PAL PlayStation 3 Launches Early... In Italy

Would you look at that - I woke up this morning to find out that I had completely missed the European launch of the PlayStation 3! Nevermind that it was a highly unofficial launch and that it only took place in Italy: the fact is the PAL PS3 has been available in stores since yesterday, after several Italian retailers decided to step over Sony's head and break the March 23 street date by two whole days. As you can imagine, Sony is pretty pissed off right now:

"Sony Computer Entertainment Europe is deeply disappointed by the unilateral decision of some Italian retail chains to commence the sale of PlayStation 3 to consumers before this official launch date. Such decisions run counter to our policy of consumer protection which seeks to ensure that all of our consumers have an equal opportunity to purchase PlayStation 3", a Sony spokesperson told GI.biz, warning that they plan to "carefully consider all available options in relation to retailers who have commenced sale of PlayStation 3 prior to 23rd March 2007".

The madness began some days ago, when a small retail chain (Darty) began advertising in national newspapers that they'll be selling PS3s from 7 PM on March 21. Rival company Media World was quick to respond, announcing the cancellation of its planned March 23 midnight launch event, and that they would start selling earlier still on Wednesday, from 9 AM. And they did.

Even the international retail giant GameStop said that it may be forced to start selling the PS3 early, even though their long-lasting policy is not to break official street dates.

Gamers (and non-specialist retailers) are the main winners here, of course, but unfortunately for specialist retailers, they couldn't join in the "fun" early, since they "don't have any units yet and won't receive any until Friday morning", according to Davide Sher of Trade Interactive Multimedia (TIM) magazine - the leading specialist publication for Italian retailers. "This puts them at a real disadvantage", he redundantly adds.

Ironically, just yesterday Sony Europe president David Reeves was blathering something about the delay to the European launch of PlayStation 3 being beneficial in the long run:

"It's rather like taking a bottle of soda water and we've shaken it so hard over the last six months that when we take the cork off, it's just going to explode," he told Reuters.

And explode it did. Right in their faces.

(N.B. Archive text, links removed)