PSP US launch

CiDeRmAn

Well the big day is finally almost upon us,
Could all those buying this beautiful piece of kit let us all know when their importers are sending them their new hardware?

Those people who have it ordered from US or Canadian websites should be getting an email to say its on its way to the Emerald Isle!

Interesting to see the turn around times on this stuff and which online stores are good for theie promises to us.

Also let us know what sort of bundles, postage and game deals you got with your system.

Thanks

hal9000

to be honest i dont see mine gettin to me till the end of next week at the earliest. the fact that some sellers are checking the psp for dead pixels before shipping also it will spend 90% of its transit time sittin in irish customs or an post :rolleyes:

Kiith

i just cant see why everyone is so excited about the psp. its to big for handheld gaming(in my opinion) and there area far better music players around, including some with video. every handheld i've ever had has ended up in a drawer after about 2/3 weeks. but i suppose thats just me...

Winters

Kiith wrote:

i just cant see why everyone is so excited about the psp. its to big for handheld gaming(in my opinion) and there area far better music players around, including some with video. every handheld i've ever had has ended up in a drawer after about 2/3 weeks. but i suppose thats just me...

I'd say you would easily change your mind if you had a go of one.

Gizzard

Kiith wrote:

i just cant see why everyone is so excited about the psp. its to big for handheld gaming(in my opinion) and there area far better music players around, including some with video. every handheld i've ever had has ended up in a drawer after about 2/3 weeks. but i suppose thats just me...

too big? have you ever actually used one, re music players the ipod is more or less the same price but you dont get the movies and games, I think your mad , mad i tell you!!!

koneko

If you think it's too big for games, then you'll think the DS is too big aswell (especially seeing as it folds out).

I know I've said it before, but the PSP is a veeery nice piece of kit. Everyone I've shown it to has ended up wanting to buy one (and some already have). All it needs is more games, but seeing as it hasn't even been released in the States yet, it's early days.

Kiith

ya i suppose i might change my mind if/when i try one. maybe its just that i dont like sony in general.

unfortunatly, being a student, its way out of my price range, at least for the moment.

Balfa

Kiith wrote:

unfortunatly, being a student, its way out of my price range, at least for the moment.

give up beer for half a week and it's yours!

CiDeRmAn

I think that kiith has a valid point though, even the exceptional becomes mundane in time, remember when that shiny new 3DO was the coolest thing ever? Well maybe that was just me, but I do remember all my mates being blown away by Need for Speed and how soon was it before it was all superseded by the next big thing, ah well.
I am sure the PSP will be just too cool for school until the next nintendo handheld appears in a year or so and then we will all run to that side of the boat!

Anyway still awaiting a girl or guy who has actually had the shipping of her/his PSP confirmed, you lucky devils whoever you are!

I wonder is 1 million PSPs going to be anywhere enough on launch day, that is tomorrow?
Where is my one now?
Nestling under some boxes in a truck trundling its way into Quebec having winged its way from Japan.
Its funny, my new console is already better travelled than I am!!!

hal9000

Originally Posted by CiDeRmAn
I think that kiith has a valid point though, even the exceptional becomes mundane in time, remember when that shiny new 3DO was the coolest thing ever? Well maybe that was just me,

yes that was just you

rabbitinlights

When i ordered mine from japan, it got to ireland in under 24hrs, but it took 3 days to get from shannon to galway............

S.

Kiith

ah good old ireland. across half the world in 24 hours, then 3 days to go, what 40 miles. classic.

Mr. Fancypants

Mail from Videogames Plus :

To all customers that have preordered a PSP unit,

There have been significant issues regarding the PSP unit and software which
have arisen in the past 24hrs that we must update you on. We have already
started to receive inventory and begun processing and getting orders ready to
ship. The issues are as follow.

DEAD PIXEL WARRANTY AND TESTING...

We have just been infomned by Sony that they will not be warranting any dead
pixel units. They are only warranting hardware defects ie broken buttons,
malfuction with drive and so on. Dead Pixels are not considered a defect by Sony
of America and will not be warrantied. With this new developement, Video games
Plus will no longer be testing PSP units for dead pixels before shipping.

PSP Hardware Bundle Canada

We have begun to receive PSP units and we have only received a limited amount of
units not bundled with Gretzky Hockey. Here in Canada Sony has decided to sell
the PSP'S bundled with Gretzky and no other way. We beleived all our systems
were non Gretzky bundles but upon receiving orders and talking to our suppliers
we have been infornmed at this moment all remaining incoming PSP systems now and
in the future will be Gretzky Bundles. This will only change if Sony decides to
stop selling the bundle in Canada which we don't see happening anytime soon. All
PSP order numbers above order number 13916 will be filled with PSP Gretzky
bundles and charged accordingly. Regular units were $299.99 Gretzky Bundles are
349.99 as they include the Gretzky game.

