opinion, the only fair way of distributing our limited supply of machines, because the chance of you getting a launch-day machine was directly related to how much you really wanted one.
By this, I mean that if you *had* to have a PS2 at launch, you would make damn sure you were at the shop to get one of the first order forms and practically guarantee a launch machine. On the other hand, if you weren't too fussed, you'd have got to the shop later, and still got a form, but had to wait a little longer for your PS2.
Obviously there was some cross-over where those who really wanted a PS2 just missed out on the first batch of forms, but I still think this was the best way. Not only was it the fairest way, but - judging by the PS2-muggings and near-riots experienced in other countries - it was also the *safest* way.
With regard to the price, I still feel that the original £299 price tag - while not cheap - was perfectly reasonable for what you got. Everyone knows when they buy a new piece of electronic equipment that the price will drop in around a years time, if not sooner. Or, you'll get a better package for the same money.
But if you want something enough, you are quite prepeared to pay the higher price to have it sooner rather than later. For example, I have recently ordered a new MAXX PC, and paid around £400 extra to have the latest GeForce 3 graphics card. I know perfectly well that I'll probably be able to get the same card for half that price - or less - in a year or so, but I wasn't prepared to wait. Not because I had to be among the first to have it, but because I wanted it now, not next year.
It was the same with my PS2. I didn't buy it to shove under my friends noses and say "I've got one, you haven't! Nah nah!" I didn't give a damn whether they had one or not - all that mattered was that *I* had one for *me* to play on; whether or not my friends would want to come and play on it was irrelevant!
If the PS2's launch games didn't impress you much, then I agree - there was no real point in getting one. I knew that the 'greats' wouldn't be around for a while, but there was enough to keep me happy.
The 'great' games start to appear from this month onwards, and while those who buy PS2's from now on will no doubt be very impressed, I've been enjoying my PS2 for the last six months. I don't regret the money it has cost me, and I don't envy those getting their machine at a lower price. The £270 they're spending on the console now will buy me around six of those amazing games! :-)
I also want a GameCube, but nowhere near as badly as I wanted a PS2. So while the Nintendo fans will be buying theirs for £199 at launch, I may well wait a year and - probably - get mine for £99. Those that want to pay launch price for anything should be able to do so without being labelled 'mugs', and those that choose to wait for a price drop shouldn't be labelled as 'tight'. If you want it now, buy it now. If you can wait, wait. It's your money - you decide what to spend it on, and when!
Obviously the situation was not ideal in any country except Japan, with shortages the world over, but that was down to two factors:
1. There were problems early on in the production of PS2's custom chips.
2. The demand for the machine was just so massive.
I think Sony would have struggled to meet the demand even without the chip manufacturing problems. This isn't a swipe at Nintendo or Microsoft, but I think that the GameCube and X-Box will do well to match the demand for PS2. Why? Because despite the fans they have, many people are cautious.
A lot of people are wary of Nintendo after the N64, feeling let down at the relative lack of support it received, despite the initial promise. When I expressed interest in buying a GameCube at work, a colleague told me that he would never touch a Nintendo console again because he felt so let down with his N64. True, GC has much more support, but so did Dreamcast compared to Saturn. I'm not saying GC will fail, because I don't think it will - just suggesting that it *may* have a slightly tentative start.
And many people are even more dubious about the X-Box, partly because it's from Microsoft, and partly because it may not take off in Japan. You pretty much have to sell in Japan if you want to be seen as a serious contender.
Anyway, back to PS2's launch...
I think Sony UK were unfairly targetted over the launch issues, as they were sold short by Sony Japan. By the time global launch dates arrived, demand for PS2 in Japan was still massive, and logically, Sony Japan wanted to keep their home market satisfied - any company would do the same. Consequently, the rest of the world essentially had to make do with whatever units Japan could spare.
The pre-order system implemented by Sony UK was, in my opinion, the only fair way of distributing our limited supply of machines, because the chance of you getting a launch-day machine was directly related to how much you really wanted one.
By this, I mean that if you *had* to have a PS2 at launch, you would make damn sure you were at the shop to get one of the first order forms and practically guarantee a launch machine. On the other hand, if you weren't too fussed, you'd have got to the shop later, and still got a form, but had to wait a little longer for your PS2.
Obviously there was some cross-over where those who really wanted a PS2 just missed out on the first batch of forms, but I still think this was the best way. Not only was it the fairest way, but - judging by the PS2-muggings and near-riots experienced in other countries - it was also the *safest* way.
With regard to the price, I still feel that the original £299 price tag - while not cheap - was perfectly reasonable for what you got. Everyone knows when they buy a new piece of electronic equipment that the price will drop in around a years time, if not sooner. Or, you'll get a better package for the same money.
