US PS3 Question!

titaniumx3 · 15 Nov 2006 at 21:06

My brother is planning to visit the US in a few days and he and I were wondering if it would be worth picking up a PS3 there. Before we do, we would like to know a few things though.

a) Is it legal?
b) Will it be safe to use on UK mains sockets?
c) Will UK games play on the console, when they are released?
d) Any other restrictions?

I would really appreciate some insight into this. Last console I myself bought was an N64, so I've been out of the game for some time.

Memphis · 15 Nov 2006 at 21:09

Yes it's legal, you will most likely need a power convertor, it's upto the publisher to make their games region free or not.

Oh and one more thing, good luck "picking one up", unless you plan on taking a shotgun to whichever shop you camp out in front of for around a week or so before the PS3 launches.

Manlove is my forte · 15 Nov 2006 at 21:13

Memphis said:
Yes it's legal, you will most likely need a power convertor, it's upto the publisher to make their games region free or not.

Oh and one more thing, good luck "picking one up", unless you plan on taking a shotgun to whichever shop you camp out in front of for around a week or so before the PS3 launches.

BluRay disks are region locked so you will have to get region 1 BluRay Disks and DVDs

(as stated games are up to the publisers discression)

Psycho Ned · 15 Nov 2006 at 21:19

As has already been said you've got 2 hopes of nipping into a shop and picking a PS3 up.......no hope and bob hope!!

Maybe if you were going next March you might have a chance but in 2006 highly unlikely.

titaniumx3 · 15 Nov 2006 at 21:37

LOL, I was thinking that too, but he's pretty adamant that he can get one. He's going to be visiting Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania; hopfully there arn't many gamers there!

Eitherway I think its worth a try.

Memphis · 15 Nov 2006 at 21:39

I think it will be more a case of "will there be enough units hitting the states to get a couple to that particular location".

The only hope he will have of getting one is, as I have said, camping out infront of a shop for about a week and hope he doesn't get shot.

titaniumx3 · 15 Nov 2006 at 21:40

Memphis said:
I think it will be more a case of "will there be enough units hitting the states to get a couple to that particular location".

The only hope he will have of getting one is, as I have said, camping out infront of a shop for about a week and hope he doesn't get shot.

Rofl, whats with the shooting?

Memphis · 15 Nov 2006 at 21:42

titaniumx3 said:
Rofl, whats with the shooting?

Gun fetish... be afraid

.

Edit - Actually, I'm just over-exagerating the point that if the Japanese got violent at the PS3 launch, imagine what the Americans will do.

JUMPURS · 15 Nov 2006 at 21:55

Think it will be tough trying to get one.

Also some french website is reporting that you don't need a step down transformer it works yey

barnettgs · 15 Nov 2006 at 22:08

You may be lucky to get one but remember, there will be only 400,000 for NORTH America (does that includes Mexico?), not just US so it would be less than 400,000.

Abooie · 15 Nov 2006 at 22:10

barnettgs said:
You may be lucky to get one but remember, there will be only 400,000 for NORTH America (does that includes Mexico?), not just US so it would be less than 400,000.

Latest rumours are there's as little as 250k...

pinkacidbootson · 15 Nov 2006 at 22:12

Someone actually tested a Japanese PS3 with a UK power plug and it worked straight away. I don't know if this will be possible with US PS3s though...

Baine · 15 Nov 2006 at 22:38

Yep no stepdown or converter needed

chimaera · 15 Nov 2006 at 23:19

Customs will also have his nuts on a stick if they catch him trying to stash a £450 machine through the nothing to declare line.

jklc · 15 Nov 2006 at 23:32

You're going to have trouble finding one but you could get lucky depending on where in the US your brother is going... and which store he sets his eyes on. Apparently the big game shops have sold out preorder deals but more general stores are first come first serve. I think it was Joystiq that reported on a Best Buy store calling the cops on loitering campers over a week in advance of the launch. Might be a good place to start looking

I had no problems carrying 2 Dreamcast systems over from Hong Kong as carry on back to the UK. But that was back in 1999...

bingham67 · 15 Nov 2006 at 23:37

Probably even harder to find one considering shipment has been cut in half to 200k.

http://www.betanews.com/article/Analyst_Less_Than_200k_PS3s_for_US/1163609890

^187 · 15 Nov 2006 at 23:50

Apparently they started queuing a few days ago. Cant find the link unfortunately.

C.

Edit: Found it. Clicky

Cronox · 15 Nov 2006 at 23:55

titaniumx3 said:
LOL, I was thinking that too, but he's pretty adamant that he can get one. He's going to be visiting Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania; hopfully there arn't many gamers there! Eitherway I think its worth a try.

The Pittsburgh metro area has a population of about 2.4 million, which is roughly the same as Greater Manchester. It seems unlikely there wouldn't be any gamers there.