macgrill122

I like midnight launches. I've waited outside late at night, for hours in some cases, for the original Xbox, Xbox 360, Wii, WiiU, and oddly the Wii Fit. I think the only advice I can give is to check with the exact store you want to purchase your console at on the day before the launch. An associate or manager should be able to give you the number of systems that the store has, so when you line up later, you can count how many systems are already claimed so that you won't leave without a console.

The PS3 launch in my area was the craziest launch I have ever seen. We went to the same Circuit City where we had waited for 14 hours for the 360, but never even got out of the car. Security had created a perimeter around the store, and the store was not allowing anyone to line up at all. This resulted in roughly 80-120 people lined up across the street, waiting the the perimeter fence to be moved so they could rush the store, which had only around 10 consoles to sell. It looked like a scene from Braveheart, with the potential console purchasers lined up like the Scottish army, waiting to rush the English army in battle. I don't think you will see anything like that this time around.

Maybe I am wrong, but it feels like you will be able to just walk in and buy an Xbox One early on launch day. I wouldn't suggest that as a strategy, it just feels like demand will be lower than even the purposely reduced supply level. PS4, on the other hand, has sold out pre orders faster, which may mean that the supply will be less, possibly much less, than the Xbox One. It might also mean, as the email from the Target employee on the Bombcast said, that Sony wants to make sure there are plenty of consoles available in stores at launch, maybe to avoid scenes like the one I described above.

Personally, a few friends and I are thinking seriously about driving a few hours to NYC and trying to get a launch PS4 at the Sony Store in Manhattan. Might be crazy, might not even get one, but will definitely have a blast up there. The smartest plan, however, is probably to check with a lower volume Walmart, Target, or Best Buy, then line up at least 2 hours early.

Good luck!

My buddies and I are actually hosting a Panel on this subject on the first day of PAX East at 11:00AM in the Wyvern theater. It will only be about 30 minutes long and you will definitely leave with some great tips.

Here's the info Winning the PAX East game

Hope to see you guys there.

I'm really hoping there will be some Leigh Alexander once again this year, she was very entertaining last year. And I know it can't happen, but would be amazing to have the McElroy brothers on one night. GB X MBMBaM, ultimate podcast.

Wow, that was awesome, great job. And I liked the music too, thanks. 

No, you are not the only one, I'm very excited for FIFA 11. Like the demo a lot.

I never realized, until recently, that there was so much to see and do on this site. I obsess over Achievements on Xbox Live, so the Quest system is a great way to spend more time on the site. The podcast is my favorite, the guys are great characters and they deliver great content consistently. I'm a sports gamer first, although I will play pretty much anything i can get my hands on. Also, I love lists. 
Personal Top 5 Videogames (a list of games I would bring "to a deserted island... that featured electricity and online access"
1. The Elder Scrolls IV: Oblivion (360): I chose Oblivion over Morrowind although I probably put a few more hours into Morrowind. These two games were my introduction to any kind of RPG, and after the first two hours of Morrowind I was hooked. I enjoyed the graphics and sound, but it was the ability to collect items and develop my character that kept me going past 60 hours. Oblivion was the first game I played to completion by unlocking all of its achievements on the 360. Oblivion was the first game that both me and my wife put over 60 hours into, and she's a very casual gamer. 
2. NHL '94 (SNES): I could still play this game, after spending many an afternoon after school playing it in season mode or against my brother. '94 was the second release for the SNES but more fluid than the first. Also, this version kept season stats and let you lift the Stanley Cup after a lot of hard work. Calgary's line of Joe Niewendyk centering Gary Roberts and Theo Fleury is still my favorite NHL line of all time. 
3. MLB 10: The Show (PS3): If I am going to be on a deserted island, I will want a game that can take a long time to play, with many different modes, excellent gameplay and amazing presentation. Baseball games take a long time but if I had that time I would play The Show all day. 
4. Geometry Wars 2 (360): Again based on the amount of time I have put into gameplay. GW2 loads quickly, features 6 excellent game modes, an easily displayed friends leaderboard, and a simple premise: score the most points. I will play a few rounds after playing a different game for a long time, or if I just have 5 minutes to kill before doing something else. The controls are great, also. Amazing game. 
5. FIFA 10 (360): I love in depth sports games, and FIFA barely makes it over the most recent NHL title. These are the games I play, the most updated versions typically, and I like to put a lot of time in them. Manager mode in FIFA has been tweaked some over the past few years and I love the changes. There are so many different teams and leagues in FIFA and the ability to spend more time with them would be a winning characteristic. 
 
So that is a little bit about my gaming preferences. Thanks.