Japan PS3 launch quantity slashed again -- will it ever end?

After seeing their precious PlayStation 3 launch number ravaged by component shortages and manufacturing woes, we thought our Japanese neighbors could finally feel confident in the paltry 100k share they'd been promised by Sony last month, but it looks like they've been betrayed once again. Turns out that Sony will only have 80k of the elusive PS3s prepped by the November 11th for the Japanese launch, due to another component woe. With pretty much every available pre-order slot in the country already snapped up by next-gen hopefuls, and even some of those orders on the fritz, it looks like the best chance you'll have to get the console in The Land of the Rising Sun next month will be to line up outside a non-pre-order retailer and hope for the best. Dress warm!

[Via Joystiq]

[shirizaki @ Oct 30th 2006 5:54PM]

Just when you think the bad press for Sony and the PS3 ended, they hit another turn. What's next? I have to pay another $50 for componet cables? Pay for PS3 firmware updates?

[Chris @ Oct 30th 2006 5:57PM]

Off topic, but did anyone see the PS3 commercial?--I saw it yesterday during Family Guy. It looked pretty weird, but I only caught the last part--can anyone give me the full description?

[BklynKid @ Oct 30th 2006 6:38PM]

There's two commercials that I know of so I'm not sure which one you're talking about.

[zeno48 @ Oct 30th 2006 9:48PM]

well Chris it basically showed a toy baby staring at the ps3. It's eyes were viewing images of ps3 games. It just sat there creepy like. The comercial was a little wierd but I guess that's how sony tends to attract customers now a days. I mean with crap like that on tv who wouldn't buy a ps3?

[Silver @ Oct 30th 2006 6:00PM]

Wii for me this year. I'll be checking the shelves next year for a PS3 for Christmas '07. If Sony is actually shipping in quantity by then.

Or I might fall in love with the Wii and not care about PS3 at all...

[Alcaron @ Oct 30th 2006 6:01PM]

Sony: How NOT to run a company.

Jesus why am I not seeing engadget cover MASS firings at Sony?

Please tell me it just flew under the radar and not because it didnt happen...

[Porkchop Flavored Cupcake @ Oct 30th 2006 6:10PM]

It's all about the Wii, mofos

[georgel @ Oct 30th 2006 6:13PM]

Sony is NOT going to be able to catch up to MS and the 360 since the shortages look like they will be a problem for a while. But hey sony thats what happens when you add brand new unproven tech. like blu ray. You want to be greedy by making people buy blu ray so you can make profits on that also but in the end its going to be the downfall of your gaming division. Also sony learn how to make an mp3 player, atrac sucks!!

[Quilentro @ Oct 30th 2006 6:19PM]

Just remember, the first company to break 10 million is the winner for this generation...

DS4life!

[VQH @ Oct 30th 2006 6:27PM]

@Chris

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=XJaGScKpZuU

Sony needs a new advertising firm. Anyone remember that PS9 commerical for the PS2?

[tekdroid @ Oct 30th 2006 6:43PM]

I wonder how much shopping around they did with advertising agencies before deciding on that gem of a commercial ;)

Someone is laughing all the way to the bank.

[smudley @ Oct 30th 2006 7:06PM]

ps9!! nice call, i remember that but only saw it once! that commercial was nuts!!

[Ed @ Oct 30th 2006 6:27PM]

I JUST RESERVED MY XBOX HD DVD FROM AMAZON. COME TO PAPA!!!! If you think about it it's only $99 if you apply for the Amazon Visa you get an extra $30 off. Since the remote it's free ($29.99) and so is King Kong ($39.99) and free shipping ($10) you actually pay $99.99 FOR AN HD DVD PLAYER THAT'S BETTER THAN BLU RAY. TAKE THAT SONY!!!!

[CharlieX @ Oct 30th 2006 6:27PM]

I wonder how many of these 1st gen PS3's will be faulty? Sony does NOT sound ready to release this thing.... and without any astounding must-have launch titles, a 1080 ready TV, or any Blu-Ray movies that I can't live without.... Man, I'll check again in 8 months.

[Chris @ Oct 30th 2006 6:32PM]

So, we're getting it before Japan--that's a change. I thought we got it on the 14th (or something like that), but they're American commercial shows 11/7 at the end...

Yeah...this is one I'm definately not going to be an early adopter for--I've always liked Sony, but this thing looks ready to fail.

[Arno @ Oct 30th 2006 6:40PM]

Or maybe it says 1117, as in 11/17?

[Intellectualdiot @ Oct 30th 2006 6:38PM]

I don't want to sound like a Sony basher here, but how can anyone planning to purchase this console at or around launch not be terrified of their rather strong potential of being rife with technical problems? We've been privy to Sony's notorious difficulty in procuring the necessary materials to construct the console to begin with, and this has therefore led (and apparently still is) to the vastly reduced launch window numbers for the North America and Japan territories. However, in lieu of these revelations, does it not cast doubt on the efficacy of the scant assortment of consoles that actually will make it to store shelves? Am I just being an alarmist, or is there a very real possiblity that the expedited manufacturing process of an already intricate device will yield less than unsatisifactory results for early adopters?

Maybe it's just me. Of course, I rarely have any interest in purchasing consoles at launch (software concerns dominate here, not hardware) so I guess I can afford to sit back and watch this unfold with little interest towards a particular outcome. We'll hook up sometime in 2007, Sony.

[Magus @ Oct 31st 2006 9:07AM]

The same is true for any console at launch.
Wouldnt be surprised if sony runs into its own issues much like the 360.
The only console i'd be reletivly unconcearned about would be the wii. But given what nintendo did with the gameboy serie i'm not too interested until the second or 3rd rev comes around.

