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Sony's biggest folly or secret motive?
Jedi Master Thrash - Dec 22, 2004
  Jedi Master Thrash Dec 22, 2004
Sony's biggest folly or secret motive?

My parent-in-laws were going to get my brother-in-law (man I hate those in-law terms) a PS2 for christmas. They apparently thought it was a great idea to wait until the week before christmas to get it, even though they'd known they were going to get it for a month.

As everyone probably knows, you can't find them anywhere (at least the new ones). At first I thought it was like the iPod. Everyone says they're sold out everywhere, but you can still find one if you look hard enough. And they're only sold out because they did have them, but they were all bought. With the PS2 it's different. The stores never had any to begin with. I see all these signs up saying "sorry but PS2 is not in stock due to problems with manufacturrer shipping".

I remember 3 days after thanksgiving I was in Urbana, IL visiting college, and stopped at the new EB games there. While I was there, someone was looking to buy one. They said they had gotten in 9 that morning, and were already down to 4. I don't think they ever got anymore in.

Why am I rambling? I personally don't care about the PS2 at all. I think it's an unexiting system, and the slimmer revamp is just as unexciting (actually I heard a rumor that the original PS2's were manufactured shoddily and are all expected to break down next year, so people will have to buy a new model. Of course this was a clerk at a game store, so he probably just had his Big Book Of Video Game Lies on hand to convince people to buy the latest hot thing. Makes me laugh though since my Nintendo system from 1986 still works almost 20 years later.). But anyway, some people in my family-in-law care. And it got me thinking anyway.

From the apparent demand, Sony could have sold record numbers of these this christmas and made huge revenue. They must be losing millions from this gaffe.

But such a huge empire, and with tons of chinese slave labor, and the unit apparently works since they sold some already, what is preventing them from shipping more? I think it's something more devious.

But what, I can't really think up anything good. Except maybe they decided sales of the new PS2 would take away from future sales of the PS3. Or maybe the US government is askinng them to embed intelligence collecting devices in the units, so that they can monitor potential terrorists by seeing who plays all those sniper games or something.

I dunno.

JMT.

 thewasp31 Dec 22, 2004
Sony's biggest folly or secret motive?

There are essientially no Pstwos (the small version), anywhere in he UK.

Even when there was a limited number greedy game stores :wanker would only sell them in bundles with like 3+ games, and where only say £2-3 cheaper if bought seperatly.

I had my mind set on a Pstwo this christmas, but because of sonys screwup I won't be getting one and has highly put me off gettting any future sony products. :flamethrower:

 Cloud121 Dec 22, 2004
Sony's biggest folly or secret motive?

I'll just wait a few years, when I can get it for $50 ala PSOne.

 Alexvrb Dec 23, 2004
Sony's biggest folly or secret motive?

They (salespeople at various stores) are trying to convince people that the old PS2s are inferior, to sell the new ones. Some of them are crappy, and fail, but that doesn't mean that a unit going strong with no problems is going to crap out on you Christmas day. (pointless story follows)

That's practically what I overhead some dick at EB tell this lady who was looking for a couple of games for her son. I just blurted out "If it works, why replace it?" and she seemed to agree. I then bought Mario Kart 64 and almost throttled the same guy for mocking me when I refused to pay $3 for an idiotic 1 year warranty. I've never had a frickin cartridge randomly fail on me, and I've got a Colecovision and Atari 2600. So unless that warranty covers the game getting smashed to bits or something, not interested.

But anyway, I wouldn't have even gone to EB looking for it if any of the other places I checked had Mario Kart on hand. The guys at Gamestop will tell you that the PSTwo is supposedly better designed, but they never push sales like EB, where the salespeople act like they are selling used cars.

 Dud Dec 23, 2004
Sony's biggest folly or secret motive?

I sold my original model PS2 and got the slim version because a. the new one looks cooler, and b. I had a sneaking suspicion my PS2 was going to crap out soon.

As far as EB versus GameStop pushing the new PS2, around here it is the exact opposite. At EB they are totally laid back, and at GameStop they are pushing the thing. I won't go into why that is though, god forbid I make a generalization of the type of people that work at the stores

 schi0249 Dec 23, 2004
Sony's biggest folly or secret motive?

I got mine fore the same reason as mountaindud. My was always grinding real loudly. Sounded like a bad gear.

