The Waiting Game: GameSpy's Staff Camps Out for PS3 (gamespy)

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Regardless of the units that we've received from SCEA, GameSpy's staff still needs to secure enough systems to carry out our reviews for the launch. As a result, we've prepared for weeks to camp out alongside hardcore gamers and eBay scalpers to get our hands on a few more PS3 units at the PlayStation Store inside the Metreon in San Francisco. During the periods when our console editors leave the line for necessities, they will be giving recaps from the action throughout the day.

Patrick Joynt, Associate Console Editor:

4:35 p.m., 11/15/06

Talking to the manager of the special events for Thursday's launch lineup at San Francisco's Metreon -- formerly Sony's showcase property, now operated by turn-around kings Westfield -- I found out a line had already formed in the extra-wide alley across the street. No one was being allowed to line up at the Metreon itself until eight in the morning Thursday, but piling up (and out into the street, eventually) in the streets is okay. Despite the dubious nature of it, IGN's loaned-staffer Eduardo and I head from the office to get to the Minna St. line. We spend the ride discussing how we'd rather be playing the damn PS3 than waiting to buy some, but if we don't go buy some we'd end up without enough for all the console guys to play PS3s.

It's a fair cop.

5:45 p.m., 11/15/06

Eduardo and I settle in at spot 119 and 120 in the line down Minna street, placing us about a third of a San Francisco block down. Don't make the mistake of thinking that Sony, Westfield, or the events team is tracking the people in line, or that they were letting people past a certain number know that they wouldn't be getting units. From PlayStation store staff to security, the answers to any question about the launch is, "I don't know. I don't know who knows. We won't know until you do." An air of paranoia arises amongst the throng already waiting, an X-Files-like fear.

UNO madness at the Metreon.

"They only have 20 units."

"This isn't the real line. The real line is already in the Metreon. We missed it."

"They're just going to let people run to the line tomorrow, and whoever is fastest gets to be first."

The count and name list of people in line is being generated by a blogger for a local paper.

2:00 a.m., 11/16/06

It's officially "launchy" around here. The line has begun to stretch around the block; people who are marginally interested in the launch have begun to arrive, expecting an easier row to hoe; people who aren't organizing reviews and cycles of staff have started taking naps. The college students in front of us are trying, unsuccessfully, to convince their bodies the suspiciously stained concrete makes a wonderful mattress and that it's time for bed. Eduardo goes to crash out for a few hours while Sterling fills in, ensuring we maintain the buddy system that Boy Scouts ground into my head. The all-night Denny's a block up has become the unofficial official restaurant of the Metreon Launch Campers.

3:33 a.m., 11/16/06

Our student neighbors are playing UNO, after having been inspired to purchase the game when they discovered it on Xbox Live. The irony pairs nicely with the building fear as the local blogger begins to go down the row, making up roll call rules as he goes. General insurrection against the tyranny of that guy with the name list ensues.

6:00 a.m., 11/16/06

Another crowd has formed on Minna St, but on the opposite sidewalk -- directly across from the Metreon. This places these newcomers and Johnny-come-latelys dangerously close to the presumed beginning of what will become the line later today, and previously unvoiced fears start degenerating into plans to stampede the "corner crowd" if necessary.

7:35 a.m., 11/16/06

SFPD and Metreon security, along with Sony overseers, begin to move us across the street and to the Metreon in an orderly, safe and coordinated fashion. The would-be cutters on the other corner are sent to the back of the line, to a chorus of approving howls from the members of the original line. General relief floods us as new editors arrive to let Sterling and I head home and get some rest before returning later tonight for the surprise super-guest who-can-it-be musical star. So far, Sony is putting on a better, more organized performance than anyone expected, and better than most of the crowd had hoped. No violence, no sprints, and no riots -- everyone's pretty happy so far. Of course, we haven't seen how many of these hopefuls will actually receive their units when they begin to go on sale at midnight...

