Over $20 million of PlayStation 3 hardware pre-ordered

PS3 News | With photos from the Sydney launch.

Despite us reporting yesterday that more than "10,000 people have pre-ordered the PlayStation 3", Sony has officially confirmed via a press release that more than $20,000,000 worth of PS3 hardware has been pre-ordered in Australia, and a quick calculation appears to indicate that equates to around 20,000 consoles.

Last night, over 500 retailers opened their doors at midnight to celebrate the launch of the console. One of the first purchasers of the PAL PlayStation 3 was Danny Darka, who was first in line at Myer Sydney. Sony's local managing director, Michael Ephraim, and Myer CEO Bernie Brookes personally handed the console to the new PlayStation 3 owner.

We've also included a few other photos of the midnight launch, which appears to have gone off without stolen consoles and injured parties. Sony should release sales figures for the console next week, so we'll report back once they let us know how well the console has gone in Australia.

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12 Comments

legend166

6 years ago

I like this story better: http://www.theage.com.au/news/games/playtime-for-midnights-children/2007/03/23/1174153291466.html

Nev

6 years ago

Good on you Aussies for conducting yourselves responsibly.

Compared to the controversial chaos of the Japanese/US launch, it makes us look positively well-mannered.

dokworm

6 years ago

Oh man, that was the saddest thing ever, there were literally more press and Sony execs than there were customers.

It was a total washout.

http://kotaku.com/gaming/ps3-launch/australian-ps3-launch-shindig-246437.php

Zarnoss

6 years ago

Hmm, I remember seeing outside the dick smith powerhouses that you could pre-order a PS3 for $5 and on the midnight launch go into the pre-order raffle to win your ps3 for free.

I wonder if a few of those pre-orders were of that variety, I mean people basically buying a raffle ticket.

Vince Majestyk

6 years ago

Wow. Well done, Sony. Hope the $1000 price tag was worth it in the end.

Rush152

6 years ago

hahahahah that kotaku report was awesome

lol I why is the guy in black in the 4th pic holding a controller and pretending he's actually playing the game

I demand to see shirt eating

6 years ago

According to Myer floor staff two customers "Postponed" their orders and the total number sold last night at the launch party was........drum roll.... 48.

It is easy to understand that Myer management are not impressed. Not only was it embarrassing to certain individuals, it was an expensive affair and some Myer folks feel that there is little profit margin in it and that they don't want to instruct staff to hand sell one by one the remaining 552 units sitting in the Mid City store. Hopefully Sony can turn this all around quickly and generate some desperately needed pull through.

I have a few photo's on my mobile - one shows this enormous space, spectacularly decked out with huge HD screens and only two customers in view, one playing a console and the other with his hands in his pockets looking bored. Organizers where looking around as if to say - now what? 45 minutes later they pulled the plug.

There was this unfortunate sign at the level 6 video games area with the following message "To collect your pre-order of the Playstation 3 please go to the Repair Centre located behind Large Appliances" - more than one person quipped that Sony had saved everyone the trouble by selling units already broken in... USA refurbs replied another - these where the Sony fans.

Total number of units picked up at EB City was "around 30" but quite a few of these where pre-order pickups. Later this morning nothing had changed as of lunch time, but being a Friday; this afternoon may have been busier for EB with office workers looking for thrills this weekend. Harvey Normans apparently did better though, but no idea on the numbers.

Did someone forget to market the launch? Either people did not know about it else they did not care. Either way good marketers should send their curriculum vitae to Sony's MD who would be thinking of options right now. The Easter break is coming up - a quick reboot with some serious marketing might be in order.

Capoeira

6 years ago

dokworm wrote

http://kotaku.com/gaming/ps3-launch/australian-ps3-launch-shindig-246437.php

Wait, wait.. the PS3 can use two remotes? Now that's next gen! What on earth am I waiting for!!

*Runs out to buy a PS3*

admeister

6 years ago

Cookie wrote

Did someone forget to market the launch? Either people did not know about it else they did not care. Either way good marketers should send their curriculum vitae to Sony's MD who would be thinking of options right now. The Easter break is coming up - a quick reboot with some serious marketing might be in order.

Well, I put it down to the price. I've talked to some people, and they just can't justify it, even if it is the PS3. People really aren't that excited about it, aside from gamers. At least people will see the boxes for the console in stores now, but I wonder if they all associate it with being the successor of the PS2? It really hasn't gotten as much coverage as it needed here, and a lot of people already have X360s. Now, if the PS3 had launched when the X360 had, we'd have a different story on our hands. It really is too late.

sephiaya

6 years ago

Reason being is because most people don't give a fuck about a new dvd format. DVD has taken of much better than Video, and most of the market do not want to change and pay huge amounts for films.

The PS3 has won sony the blu-ray war, but it is likley to lose them them the console war.

And anyone who says about how huge the PSX and PS2 were. Look at Nes, and Snes.

All it took was for one console to cause the 10 year home console downfall for nintendo. (n64 and GC)

stevolution

6 years ago

As for coverage I saw an ad for Harvey Norman that basically annouced the PS3 like it was the second coming and an ad for a puff peice on Ten news but with thier track record for credible news (It's snowing in the Big Brother house!!!) I decided to give it a miss. I don't remember the 360 or the Wii getting news puff peices but I do remember ads for the 360 and the Wii but I've yet to see one for the PS3. That's not good. I can see why the turnouts weren't great.