As for a shortage, not an issue here in Minnesota. I was at Target the other day, their cabinet was full with probably 30 of them.

 Pearl Jammzz Dec 23, 2004
Sony's biggest folly or secret motive?

none here in Utah....not a single one. Oh well, in due time, lol. Just need em for silent hill and a couple of random games. Most good games can be found on other systems and w/ a modded xbox all your DDR is in one place .

 mal Dec 23, 2004
Sony's biggest folly or secret motive?

I've seen dozens of them here in Oz.

 Alexvrb Dec 23, 2004
Sony's biggest folly or secret motive?


  
	
	

		
		

			Originally posted by mountaindud@Thu, 2004-12-23 @ 01:20 AM



As far as EB versus GameStop pushing the new PS2, around here it is the exact opposite. At EB they are totally laid back, and at GameStop they are pushing the thing. I won't go into why that is though, god forbid I make a generalization of the type of people that work at the stores


Yeah well I guess the PStwo-pushers at the EB in the mall are better than the guys at the EB I have next to Best Buy. They're practically an all-Xbox shop, they try to push people away from PS2 whenever possible. All I've got aside from the big electronics places that I really trust are Gamestop and Game Crazy. But Game Crazy only stocks so much.

 SamIAm Dec 23, 2004
Sony's biggest folly or secret motive?


  
	
	

		
		

			Originally posted by mountaindud@Thu, 2004-12-23 @ 01:20 AM



I sold my original model PS2 and got the slim version because a. the new one looks cooler, and b. I had a sneaking suspicion my PS2 was going to crap out soon.


Remind me never to buy any hardware from you.

Anyway, I have a hard time seeing the whole PSTwo thing being anything but a big money-maker for Sony, even if they don't have enough consoles to meet the demand right now. I don't know whether or not they are making money off the sale of the console itself (at $150 that's actually pretty likely), but regardless, this is going to send their user base even higher than it was before. It's not like Sony is depending on the success of the PSTwo to carry their company. They just want to go from making a shitload of money to making an even bigger shitload of money.

 ZoNeD Dec 23, 2004
Sony's biggest folly or secret motive?


  
	
	

		
		

			Originally posted by RolfWrenWalsh@Wed, 2004-12-22 @ 11:30 PM



That's practically what I overhead some dick at EB tell this lady who was looking for a couple of games for her son. I just blurted out "If it works, why replace it?" and she seemed to agree. I then bought Mario Kart 64 and almost throttled the same guy for mocking me when I refused to pay $3 for an idiotic 1 year warranty. I've never had a frickin cartridge randomly fail on me, and I've got a Colecovision and Atari 2600. So unless that warranty covers the game getting smashed to bits or something, not interested.



But anyway, I wouldn't have even gone to EB looking for it if any of the other places I checked had Mario Kart on hand. The guys at Gamestop will tell you that the PSTwo is supposedly better designed, but they never push sales like EB, where the salespeople act like they are selling used cars. 




[post=126295]Quoted post[/post]


I don't mean to interject onto what your saying to any degree, but why exactly do you feel it's your business to tell someone "If it works why replace it?"

They make a small percentage off of every warranty they sell but that is there only inclusion onto the paycheck, from that point on its their hourly wage. I don't blame the sales person for trying to pitch it to you, can't hurt to ask, although in your case you seem a wee bit hyper sensitive.

 cww80 Dec 24, 2004
Sony's biggest folly or secret motive?


  
	
	

		
		

			Originally posted by Jedi Master Thrash@Wed, 2004-12-22 @ 03:14 PM



Makes me laugh though since my Nintendo system from 1986 still works almost 20 years later.




[post=126287]Quoted post[/post]


Those damn things never worked right, bad example...

 Cloud121 Dec 24, 2004
Sony's biggest folly or secret motive?


  
	
	

		
		

			Originally posted by ZoNeD@Thu, 2004-12-23 @ 05:39 AM



I don't mean to interject onto what your saying to any degree, but why exactly do you feel it's your business to tell someone "If it works why replace it?"



They make a small percentage off of every warranty they sell but that is there only inclusion onto the paycheck, from that point on its their hourly wage. I don't blame the sales person for trying to pitch it to you, can't hurt to ask, although in your case you seem a wee bit hyper sensitive.




