UPDATED It was midnight madness at consumer electronics retailers throughout the United States early Thursday morning, as thousands of gamers lined up to get their hands on Sony's PlayStation Portable (PSP). Citing deep consumer interest, Sony estimates that over one million units will be sold within days of the release.

The PSP is a multipurpose entertainment device that plays 3D games, movies and music. A single PSP, including stereo headphones, 32MB Memory Stick Duo, battery and charger, wrist strap, soft carrying case, and the Spider-Man 2 movie will retail for $249.99 USD.

17 games will be available for the launch, including titles from Electronic Arts and Konami.

"This is all about expanding the market to the older gamers and anyone who likes entertainment," said Jack Tretton, executive vice president of sales at Sony's game division.

Demand for the PSP has been so high that retailers in Europe have been informed that the anticipated European launch date will slip several months into "the spring." Demand has already outpaced supply in Japan where over 1.2 million PSPs have been sold to date.

As previously reported, Sony factories have been unable to keep up with the product's rapid success, resulting in staged releases for each major international market.

Some wily European consumers have turned to alternative means to obtain their PSPs. According to some accounts, gamers in London are buying from "grey market" retailers where the imported Japanese versions fetch as much as three times the retail price at 300 pounds ($577 USD).