Sterling McGarvey, Associate Console Editor:

12:35 a.m., 11/16/06

After sleeping for some three hours, I'm awakened by Gabe calling me to check in regarding both the line for launch and his Mobile Suit Gundam review. Not even pretending like I know what's going on, I lumber out of bed, completely forgetting that I've overslept by an hour and was supposed to be at the Metreon thirty minutes ago. I'm a bad team-player. But hey, at least I have some awesome leftover pumpkin-gorgonzola risotto from dinner for Patrick and Eduardo...

1:15 a.m., 11/16/06

I head back home after forgetting said risotto.

1:38 a.m., 11/16/06

I'm riding the #38 bus, a staple of every surly San Franciscan's experience at some point or another. Living in this city, a few things are inevitable: You will be approached nearly on a daily basis by a homeless person, you will, at some point, walk down a street that smells like every substance that the human body can produce has been expelled there, and you will ride the #38 bus, which is usually loaded with bitter, bitter people. Tonight, I am amongst the bitter.

2:00 a.m., 11/16/06

I relieve Eduardo of his duties and team up with Patrick. Upon joining the line, I sense that the energy from my can of Red Bull is a tad too obnoxious for the young crowd who are trying to sleep. Eventually, they give in and start talking to me, after realizing that A: I probably won't shut up for a while, and B: no matter how much they try to deny it, sleeping on concrete in a sleeping bag is not fun.

The pressure gets to Eduardo.

2:45 a.m., 11/16/06

Some guy comes along and tells everyone that the line wrapping down Minna Street has been cut off by the SFPD, and that everyone who's been waiting will be guaranteed a system. Suddenly, few people are sleeping after the whoops and hollers of joy emitted among the crowd.

3:30 a.m., 11/16/06

Like Matt Damon at the beginning of Dogma, and out of sheer pessimism, I begin deconstructing a few eBayer's rationalizations of how they're going to make a profit from standing in line to sell the system that they're in line to buy. I ask them, given the likely flood of online auction sales, if camping out for thirty-odd hours and sleeping on concrete is worth the amount of money that they could probably make by just going to work that day. It provides a few sheepish faces and the realization that yes, their dreams of making a quick thousand dollars off of this campout might be shattered, since a few seem to want to unload their investment ASAP. I am a bastard, indeed.

5:30 a.m., 11/16/06

Concern begins to seriously grow. The roll calling blogger (who is not employed by SCEA, and seems to be completely self-appointed) and a few cronies seem to be threatening people who aren't staying in line, or who are allegedly cutting in line. Patrick begins to challenge their authoritah, which does not go over well. Word gets around that a second line has formed on 4th and Minna of people who've lined up and are actively threatening to run across the street at 8 a.m., ahead of everyone else who's been waiting for nearly 24 hours, throwing the entire line into complete anarchy. Couple that with the paranoia that the supply of consoles will not meet the demands of the mob, and it's a recipe for ulcers. Needless to say, while Patrick is challenging authority, I'm infiltrating the line of "others," which seems to consist of obnoxious teenagers who claim that they'll trample "the nerds over there" to get ahead in line if necessary. How they came up with $600 to buy this system, I'm not sure. I see lots of puffy chests, false bravado, and a forecast for potential anarchy.

6:00 a.m., 11/16/06

After harassing Eduardo, who's only been asleep for a few short hours on Patrick's couch, he shows up. The idea that we'll have to split the line between the "official line" and the "unofficial line" in case these chuckleheads do decide to jump ahead of everyone becomes evident. I call Gabe to come and be prepared to stand in the second line; that way, if this other line does succeed with their plans, we will still have a place in line for systems. We must succeed at all costs, against all odds. After all, we've got reviews to write.

