RSSEuro Gamers Finding Ways to Get PSP
By Ed Oswald | Published March 18, 2005, 11:39 AM
With the release of PlayStation Portable in Europe now delayed at least several months, gamers are increasingly turning to other ways to get their hands on the highly anticipated gaming console. In London, some have even turned to "grey market" retailers where the imported Japanese version garners as much as three times the retail price at 300 pounds ($577 USD).
"Grey market" is a term that is used to describe the way these retailers acquire the products. They receive the product from out of country wholesalers, in this case from Asia, and then sell them in another country for a higher price. While not illegal, it is not condoned by Sony either.
According to one retailer, sales are brisk. He reported sales of 10 to 20 units a weekend since he started receiving shipments of the PSP, which come in the Japanese packaging.
The same thing happened in the United States as well. Underground sales of the unit were brisk earlier this year, but have fallen as the launch date has neared. It is likely to happen in Europe as well.
According to Amazon UK, the unit will be released in England on June 24 at a price of 179.99 pounds.
Sony have always sh*t on their customers in the EU. To this date, they still have not released the PS2 HDD. All references to it were dropped from EU SOCOM 2. Therefore, we cannot play the new maps users in the US/Japan enjoy. We often have to wait 6-12mths for games to appear here after they've already been launched in Japan/America. SOCOM 1 was a prime example, almost 12mths from launch in the US, it was launched in the EU. Katamari Damacy has yet to appear.
The PSP came out in Nov 2004, and was promised to arrive here next week. Yet, that slipped and became April. And now it's late June, at the best.
The reason behind this is clear - Sony wants to fulfil it's quota of orders in North America at launch, at the cost of sales in Europe.
Screw you SCEE. I've ordered my grey-import, and it's costing me only fractionally more than the rrp of £200 other etailers are quoting.
Speaking of which, I believe the cost of the PSP will be $250 in the US. That converts to £130 for the UK. Yet, it will go on sale here for £200 ($384US). Another prime example of Sony shafting it's EU customers.
Is it any wonder we import?
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|Its not sony its our gouverment that doing the shafting.
If sony were to import the units into europe it would cost them, hence the higher price than the US but remember our pound is worth double in dollars hahahahah ner ner! bonus! We rock! the world sucks :P
But back to the subject, the reason is clear, its the import charges and the amount of orders we are creating it not tempting enough to the "japs" its just pennys to them, unlike the US $$$$$$ loads
"Hay yawl were bigger and better"
"Ah yes but we don't but in on things and get our BUTS kicked :P lol, need i say more"
British and proud! but like all britians i h8 the goverment that "rules" it! It wouldn't be there with out us tax payers!! thats all i can say. C*ck suckers the lot of them!
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|Ignorance breeds hatred.
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|and in a related story euro nerds become increasingly fatter due to inactivity
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|And in more related news I see another sad ridiculous comment by TehMark.
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