Software

Games have already been coming in and have begun shipping. We will attempt to
add as many games to your PSP order as possible. Where it is impossible due to
shortages or delays we will ship your games asap when available. Some software
may be shipped seperately from your PSP as there are just way to many orders to
ensure all can be connected to software at the moment. All other customer
preordering just software will be filled as soon as games arrive and all orders
for software and units will be treated as first come first serve so the earlier
you preordered the better your chances of being filled at launch or relatively
soon there after.

Easter Weekend in Canada

PSP orders will start shipping out today and will continue shipping out daily
until all orders are filled. Friday DHL is closed due to a holiday here , so
orders not shipped by Thursday night will begin shipping out on Monday again. We
will not be in a position to answer all customer service enquiries as quickly as
usual over the next few days as we have pulled all staff to help in the shipping
of PSP software and hardware orders.

Videogamesplus.ca sincerely apologizes for any inconveince this has caused any
of our customers. Unfortunately with the late Sony announcements and decisions
we have been left in a position to do our best to serve you under these
unforseen circumstances. As always we appreciate your business and look forward
to continuing to serve you in the outmost professional and courteous way.

Sincerely,
Steve Fiocco
President
www.videogamesplus.ca

Winters

koneko wrote:

(and some already have)

Quiet you

Rew

mbroaders wrote:

DEAD PIXEL WARRANTY AND TESTING...

We have just been infomned by Sony that they will not be warranting any dead
pixel units. They are only warranting hardware defects ie broken buttons,
malfuction with drive and so on. Dead Pixels are not considered a defect by Sony
of America and will not be warrantied. With this new developement, Video games
Plus will no longer be testing PSP units for dead pixels before shipping.

Not unexpected but very disapointing. I reckon in Ireland you could force them to take them back under consumer laws but nobodys ever tried it that i know of.

Wertz

mbroaders wrote:

Mail from Videogames Plus :

To all customers that have preordered a PSP unit,

There have been significant issues regarding the PSP unit and software which
have arisen in the past 24hrs that we must update you on. We have already
started to receive inventory and begun processing and getting orders ready to
ship. The issues are as follow.

DEAD PIXEL WARRANTY AND TESTING...

We have just been infomned by Sony that they will not be warranting any dead
pixel units. They are only warranting hardware defects ie broken buttons,
malfuction with drive and so on. Dead Pixels are not considered a defect by Sony
of America and will not be warrantied. With this new developement, Video games
Plus will no longer be testing PSP units for dead pixels before shipping.

PSP Hardware Bundle Canada

We have begun to receive PSP units and we have only received a limited amount of
units not bundled with Gretzky Hockey. Here in Canada Sony has decided to sell
the PSP'S bundled with Gretzky and no other way. We beleived all our systems
were non Gretzky bundles but upon receiving orders and talking to our suppliers
we have been infornmed at this moment all remaining incoming PSP systems now and
in the future will be Gretzky Bundles. This will only change if Sony decides to
stop selling the bundle in Canada which we don't see happening anytime soon. All
PSP order numbers above order number 13916 will be filled with PSP Gretzky
bundles and charged accordingly. Regular units were $299.99 Gretzky Bundles are
349.99 as they include the Gretzky game.

Software

Games have already been coming in and have begun shipping. We will attempt to
add as many games to your PSP order as possible. Where it is impossible due to
shortages or delays we will ship your games asap when available. Some software
may be shipped seperately from your PSP as there are just way to many orders to
ensure all can be connected to software at the moment. All other customer
preordering just software will be filled as soon as games arrive and all orders
for software and units will be treated as first come first serve so the earlier
you preordered the better your chances of being filled at launch or relatively
soon there after.

Easter Weekend in Canada

PSP orders will start shipping out today and will continue shipping out daily
until all orders are filled. Friday DHL is closed due to a holiday here , so
orders not shipped by Thursday night will begin shipping out on Monday again. We
will not be in a position to answer all customer service enquiries as quickly as
usual over the next few days as we have pulled all staff to help in the shipping
of PSP software and hardware orders.

Videogamesplus.ca sincerely apologizes for any inconveince this has caused any
of our customers. Unfortunately with the late Sony announcements and decisions
we have been left in a position to do our best to serve you under these
unforseen circumstances. As always we appreciate your business and look forward
to continuing to serve you in the outmost professional and courteous way.

Sincerely,
Steve Fiocco
President
www.videogamesplus.ca

LMAO.

WTF is Gretzky Hockey? Sounds painful...

Typical Sony...great technology bundled with idiotic marketing ploys.

hal9000

AHHH i was 100 orders short of the non-sucky value pack :mad:

i_am_dogboy

Wertz wrote:

WTF is Gretzky Hockey? Sounds painful...

