So PSPs are finally available for preorder from ebgames.com and gamestop.com. Of course mom forgot to tell the greedy bastards running the bundle scams that they should play nice. Come on, four hundred freaking duckets for a PSP, an accessory, and three games at ebgames.com? Actually it is a little better, when I first put together this entry the listing said, “Three games of your choice from a select list of launch titles.” The “select list” part was very bothersome, but now the listing says, “Three games of your choice from the finalized list of launch titles.”
Still, four hundred? If you figure $200 for the system + $150 for three games, you are still having to shell out $50 for an accessory. That pretty much blows.
gamestop.com is not much better. They give you the choice of two bundles at $379 (system + accessory + 3 predetermined games) or a $479 bundle (system + accessory + 5 predetermined games).
Bundles suck for consumers. Not only do you not get to buy what you want, but the stores price them out the nose. I know when it is all said and done that I will end up with anywhere from 2-5 launch games, but I want to actually be allowed to select the games, and I sure as hell do not want some crap accessory.
For the first time in years I decided to do a preorder at a brick and mortar – the local ebgames. They told me that I only had to put $20 down, that I did not have to buy a bundle, and that I did not have to buy anything other than the system. Period. End of story. So I thought.
The nice lady told me that I “should” get one since I was number 61 or so on the preorder list. I do not really like the sound of that, but it is better than a $400 commitment to some unknown bundle. So today I decided to call the same story, play stupid (not very hard for me), and ask about the PSP.
At this point I am allowed to put down anywhere from $20-400. The $400 part sounds kind of ominous, but at this point there is no bundle to buy. Once they have pricing and availability from Sony they will call preorder customers and let us know the procedures to secure our PSPs. That really sounds like a bundle waiting to happen. Finally, after I asked about guaranteed availability, the guy said I should get one. When asked for the number of preorders so far, he said 31.
Not that it matters, but 31-61 is a fairly wide range. Not to mention the vague and ambiguous responses to my questions about preordering guaranteeing me a system. You know the brick and mortar bastards are going to also require some sort of stupid bundle.
I want a PSP, but I care not for bundles (as if you could not figure that out by now). The question is, “Am I prepared to walk?” Part of me says “F’ it!” – the other part of me is really looking forward to a PSP.
I have no idea if I can trust the brick and mortar to deliver me a launch day system, so now it may be back to a ebgames.com preorder.
Life is full of flavors, trying to decide which one to pick is half the fun.
I put $20 at EBGames today as well. They told me Friday was the last day to guarantee one from the first shipment.
But they said I might get one if someone ahead of me doesn’t come and get it within 24 hours.
I may go to some other stores as well. Will there be shortages and inflated eBay prices?
Not sure why I want one at launch. None of the launch games really stand out that much.