7:00 a.m., 11/16/06

The caffeine has worn off, and the three hours of sleep that have carried me through a nearly ten-hour day at work are no longer sustaining me. The tension of the situation is apparent. Someone from the PlayStation Store comes out. He tells the second line that they will all be guaranteed systems, but they'll need to clear the sidewalk, lest the SFPD hand out citations, and everyone will be asked to leave. It's amusing to watch the self-appointed leader of the second line try to maintain order, like watching an Orc general prior to an epic Tolkien battle. Eventually, the situation is resolved as they all go to the place that we'd wanted them in the first place: the back of the line. I then begin to make comparisons between everyone in line and the apes from 2001: A Space Odyssey, ourselves included.

8:00 a.m., 11/16/06

The lines officially form around the Metreon, and momentarily, order is restored. Eventually, event staffers begin to put more barricades down 4th Street, which then curl around Howard Street, effectively containing the line. PlayStation Store staffers and employees of SCEA then go around and break down the rules. Everyone will get wristbands. If anyone allows someone in line without a wristband, both people will be ejected. Badges will be handed out for restroom breaks; they are only good for 20 minutes. A taco truck will be delivering food to the line, and employees from Starbucks will be handing out coffee. Patrick has gone to the bathroom, as he had to pee like a stable of racehorses. Concern mounts that he may lose a spot in line after 16 hours of effort to secure a spot.

It's... um, late.

9:00 a.m., 11/16/06

We haggle with one of the line coordinators and with Gabe and Eduardo holding spots in line, both Patrick and I split up to go home and rest. They've got our business cards, so we should be okay for the line. I then mention that I've never seen an event in which people pay $600 and tax to feel like hostages. Perhaps it's the only way to organize such a huge crowd, but I still expect Al Pacino to run out of the Metreon screaming, "Attica! Attica!" at any moment. Finally, after a sleep-deprived and trippy bus ride home, I babble incoherently to my girlfriend about how it's pande-f'ing-monium at the Metreon before passing out.

1:00 p.m., 11/16/06

My alarm clock goes off. Unfortunately, I'm already awake. While I'm tired, people have been calling me, and frankly, I'm in no state to talk to anyone who's not working with me, living with me, or crashing on my couch this evening. I get ready to head back to the Metreon. It appears that it's rained while I was taking my nap.

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3:30 p.m., 11/16/06

After taking a little more time off to try out PlayStation Network, I find my way back to the line. It turns out that I'm not getting a wristband. We've got a problem, although, admittedly, it could be worse. I stick around for some three hours while Gabe takes care of some personal business. During this time, I watch Eduardo begin to slowly become unraveled after four hours of sleep and staying in line from 6 a.m. on. I also log in some time on Smackdown vs. Raw 2007 for PSP, which indeed, as touted, has shorter load times than before. Eventually, Gabe returns, and since I have no wristband, I'm, for all intents and purposes, completely without a justifiable reason to still be there. I head home to write up a piece on PSN, since it's up and running.

10:45 p.m., 11/16/06

At this point, I've written the article, bought two games off PSN, been pwned by four Japanese gamers at Ridge Racer 7, and had my face blown off several times by Insomniac's QA team on Resistance, since it's those guys' last hurrah before the title gets unleashed on the general public in a few short hours. My girlfriend and I show up at the Metreon for both support and to ensure that the systems go to the proper parties without a hitch.

12:00 a.m., 11/17/06

It's like some sort of weird capitalist New Year's celebration, capped off with a giant countdown to the words "Play Beyond" in red Comic Sans MS on a giant screen.

1-ish a.m., 11/17/06

Finally, Eduardo and Patrick triumphantly emerge from the Metreon with consoles, enough games to cover reviews, and enough controllers for some two player action. Eduardo is still fortunately capable of forming sentences, although the syllable count has taken a significant hit. Undoubtedly, he's taken the worst of it. The rest of us are all fairly exhausted.

2:22 a.m., 11/17/06

My eyes are heavy and burn intensely. It's bedtime. Hopefully, this log of our wait for the consoles hasn't been too torturous. Kaz Hirai says that the next generation of gaming has started. Whether you agree or not, see you online!