PlayStation shortage fuels 'gray market' imports

Demand for the PlayStation Portable creates a thriving underground market, with devices selling for more than triple list price.

The story "PlayStation shortage fuels 'gray market' imports" published March 18, 2005 at 7:40 AM is no longer available on CNET News.

Content from Reuters expires after 30 days.

Such foolishness.

I'm an avid gamer, as are most of my friends.
I want a PSP, as do most of my friends.

But, unlike my friends, two of whom have already paid over market value for "preorders" despite their own financial troubles, I'm not so fiscally irresponsible as to pay these kinds of prices to have a system on "Day 1" when, knowing from previous experience, having a system on Day 1 is really boring.

A large majority of the good games that are getting a lot of hype aren't slated for release until mid-April - nearly a month after the PSP is released. 300 dollars for a month of Wipeout Pure? No thanks. I can wait.

Likewise, as much as I want the system, I would rather wait to find out if they did, in fact, iron out the problems which caused 6% of all Japanese PSPs sold through February 2005 to be returned for repair (according to Nikkei Business). If the original PS2 and the redesigned PStwo are any indication, I expect problems to be found fairly soon after the PSP's release.

Having been burned by Sony's rush to get product out only to have it be defective, I'll hedge my bet - especially at these prices right now - until I can be certain that the system is 99% stable and a larger library of post-launch games becomes available.

PSP

I've already got mine reserved (as of last night) from a local retailer.
I didn't even have to get one of those ridiculously over-priced "bundles" with crap I won't use... just the basic unit.

I was actually quite surprised by the # of launch titles... I'm looking towards a few of them, Metal Gear:Acid more than anything.
The PSP has 25 titles at launch, while the DS has 14. 14 titles after 4 months. I'd say that's a sufficient amount of launch titles.

Either way, we'll see how it does on Thursday morning :)

[Haku]

.6% is the correct number of defective units, not 6%

You state that 6% of Japanese PSP units were defective. Sony has claimed that they had around 5000 defectice units at launch, making the figure just over .6% no where near the 6% you claim.

I have a Japanese PSP with no problems at all as does a friend of mine.

[201293546946733175101343322673]

"Avid" Gamer?

If you are really into gaming, you should know there ARE people who are so willing to pay a premium to the game system they want. I see nothing wrong with that. You can call them foolish or suckers if you want, but......guess what? Those foolish people get their PSPs, and you, as an "avid" gamer, still have to wait for A LONG WHILE for your "reasonably priced" PSP :)

Such foolishness.

I'm an avid gamer, as are most of my friends.
I want a PSP, as do most of my friends.

But, unlike my friends, two of whom have already paid over market value for "preorders" despite their own financial troubles, I'm not so fiscally irresponsible as to pay these kinds of prices to have a system on "Day 1" when, knowing from previous experience, having a system on Day 1 is really boring.

A large majority of the good games that are getting a lot of hype aren't slated for release until mid-April - nearly a month after the PSP is released. 300 dollars for a month of Wipeout Pure? No thanks. I can wait.

Likewise, as much as I want the system, I would rather wait to find out if they did, in fact, iron out the problems which caused 6% of all Japanese PSPs sold through February 2005 to be returned for repair (according to Nikkei Business). If the original PS2 and the redesigned PStwo are any indication, I expect problems to be found fairly soon after the PSP's release.

Having been burned by Sony's rush to get product out only to have it be defective, I'll hedge my bet - especially at these prices right now - until I can be certain that the system is 99% stable and a larger library of post-launch games becomes available.

PSP

I've already got mine reserved (as of last night) from a local retailer.
I didn't even have to get one of those ridiculously over-priced "bundles" with crap I won't use... just the basic unit.

I was actually quite surprised by the # of launch titles... I'm looking towards a few of them, Metal Gear:Acid more than anything.
The PSP has 25 titles at launch, while the DS has 14. 14 titles after 4 months. I'd say that's a sufficient amount of launch titles.

Either way, we'll see how it does on Thursday morning :)

[Haku]

.6% is the correct number of defective units, not 6%

You state that 6% of Japanese PSP units were defective. Sony has claimed that they had around 5000 defectice units at launch, making the figure just over .6% no where near the 6% you claim.

I have a Japanese PSP with no problems at all as does a friend of mine.

[201293546946733175101343322673]

"Avid" Gamer?

If you are really into gaming, you should know there ARE people who are so willing to pay a premium to the game system they want. I see nothing wrong with that. You can call them foolish or suckers if you want, but......guess what? Those foolish people get their PSPs, and you, as an "avid" gamer, still have to wait for A LONG WHILE for your "reasonably priced" PSP :)