Where to Find a PS2 at Launch?

As you know, Sony announced last week that on the October 26 launch of the PlayStation 2, only 500,000 units will be available. Those 500,000 units will be spread out over 20,000 stores and online retailers, and several retailers - including Electronics Boutique, Funcoland, and Babbages - are concerned about their PS2 preorder campaigns, which have been in place for months. GameSpot spoke with these specialty retailers to get an idea of the console's availability at launch and beyond. For all three retailers, the preorders far exceed the launch supply.

Several of the retail stores we spoke with had preorders exceeding well over 100 customers, but they expect to receive less than one-fourth of that number at launch. At most of the mall-based specialty retailers, the PlayStation 2 will likely not be available for direct purchase until after Christmas - and perhaps well into 2001 in some cases.

Traditional toy stores such as Toys 'R Us and Kaybee Toys are in a similar situation. Toys 'R Us stores will get a very limited first-run supply, and the select few that have preorder campaigns in place will certainly not be able to meet demand. Kaybee has a preorder program in place, and - like EB and Babbages - it too does not expect to have any consoles available. In fact, anticipating the high volume of demand, the retailer has marked up the price of the PS2 console from the suggested US$299.99 to over $325.00. However, the Kaybee online store has an interesting bundle deal to ensure that consumers can get the console before Christmas. The package includes a PlayStation 2 console bundle and three games - Madden NFL 2001, Tekken Tag Tournament, and Ridge Racer V - for a total of US$499.99. That is certainly higher than the value of the combined products, but the company promises delivery on December 12.

So, where do you have the best opportunity to pick up a PlayStation 2 console? Discount department stores such as Wal-Mart, Target, and Kmart are likely the best options for securing a PS2 console at or around launch. Most of these major retailers will receive 10 to 30 PlayStation 2 units per retail store, with the larger markets receiving the highest allocation. Naturally, all three retailers expect large crowds and overwhelming demand on October 26, as the small allocation of consoles per store will be available on a first-come first-served basis.