[post=126336]Quoted post[/post]


I never said that quote above.

 joe81 Dec 24, 2004
Sony's biggest folly or secret motive?

i want to sell my original ps2(modded) for 200 but people keep telling me i wont be able to get that. (i want it to buy a guitar or pay rent dont know what one yet)

 schi0249 Dec 24, 2004
Sony's biggest folly or secret motive?

My NES works just fine to this day. The only thing I've done is replace the pins. Actually, the new pins seem to work better than the original ones.

 aaron Dec 25, 2004
Sony's biggest folly or secret motive?

the PS2 i got almost 3 years ago works like a champ. i've never had a problem reading any type of disc.

i do, however, want to get one that supports the IR remote without having to have that plug-in thing. i think that's just ugly. but i don't know if i wanna do away with my iLink port. decisions, decisions.

also, i think the new PStwo's are weak since they don't support the hard drive. kinda like sony leaving out a reset button on the psone.

 Alexvrb Dec 26, 2004
Sony's biggest folly or secret motive?


  
	
	

		
		

			Originally posted by ZoNeD@Thu, 2004-12-23 @ 06:39 AM



I don't mean to interject onto what your saying to any degree, but why exactly do you feel it's your business to tell someone "If it works why replace it?"



They make a small percentage off of every warranty they sell but that is there only inclusion onto the paycheck, from that point on its their hourly wage. I don't blame the sales person for trying to pitch it to you, can't hurt to ask, although in your case you seem a wee bit hyper sensitive.

I know how it goes, but he wasn't just pitching the advantages of the PSTwo. He was telling her to get rid of hers before it inevitably dies! If it is working perfectly, why should she spend her Christmas money on another one? When you tell bold-faced lies to old ladies who don't know any better, that is when I feel the need to interject. That scoundrel Alex, how dare he not keep quiet.

About the warranty, I said he mocked me for not wasting my money. He wasn't anywhere in the ballpark of polite, with any of the customers in the store. I've never had a cartridge break, and warranties don't cover acts of dog. When I told him so, he had to make fun of me for not insuring a $20 Mario Kart 64, saying that it'd break and I'd be out $20. If it doesn't work, I can take it back. If it does work, it will continue to work for long past the 1 year warranty.

Schi: The replacements are often superior to the originals. Also, remember to clean your carts, and never to blow on them.

 Jedi Master Thrash Dec 26, 2004
Sony's biggest folly or secret motive?

I got a tip that the game crazy in blaine was getting 18 of them in on december 23rd at noon. They said they were the only game crazy in minnesota to get them since they are the most popular store.

I showed up after work, and managed to get the last one (boughten on behalf of my mother-in-law to give to my brother-in-law).

When I bought it, they asked if I wanted to purchase an additional warrantee for it. I said, nope. They said "you're aware of how unreliable playstation consoles are? The manufature waranntee only covers the first 90 days". I just smiled and noded. I've got a original model PS1 and PS2, and they both still work. Don't feel like chucking out the money.

One time I did actually buy the extended warantee, from best buy for my receiver and speakers, since it totalled 500$. I got 4 year warantee for some unghastly amount (probably like 60$ or something). I kinda felt dumb. i was dumb. Anyway, the receiver actually did die... exactly 4 years and 3 months after I bought it. What a crock I tell ya. The one time I actually could have used the extended warantee, and I DID get it, and it was 3 months too short. There's timed sabatage devices embedded in electronics, I swear.

When I bought my lawnmower at sears, I got a 3 year extended warrantee, but only becuase they said that if I didn't use it within the first 2 years, I had the option to cancel it and get my money back. So I can't lose. I basiclaly get an extra year for free (2 vs. 1).

What else did I do... I think I had a warantee on my govideo dual-deck VCR from circuit city. That actually turned out to be useful. I had to take that in about once every 6 months.

But, yeah, it's taken some mistakes to learn from, but I'm pretty confident in rejecting warrantee offers now. Usually, if it doesn't break in the 30 day initial return period, it'll last past the extended warrantee anyway.

JMT.

 Bizzaro Jenova Dec 28, 2004
Sony's biggest folly or secret motive?

Sony is very.. shady about their sales.

The released the HDD with hopes to push out maps for SocomII. They eventually did with a highly retarded technique. Releasing the boot disk inside the magazine.

Who will honestly buy the book for the the disk? Noone, it'll be stolen.

Codemajic is going to be released for online play [external cheating device] so they'll be officially jacked if this device is pushed onto other games. If this happens, they'll be done.

/Parks