But if you want something enough, you are quite prepeared to pay the higher price to have it sooner rather than later. For example, I have recently ordered a new MAXX PC, and paid around £400 extra to have the latest GeForce 3 graphics card. I know perfectly well that I'll probably be able to get the same card for half that price - or less - in a year or so, but I wasn't prepared to wait. Not because I had to be among the first to have it, but because I wanted it now, not next year.
It was the same with my PS2. I didn't buy it to shove under my friends noses and say "I've got one, you haven't! Nah nah!" I didn't give a damn whether they had one or not - all that mattered was that *I* had one for *me* to play on; whether or not my friends would want to come and play on it was irrelevant!
If the PS2's launch games didn't impress you much, then I agree - there was no real point in getting one. I knew that the 'greats' wouldn't be around for a while, but there was enough to keep me happy.
The 'great' games start to appear from this month onwards, and while those who buy PS2's from now on will no doubt be very impressed, I've been enjoying my PS2 for the last six months. I don't regret the money it has cost me, and I don't envy those getting their machine at a lower price. The £270 they're spending on the console now will buy me around six of those amazing games! :-)
I also want a GameCube, but nowhere near as badly as I wanted a PS2. So while the Nintendo fans will be buying theirs for £199 at launch, I may well wait a year and - probably - get mine for £99. Those that want to pay launch price for anything should be able to do so without being labelled 'mugs', and those that choose to wait for a price drop shouldn't be labelled as 'tight'. If you want it now, buy it now. If you can wait, wait. It's your money - you decide what to spend it on, and when!
If I hadn't bought one at launch then I probably would never have played SSX, Shadow of Memories, ZOE, F1 2001 and Kessen. Extermination to come, along with Onimusha and GT3, I wouldn't say that buying one on launch day was a mistake, or pre-ordering it the day the forms got into my local game store. In fact, if they were to do it again, I would still be at the front of the queue. Anyone who saw the video of the riots in Virgin Paris on the European launch day knows that the UK pre-order system was a good thing to do.
We all Remember the Launch of the Playstation 2,The whole thing was a complete mess and the only thing holding it together was the Preorder forms.There was a Major Production Problem and shortage of Hardware needed to make the PS2 which meant the demand was far more than the consoles availible. With this knowledge of limited amount and some very smart marketing by Sony everyone dashed into their nearest shop and attempted to buy one.
The lucky people who ordered theirs months before were the only people with a chance of getting theirs on launch day. And as for the People who ordered theirs from October onwards had only Sony's word of "Sometime before Christmas". Sony tryed really hard to keep this promise and as far as i know succceded. Costing £300 tagged along with a long wait and alot of hassle was it really worth getting at launch?
The Playstation 2 price has been knocked down by a tad but for £299 you can now get one with 2 controllers,8 mg Memory card and a remote control.Alot more games are now availible than there were on November 24th, The Hard Drive/Internet is on it's way and nearly all the PS2's problems are out in the open.
I couldn't wait to get my hands on my Playstation 2 but as fantastic as it is and putting aside the fact that it plays DVD's and enhances PS1 games, I think that we're all still after them long awaited PS2 titles and When these finally arrive the PS2 will be easily availible,alot cheaper and you can take it home the same day.
All I'm saying is the main reason we wanted a PS2 apart from the fact that it is the most amazing console ever is for the games and apart from a rare few out there isn't much that couldn't wait.If you are after Gran Turismo,MGS2 and all the other top Titles, It would have been alot easier to buy one when the console finally found it's feet.
Do you agree??
The lucky people who ordered theirs months before were the only people with a chance of getting theirs on launch day. And as for the People who ordered theirs from October onwards had only Sony's word of "Sometime before Christmas". Sony tryed really hard to keep this promise and as far as i know succceded. Costing £300 tagged along with a long wait and alot of hassle was it really worth getting at launch?
The Playstation 2 price has been knocked down by a tad but for £299 you can now get one with 2 controllers,8 mg Memory card and a remote control.Alot more games are now availible than there were on November 24th, The Hard Drive/Internet is on it's way and nearly all the PS2's problems are out in the open.
I couldn't wait to get my hands on my Playstation 2 but as fantastic as it is and putting aside the fact that it plays DVD's and enhances PS1 games, I think that we're all still after them long awaited PS2 titles and When these finally arrive the PS2 will be easily availible,alot cheaper and you can take it home the same day.
All I'm saying is the main reason we wanted a PS2 apart from the fact that it is the most amazing console ever is for the games and apart from a rare few out there isn't much that couldn't wait.If you are after Gran Turismo,MGS2 and all the other top Titles, It would have been alot easier to buy one when the console finally found it's feet.
Do you agree??
Page: