Limited PS3 Supplies Causing Mayhem

Three PS3 campers and a WKYT news reporter were hit in a drive-by Wednesday night while outside the Lexington Kentucky Best Buy store. The four people were hit by BB pellets and were not seriously hurt. According to WKYT, some of the campers are now afraid for their lives and have left the line.

The Sony PlayStation 3 console will begin selling on Friday. Some stores are opening at midnight, while others will open at regular times. Campers have staked out turf at many stores, including the Best Buy in West Los Angeles and Hawthorne California.

Toms Hardware - 3 PS3 campers & news reporter hit in drive-by shooting

A Walmart in Southern California had to be temporarily closed down when violence broke out between geeks queuing ahead of the release of Sony’s new console, the Playstation 3. Mayhem was unleashed as police attempted to herd people outside, and the members of the group clambered over one another to be the first out in order to be at the front of the designated line.

the Inquirer - Geeks go at it for a PS3

GameStop, a leading U.S. video games retailer, announced Thursday that it would begin to sell the highly-anticipated Sony PlayStation 3 game consoles on the first minute of the 17th of November. But only to those, who had pre-ordered the game machine and have received confirmation from the company.

Even GameStop/EB Games chain, which expected to have “no less than 8 and no more than 13 game consoles” to be available in each of its 3600 stores in the U.S. reportedly did not receive the necessary number of consoles and had to cancel certain pre-orders.

X-bit labs - U.S. Retailer to Launch PlayStation 3 at Midnight

According to an Internet user’s blog, an individual called "Eiji" and his three friends ransacked approximately 30 stores in Japan two months ago for reservations, and came up big on launch day, acquiring 150 PlayStation 3 consoles.

With more units than most retail stores’ allocations, "Eiji" and his friends are seeking to profit from their foresight. They certainly aren’t the only ones who are trying to cash in on the demand curve, as an informal poll of those interested in buying a PlayStation 3 at launch shows at there are more people aiming to flip it for a quick profit than keep it for gaming.

Daily Tech - PlayStation 3 Prices Drop in Japanese Auctions