Wait, what? Isn’t PSVR already out in Japan? You bet it is. And yet, this week, there were long lines at retailers across the country.
[Image: Kaztsu]
The reason being that a new shipment of PSVR headsets hit Japanese shops this week. Demand was so high at some locations that people had to line up for a chance to buy.
#PSVR の抽選販売を明日・1月26日(木)に実施致します!
抽選に参加のお客様は明日9時~10時の間に2階の特設会場までお越し下さいませ☆
※ご当選された方は当日16時までにご購入下さい。
時間を過ぎると無効となります。お1人様1点の販売とさせて頂きます。 pic.twitter.com/FOLzhtoPgi— ビックカメラ新宿西口店 (@bic_shinjyuku) January 25, 2017
On Thursday, major retailers like Bic Camera and Sofmap passed out raffle tickets between 9AM and 10AM with winners announced starting at noon. Those lucky folks could then purchase the PlayStation VR between 12PM and 4PM.
Here’s how the raffle results were posted at the Sofmap in Akihabara.
PSVRソフマップ本館の抽選結果。入荷60台、カメラ無しは4台とか…みんな肩を落として帰っていくな俺もだけど! pic.twitter.com/WBBjp6lj5H
— 六甲 (@earlbox) January 26, 2017
Folks holding these numbers were able to buy the PSVR. That means that not everyone who waited was able to get the headset.
More amazing is that in Osaka, Nagoya and Tokyo, people started lining up the night prior!
ヨドバシ 梅田
そろそろ始発組が来るかな? pic.twitter.com/qvZhocbogY— ダオ (@zikkyoudao) January 25, 2017
流石にこの時間にこの人数w
並ぶのめんどいなw 通販で買えるか試そう(;´Д`)とりあえずこの時間からお疲れ様です朝までに凍死しないでくださいねw#PSVR#ヤマダ電機 LABI名古屋 pic.twitter.com/eVkZ6wDAvJ
— ほのりん番長@エミリアShip1 (@soulxross) January 25, 2017
【PSVR】ヨドバシカメラ新宿西口本店ホビーゲーム館、閉店前ですが既に10人弱並んでます! pic.twitter.com/iORjFJvEjC
— VR TOKYO (@vr_tokyo) January 25, 2017
新宿ヨドバシ24時の次点で既にすごい人が並んどる((((;゚Д゚)))) 整理券ゲットしたから多分買える! #PSVR pic.twitter.com/Z8N1idkw1O
— T-SYSTEM (@t_system) January 25, 2017
At 11:30PM, there were already 50 people at the Yodobashi Camera in Osaka’s Umeda.
ヨドバシ梅田のPSVR待機列、50人かな( ´ ・ω ・` ) pic.twitter.com/xHhELpxD9p
— 虎竹刀@危険物>消防>エネ管&電験 (@GA_teon) January 25, 2017
The Yodobashi Camera in Tokyo’s Shinjuku sold out by 1:26AM.
PSVR、ついに先着販売のヨドバシカメラ新宿西口店は完売したようです…! pic.twitter.com/sUyWETc3VU
— VR TOKYO (@vr_tokyo) January 25, 2017
Below is the Bic Camera in Ikebukuro on Thursday morning.
池袋きてみたらPSVRの抽選販売にこんな行列でビックリ( ゚Д゚) なんでこんなに大人気なの?? この人たちシコミじゃないよね?( ゚Д゚) WiiとかDSは理解できたけど、これはわからん! pic.twitter.com/pGPoPciKv6
— うめ@ニジフェス主催 (@ume_a81116) January 26, 2017
Remember, this is a weekday!
[Image: VR速報]
And Yodobashi Camera in Osaka’s Umeda.
06:46
ヨドバシ 梅田 PSVR 行列
第2折り返し地点到達!
250人は超えてる? pic.twitter.com/3A6Z6j4EMx— ダオ (@zikkyoudao) January 25, 2017
This Twitter user guessed that by 6:46AM, there might have been over 250 people in like at that Yodobashi Camera in Umeda.
ヨドバシAkiba「プレイステーションVR」の再入荷販売で約200人の列。転売ヤーやプロのかたとおもわれるひと多数で既に本日の販売予定分は終了している pic.twitter.com/L8TXfHdBPW
— ツルミロボ (@kaztsu) January 25, 2017
According to Twitter user Kaztsu, around 200 people lined up at the Yodobashi Camera in Tokyo’s Akihabara. (Also, Kaztsu says there were folks lined up intending to resell the PSVR online. Of course there were!)
みんな、俺は勝ったぞ( *˙ω˙*)و グッ!
ヨドバシ梅田は、225台らしいです。 pic.twitter.com/kU3cGHkeS2
— セイレス@ストフェス コードギアス併せ (@Seiresu_0215) January 25, 2017
Japan’s interest in the PlayStation VR should not come as a total surprise. The hardware’s launch last October drew long lines.
In case you missed it, you can read Kotaku‘s PlayStation VR review right here.
Comments
2 responses to “This Week In Japan, Hundreds Of People Lined Up For PlayStation VR”
The Resident Evil effect? It’s definitely gotten me a little more keen for PSVR.
How did it comparen to the yakuza 0 line?
Every now and then, Sony’s ambivalence for the consumer makes me think that the PS5 generation will be the death of them (considering it is one of the truly last profitable arms of the company). Pics like these give me some hope that PlayStation has some staying power. Thanks, Japan.
“VR is just a gimmick” 🙂
C’Mon, this is not really anything surprising (the lining up part), the Japanese will line up for ANYTHING
I live in Nihombashi, a “suburb” of Tokyo at the moment and the locals here will line up, at night in winter, at a local bakery because they love the pastries!
I was in Sapporo over the weekend, there was a line up at the “Sushi Train” at least 75 deep, at 11:00AM, and this is an every day occurrence.
I swear, if I could get just 2 people to stand behind me in a “line” for absolutely nothing, within 30min, I would have 50 Japanese in line with me :oP