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Microsoft uses beer to illustrate Xbox 360 cost advantage
Drink that picture in ...After yesterday's shenanigans, we imagine the guys at Microsoft strutting around their various international offices as if they were in a locker room after a big game; lots of high-fiving, butt-slapping, and other telltale indicators of competitive confidence. For example, for the European (and New Zealand ... ean) PS3 launch, they did what any self-respecting mega-corporation would do: Used beer to visually communicate the price difference between their console -- the Xbox 360 -- and their competitor's -- the PlayStation 3. UK-pub CVG received the above stockpile while Auckland, NZ's GamePlanet store got a similar treat (pic after the break). We normally would consider additional games a more appropriate metric when discussing price deltas, but we suppose they wanted to stick with the locker room theme.Read - MS sends CVG the difference between 360 and PS3... in beer! (CVG)Read - Microsoft NZ Tease Sony (NZGamer.com)
Microsoft secret agents resort to subterfuge at PS3 Euro-launches
Microsoft pulled no punches yesterday during the European launch of the PlayStation 3. Deciding that deviousness was the order of the day, they had agents in both London and Paris throwing monkey wrenches into the works at Sony-sponsored events that included: Handing out chairs to the weary fans waiting in the PS3 lines that were printed with a link to this site on the back of them. Sending SMS messages to game journalists saying "The Xbox 360 team wishes you a good night." Driving boats past the Sony event adorned with "XBOX 360 HEARTS YOU" signs. Arming themselves with whistles and blowing them from rooftops to drown out the noise of Sony PR. Apparently the gloves are off in Europe, and it seems to be working. At French events, one store sold 50 consoles out of 1000, and another store sold 300 out of 1000. At the massive under-attended event at the Eiffel Tower, where they were told to expect 3000 people, roughly 40 people turned out ... security was still turning people away without invitations. One unlucky gate crasher said, "I came from the suburbs, perhaps they don't like my face." At least the French are brutally honest.Check out the roundup of coverage:Watch - Playthrough, source of the video aboveWatch - Jeux-France.com's writeup, video, and boatload (get it?) of photosRead - Eurogamer's summary of the eventRead - LCI.fr's story about the French events, translated after the jump (thanks, dekox!).
Sony gives £2500 TV to first 100 PS3 campers in UK
Sony, no stranger to launch events gone awry, made right by some UK PlayStation 3 campers during last night's launch event at a Virgin Megastore in London. Not only did they ensure that none of them left with any additional perforations in their fleshy bits, but they actually saddled the first 100 up with a 46" high-definition telly and a free cab ride home (presumably from Big Al's Comically Large Taxi Service). The television giveaway, each reported to be worth £2500 (about $5000 US), was a great way to spice up the launch of a console that's battled, err, some publicity problems these past couple months. With a high-price tag, plenty of stock, and no crazy Christmas shopping crunch, the European launch could never live up to other recent events, but we're sure the 100 lucky winners of the televisions -- "a reward for gamers' patience" -- don't mind. And, instead of bragging (erroneously) about shortages, they're advertising their strengths: supply. Ray Maguire, PlayStation's UK chieftan, said, "We have got plenty of stock in shops, so people know they don't have to rush out to secure a console." But if you did rush out, well ... isn't that a nice screen? Check out Pro-G's video of the UK launch here and skip ahead to 2:30 to spot the giveaway. [Thanks everyone! Now, who got a free TV?]
Poll: PlayStation 3 vs. Europe
It's a few minutes past midnight in London and the PlayStation 3 has finally launched in the UK and the rest of Europe. Were you among the throbbing midnight masses? Were there even masses, throbbing or otherwise? Did you get a PS3? Did you stay at home in order to vote in online polls? How many more questions could we possibly ask? Two more? How about one more? Is this the last one? Hey Europe, tell us about your PS3 launch! My hands are stained with blood, but I got a PS3! My store was dead. I just waltzed in and bought one. What do you mean you're out of stock!? Online ordering FTW, colon close bracket! Actually, I bought a PS2 or somesuch thing. I live in Italy and got one several days ago, losers. PS3 launch? More like BS... 3... haunch! Yeah! Why isn't there a poll option for Australians? Free polls from Pollhost.com Technical mumbo jumbo: this is not a scientific or rigorous poll and is only intended to capture the general consensus of Joystiq readers. Results will be posted approximately one week after the poll is opened for votes. Sure, you probably could hack this poll if you worked at it, but it's more fun for everyone if poll results accurately reflect the opinions of all readers, so please refrain from tampering with poll results.