[DBX00 @ Oct 30th 2006 6:38PM]

This HAS NOT been confirmed by Sony and they have stated they are still on track as early as three days ago during their earnings event. Don't go rushing to conclusions with rumors.

[Chris @ Oct 30th 2006 6:46PM]

correct; i forgot the 17th was the launch date (for some reason thought it was the 14th?). i hate that stupid font

[Steve @ Oct 30th 2006 6:40PM]

OMG most people here sound like a bunch of uneducated kindergarten kids...

[Anthony @ Oct 30th 2006 6:56PM]

Am I the only one starting to feel bad for Sony? I mean, it's like nothing but problems for them (how they're managing to turn a profit w/ PS3 delays, millions of battery recalls, DAP's that flat out suck, LocationFree delays, dropping their LCD monitor biz...)

They finally shipped my Reader & -can't believe it- it was lost in the mail!

The glory of the Walkman days are over, I guess.

[kaztm @ Oct 30th 2006 8:04PM]

"The glory of the Walkman days are over, I guess."

Walkman was a product of a Japanese company, which current Sony is not.

[Rivendale @ Oct 30th 2006 7:12PM]

The PS9 commercial was amazing... The only way I think I'll buy another Sony console is if the actual PS9 comes out (too bad Sony'll be out of business by then)

[TVGenius @ Oct 30th 2006 7:13PM]

Ha ha ha ha ha ha...

[Mike @ Oct 30th 2006 7:18PM]

They'll get at least one, I gauruntee it

[Rick Person @ Oct 30th 2006 7:28PM]

This Christmas will be fantastic for Nintendo and Microsoft. What do you want to bet that Microsoft will sell more consoles this December than last?

[hemmy @ Oct 30th 2006 7:43PM]

"Jesus why am I not seeing engadget cover MASS firings at Sony?"

"Mass firings" is a mischaracterization. They are part of a gradual cut of 10,000 jobs by Howard Stringer that has happened since he took the reins of Sony and will continue through 2008. He is trimming the fat off the company and this is one way to help the corp. get back on its feet.

Welcome to the world of business.

[fm @ Oct 31st 2006 2:01AM]

yeah but the problem is as usual they're firing low and mid-level jobs like manufacturing and not the management that actually steered the comp in the wrong direction.

[michael @ Oct 30th 2006 10:00PM]

A little off-topic, but reading about the lines at ToysRUs I noticed how almost everyone buying a PS3 preorder was planning on selling it on ebay for a profit. The Wii folks were the ones keeping them.

Anyway, it made me wonder if the PS3 buyers were going to come face to face with the risk in reselling goods. What if no one wants the PS3 bad enough to pay a premium price? These guys may be stuck with a console they don't want.

[Gandalf @ Oct 30th 2006 11:34PM]

Seems the Japanese are the ones getting screwed when supply is concerned, we know the 300k set for US release, and only 100k for Japan. Guess any cuts will come on the Japanese side being that they know the 360 will never win it.

Similar to the stance of Nintendo, back in early summer it was impossible to get either a DS lite or a regular DS. Places like LAOX, Tsutaya, etc were selling used DS for $180 and used DS lites for $250-300 back mid this year. Japanese market always gets screwed with supply shortages recently, since the US market has become so hotly contested and competitive Sony/Nintendo seems to care more for the N.A. market then their domestic market.

[jamie @ Oct 30th 2006 11:50PM]

"Anyway, it made me wonder if the PS3 buyers were going to come face to face with the risk in reselling goods. What if no one wants the PS3 bad enough to pay a premium price? These guys may be stuck with a console they don't want."

Riiiight, no one will want to pay premium for the ps3. Keep saying it long enough and maybe you will actually believe it. Seriously, if you believe the ps3 or sony is going to tank you live in la la land. Yep, you live in la la land if you believe
the ps3 is not going to do weill
zune is going to outsell the ipod (big one)
or mac os is going to going to be bigger than windows (laughable)
Give it up fanboys, but there are certain things that are intrinsicly true, certain products like the ps3, windows, and ipod are beyond products, they are a culture. And, you just don't change a culture by simply bad mouthing it. It is not that easy, if it was, windows would have been dead a long time ago. End, reality check. Now resume dreaming. time

[ScooterJP @ Oct 31st 2006 12:19AM]

actually, it's pretty warm in Tokyo these days so no real need to dress especially warm, though by mid-November I could be way wrong.
There are plenty of Wii posters down Akihabara way, but no sign of a pre-launch blitz for the PS3.

[Greg @ Oct 31st 2006 1:41AM]

I got my PS3 pre-ordered for the 11/11, ready for 10.30am, not in Japan but in Taiwan! I'll let you know how great it feels to play on this shiny box :)

[Anders @ Oct 31st 2006 2:21AM]

the software for their mp3 players suck horribly, but their hardware isn't half bad - they had 24+ hours of playback time forEVER, but ATRAC3 and Sonicstage crippled them.

[M @ Oct 31st 2006 3:54AM]

Didn't MS do similar to boost interest in their product before it launched? It's a stunt fellas.

[Matt Hadder @ Oct 31st 2006 4:10AM]

What is the big deal?? Just buy (or not) it when it comes out.
Why are people going bananas?

[Ricky Bobby @ Nov 1st 2006 1:34PM]

I think it has nothing to do with the amounts they have, they probably saw how people went crazy when the XBOX 360 came out and decided to go down the same road as them. People offered to pay $1,000 on top of the console just to preserve it here, and I live in the ghetto of Wisconsin so I can't beggin to imagine how much they payed in other states.