It makes me curious...

My brother did this last year with XB360. I told him he was nuts.
Here is my frustration: waiting in line to pay several hundred dollars.
A year later: no line, cheaper and many more games available.
Not to mention the fixes that go out once problems with the new releases are determined.
Cost/benefit and now safety analysis: Not worth it.

I can understand camping out one night for concert tickets. I never did that myself, but I can see how it would be a fun experience with a group of pals. That seems quite a bit different than what had been going on for the PS3. I think quite a number of the people waited out there just to get one in order to sell it for a profit. At least it appears so to me. Heck, maybe I should have waited to get one and spent a few hundred bucks on it in order to turn around and sell it for thousands.

You make quite a bit of sense Necronic. It seems to me that it would be much more reasonable to wait a little while and deal with no lines and better fixes, games, etc.

I heard that the systems are like $600 + at the stores. What KID (the age range for these) NEEDS a $600 game system that they are going to be bored with in 3 months? Not to mention all the problems that are already abound with these games that Sony promises they will fix "sometime in the new year." Then again, if I came across one sitting there I'd probably buy it to sell but never would wait a week in the snow. And the shootings this AM over it'? YIKES!

I remember going on the Cabbage Patch Kid run with my mother but that's about it. I do remember waiting for New Kids tickets back in the day but that was only for a few hours. Nothing is worth dying for to me... since I'm allergic to cold temps I wouldn't MAKE it one day! LOL!

Exactly... that price is obscene for a child's "toy". A computer works just as nice to play games and yet has multiple functions and these days you can get one for under $600! May not be top of the line, but with enough benefits to outweigh the PS3, in my opinion. I heard about the shooting and that stunned me even more. It's not like these things are made of gold, so why is it that people get so insane over a game?

I've never waited long for anything. I'm not a patient person so that could be why this all seems so silly to me. If I can't get something when I want it, then I no longer want it and will find something else that'll do just as well.

It's all about "the event". Maybe for you it's a opening night of a movie with your favorite actor, opening weekend for a hunting season, or a tradition you have surrounding opening day of the baseball season.

Whatever it is, eliminate the stereotype surrounding gamers and the root of this sensation isn't much different from any of our other affinities.

That's some Christmas spirit if it causes one person to shoot another over the game. I'm not so sure Santa would put them on his "nice" list for that.

I hear what you're saying, Matt, and to me it has nothing to do with it being specifically a game. I adore my X-Box and computer games, and begged for Super Nintendo back in the day. So it isn't that I have a specific sterotype in mind of gamers. I just can't see waiting for anything... no matter what it is, for days on end. That's why I was curious to see what items people would wait for.

Good point Randi. I'd be much more tempted to wait for a few days if it was for a FREE item. :-)

Well, I WAS going to go to Walmart at midnight to grab 2 of the PS3's if I could get my hands on them, BUT I had good reasons, I promise! The 1st reason was because my kids REALLY wanted one for Christmas and I was afraid that if I didn't snatch one up now, I wouldn't be able to get them what they really wanted this year. It is a lot to spend, I will admit that... but this one present would be for both of them, and our entire family was planning on chipping in to get it for them. Now the other good reason was that I was going to sell one on Ebay for all those people who spend WAY too much money on them when they really, really want them. Now I would never go on Ebay and spend MORE money on it, I don't care how stinkin' bad I wanted it, or my kids wanted it, or whomever. I figured IF I was able to sell it and make a profit, I might be able to make enough money to pay for all my Christmas presents this year. So, just keep in mind that some of those people waiting in line really do have OK reasons for why they are doing what they are doing, and sometimes it isn't just because they want to be the 1st to get it. Happy Holidays to everyone!!!

I would stand in line for a week in the snow to buy a house for a dollar.

I can understand your reasons, Faith. It makes sense logically for your situation. And you were just planning on going at midnight, not days ahead of time. That's what gets me. Spending days and days to sit there to be the first to buy one. You do have a good point that there are various reasons that people do it... some have ulterior motives and some have reasonable motives. I am just curious about all the various types of thoughts that people have as to what would make you wait so many days for it. Going at midnight before relase is a different world from camping out for it, I think. I'm sorry you couldn't get one for your kids. It kills me that the companies that make these things charge such a premium for it.

Ooh Kerry, I think I'd do that too! One buck for a house! Get me my tent! :-)

I agree with you Vikki, I just don't get it and I guess I never will.

Hi Jim, I think you're right. It's one of those things that we'll never quite understand. It's fun to think about though.

I think it's a huge waste of money. With that being said, my boyfriend bought one LOL

It really is, Melissa... and with THAT being said... my hubby and I bought one last month. Hehehe. BUT at least we didn't stand out overnight for it. hehe.

I would be in line with Kerry and would be willing to be there longer than a week.

I have been known to stand in line for a long time for free items and Bob will say I'll pay for it, if it involves him standing in line for hours. Each year, some sale has made me tell my husband he is going to stand in line at JCPennys. We have many sheets.

I can understand standing in line for free stuff or greatly discounted things, but at the time I wrote this I thought PS3 was silly. Now that I have one, I love it, but I'm glad I waited to buy one and didn't get stuck in the snow! However, if I ever hear of a Wii Fit coming available, that I'd be willing to stand in line for a night to get! hehe. Funny how my mind has changed a bit since I wrote this.

My husband loves his PS3; however, we waited a long time to get it. I couldn't believe all the people waiting in the snow and rain. I still haven't played the PS3, as have been trying for the cash option for 2 months. August is going to be a fun month again.

We definitely love our PS3 too. But I really prefer the Wii myself. Today I was playing the Party Games all day! I love the air hockey game. :-) I'm so glad you'll have August as a fun month!

my kids dont have video games.
they are still a little young yet

I don't understand it eiather!

There are some things I'll spend $15, $150, or $1500 on and some things I wont...but I certainly would not stand out in the rain and pay out my @$$ to own one of these things. But that's just me...some people just have to have one.

Well and then there's the fact that it took my parents like 5 years after the original Nintendo came out before they got us one....

I didn't have video games as a kid either, DN... I didn't get my first (Super Nintendo) until I was an adult. haha.

Glad to hear it's not just me that didn't understand, Bridget!

I hear that, Michelle! Some things are worth more than others, but the waiting in freezing temps and battling frostbite overnight to then pay out higher prices than you know the system will be eventually. It's silly.

My parents never bought us original Nintendo or any of the video games. My sis and I had to wait until we were adults and working to buy our own.

I'm sure it was a stretch for my mother to do that as she's a penny pincher...but she did. She waited for the price to drop for sure!

My mom wasn't necessarily a penny pincher, she just didn't see any reason for kids to have video games when there were books to be read and outdoor activities to be done. ;-)

WE did not have video games as kids either... they were not available in the home at that time... well there was the original atari... wow... it shows my age.. he he he...

I am a gamer.. I hate to say it, but that is just the generation im from.. I do only allow my kids and myself to only play so much a day.. cuz books and pretend play are important to a child growin up.

That makes sense to me too, Trish. I think a little game play is fine for kiddos. As long as they get other creative outlets as well. I'm definitely a gamer too, and don't know how it happened since I didn't have any access to it as a kid.

Absolutely not. In fact, I'm beginning to question the need to go to the first run theaters for a movie. With the price of tickets so high, it doesn't seem too much to wait a few months to see anything.

I can definitely understand that Elizabeth. Lately the hubby and I have been waitin for movies to be available on Netflix instead of seeing them right away in theaters. The price adds up quickly when you go to the movies.