Italy breaks Euro PS3 street date
You'd think that after waiting for roughly five months longer than the rest of the world, European retailers would be able to wait a couple more days to start selling their one million stockpiled PS3s. Apparently not, though, as an Italian retailer has broken Sony's carefully planned street date, causing a domino effect in other other stores across the country.GamesIndustry.biz reports that small specialist chain Darty took out ads for a 7 p.m. Wednesday PS3 sale in advance of the official Friday launch. Competitor Media World responded by canceling midnight sales plans and letting its stock loose at 9 a.m. Wednesday morning (or roughly seven and a half hours ago, Italy time, as of this posting). Italy's GameStop stores are currently planning to stick to the street date, but said they might be forced to break it to stay competitive.Sony, for its part, is "deeply disappointed by the unilateral decision" to launch early and is "carefully consider[ing] all available options in relation to retailers who have commenced sale of PlayStation 3 prior to 23rd March 2007." Unilateral decisions? Retaliation? Is this the console war or the Iraq war?
Sony prices first-party PS3 games for Euro launch
Those walking out of a UK store next month with a PS3 under the arm will no doubt be concerned about the retail price of launch games -- doubly so if they actually paid for the console on their way out. Sony has announced a £39.99 (€59.99) price point for first-party launch games, placing the likes of Motorstorm and Resistance: Fall of Man in the same bracket as Wii and first-party Xbox 360 titles. Presumably, the games will contain all of the content from their American and Japanese releases. Sony also notes that an "introductory period" will see PlayStation Network games priced between €2.99 and €9.99, with game-specific downloadable content starting at €0.99 and increasing depending on the product's scope. Previously: European PS3 not so backwards compatible Sony incentivizes Euro PS3 with Casino Royale Blu-ray Sony UK sales boss quits before impending PS3 launch
Online retailer says PS3 is 'most pre-ordered console yet'
According to a Gamesindustry.biz article, the UK's online retailer, Play.com, is currently taking six times more PlayStation 3 pre-orders than it did for the Xbox 360 and 15 times more than it did for the Nintendo Wii. The retailer offers a £524.99 console bundle that includes Motorstorm, Genji 2 and Resistance: Fall of Man. Sony adds that, "Woolworths, Amazon and Play, to name a few, are reporting record breaking pre-orders and an overwhelming demand for PS3." Though this record pre-order pace is somewhat misleading when taking into account the stock shortages experienced by both the Wii and Xbox 360 -- being allocated more units obviously means you can accept more pre-orders -- the truly good news here is intended for consumers. With Sony promising one million PS3 units for the European launch and retailers accepting a greater number of pre-orders, gamers that want a system on day one (and can tolerate bundle deals) stand a good chance of avoiding the usual frustration that accompanies supply issues. Not to mention the fact that the added wait until March 23 has, at the very least, provided some consolation in the form a much better selection of launch titles.See also: Sony incentivizes Euro PS3 with Casino Royale Blu-ray Sony UK sales boss quits before impending PS3 launch [Thanks, Keith.]
Sony UK sales boss quits before impending PS3 launch
Man overboard! MCV reports that Kevin Jowett, head of sales for Sony UK, has resigned in order to pursue a career outside of the games industry. With the March 23 Euro PS3 launch just over five weeks away, his timing has likely caused quite a stir, with MCV commenting that the move may briefly disrupt negotiations between Sony and UK retailers. A UK high street executive is noted as saying, "Kevin is going just as Sony is talking to everyone about terms and arranging pre-orders and in-store marketing campaigns. Obviously, Sony is a big organisation and there will be people there who can fill Kevin's position. But this can't be helpful to them."Though the launch is unlikely to be overtly affected, you can be sure that an already challenging task just became tougher for those behind the curtain.
Sony incentivizes Euro PS3 with Casino Royale Blu-ray
He's dashing, he's debonair and most importantly, he's packing a very large gun. Clearly, this is exactly the kind of man you need to persuade gamers to pick up a PlayStation 3 when it launches in Europe next month. His name is James Bond, and according to GamesIndustry.Biz, his latest outing on Blu-ray will make its way to the first 500,000 gamers who register their consoles on the PlayStation Network.Sony's VP of brand and consumer marketing, Darren Carter, calls Casino Royale a "phenomenal incentive" for gamers to join the PS3's online service, no doubt drawing attention to the fact that it's a hell of a lot better than Talladega Nights. Catch all the reckless driving, lustful double-crossing and unashamed Daniel Craig-ery on your European PS3 when it launches on March 23.
