Topic: Thought: Should the PS3 have had an online only launch?

[idolminds]

With so few units and the high price, would it have been better for Sony to simply sell the PS3 only from an online store? Sure only the hardcores would know about it and buy it, but thats not much different from the hardcores sitting out in the cold for a week in line to buy one. Either way, the general public wont be getting their hands on them.

The only thing I could see is B&M stores would be pretty pissed, and Sony would lose all the news and hype surrounding the lines. Though with all the violence and near-riots, that might not be the kind of publicity they want.

[TheOtherBelmont]

Maybe not a complete online launch but something like half and half.  Not everyone is comfortable with shopping online yet and some people don't have internet access.  Selling some of the units online would have been a good idea though.  There were actually very very few near riots and violence incidents as a whole, the press just blew it out of proportion.  Also if they were to go online only A LOT of businesses would be pissed off like you mentioned and probably shaft Sony somehow, which Sony really cannot afford.

[MysterD]

With so few units and the high price, would it have been better for Sony to simply sell the PS3 only from an online store? Sure only the hardcores would know about it and buy it, but thats not much different from the hardcores sitting out in the cold for a week in line to buy one. Either way, the general public wont be getting their hands on them.

The only thing I could see is B&M stores would be pretty pissed, and Sony would lose all the news and hype surrounding the lines. Though with all the violence and near-riots, that might not be the kind of publicity they want.

If PS3's were sold online, the Internet would probably meltdown for a few days -- from web-site hacking to website being overloaded w/ hits....

...Actually, I'm sure the $100 X-Box 360's on Turkey Day at Amazon will be a good, yet a small indication of what would've probably happened if PS3's would've been sold online....

[Quemaqua]

They should have just pushed the launch back until they could fucking produce enough units to at least, you know, *attempt* to meet *some* of the demand.

[sirean_syan]

But then how else will it be hyped it? Surely you can't expect them to do that with great launch titles.

[Quemaqua]

No, of course not.  That would be too much to ask.

[Antares]

I'm with Que on this one, Sony did this intentionally to get the free press and create a frenzy.  People are stupid, so they bought into it.

[scottws]

The people that waited in line for the PS3 weren't interested in the PS3.  They were interested in the amount of money they could make from the PS3 by selling it on Ebay.