Wayne Gretzky, Ice Hockey player, I remember him from the days when EA sports games were good.

Has anyone seen a dead pixel on a psp? I'd doubt it's as noticable as on the ds with the difference in resolution. It's not a surprise that they aren't including it in the warranty, they are already losing money on manufacturing the machines. This could lead to a "we care more" pr kind of thing from nintendo if they wanted....but that would be just evil.

dor83

That is stupid, its not my fault they made a mistake and now they want me to pay$50 for a game i dont want. i dont have a credit card, i paid by postal order, so how can i pay them. i e-mailed them to find out what the story was but if i have to pay them it will take another week to send the money and then another 2 for them to send it to me. thats bad customer service, they have obviously known about this for a few days but didnt say anything coz they didnt want people canceling their orders.

hal9000

the news about the canadian getzky value screw over is old, your probablly right that videogamesplus didnt want to spill the beans because of ppl cancelling orders. and the latest you could cancel your preorder was of course on the 21st.
Now that i think about it, damn them! :mad: this psp better live up to the hype im now broke!
btw does anyone know if the canadian one still comes with sipderman 2 i want to see what the quality of these UMD movies are?

L5

its not their fault, ALL psps for Canada are being bundled with that game, which got a review of less than 6.5 from IGN incidentally.

dor83

I meant that they made the mistake of not knowing what package they were gonig to get in and taking too many preorders for the standard value pack. i have also noticed that they hav dropped the priced of both games i ordered(ridge racers & lumines) by $15 each since i ordered but i doubt they will reduce the price for me(im only saying this coz they want more money from me, im not just complaining). if they compensated for this and made it $20 i would'nt have a problem.

dor83

Just heard from them and coz of the overcharging mentioned above they arent charging me anything extra and giving me the gretzky bundle, so fair play to them and its great customer service. if anyone else has the same problem e-mail them and ask about what they are doing with your order.

Retr0gamer

DEAD PIXEL WARRANTY AND TESTING...

We have just been infomned by Sony that they will not be warranting any dead
pixel units. They are only warranting hardware defects ie broken buttons,
malfuction with drive and so on. Dead Pixels are not considered a defect by Sony
of America and will not be warrantied. With this new developement, Video games
Plus will no longer be testing PSP units for dead pixels before shipping.

I'd say there will be war over that. Sony may not see it as a defect but I think everybody else will.

CiDeRmAn

At least you lot got conformation of something about your PSPs from videogamesplus, not a sausage about that from dvdsoon, although i did notice they jacked up the price of the psp by 50 notes on the site, say they have lost a fortune seeing as they debit your card upon order.
On a brighter note they have shipped my copy of wipeout pure, well I am sure the box will be pretty enough to sustain me til i can actually play the bugger.
Anyhow, how y'all doing this morning?
Checking your email like fevered addicts?
Just like I did?

hairball

Nah, I just checked a few importers sites (probably way to early) in the vain hope that maybe the us release caused a price drop with the Jap consoles.
As I said, it may be too early for that, but, it's looking increasingly likely that I'll be waiting to see what sony do for the euro launch....in 3 yers time

koneko

Some replies underneath that article imply Sony will replace if it has several dead pixels (4 or more).
I have one and I can't see it. Only saw it because I was checking with different sources/colours to see if I had any dead pixels.

CiDeRmAn

Bugger, if all what I hear is right, it will be next week after the canadian easter holiday before the various PSP sites start to send out stuff, bugger, heres a question though, if I cancel my order for the value pack for which I paid 300 canadian dollars because apparently it is not officially available up there and change it for the canadian value pack which includes that bloody ice hockey game for an extra 50 canadian dollars, about 30 quid, will I be more likely to get my machine on the initial allocation of units to pre-order customers?
A little long-winded way form of question, but your opiniions please, I will give them a call as soon as its open for business at about 2pm our time.
This is a load of cobblers you know, all this messing about, I pre-ordered this thing on Feb 21, where on the list does that put me, Dvdsoon won't tell me.


I am sure that when I finally get the machine, sometime in 2006, I will sit back and laugh at all this, that or climb onto a tall building with a rifle and start taking shots at the Canadian embassy!

dearg_doom

CiDeRmAn - keep us informed on how you get on when you call them, I hope it's all good, otherwise you can count me in for a Canado-Eire war!! We might even be able to get Wales and Scotland on our side:)

CiDeRmAn

Got on to them, turns out that the only package that dvdsoon are getting in in the short term are the ice hockey bundles, also people who ordered the standard value pack from them at 299 canadian dollars will not receive the bundle but will have to wait til supplies of the value pack turn up.
They are due in a supply of hockey packs soon from the distributer, as yet no psps have been received.
This means that all those who bought the standard value pack from them at 299 will have to wait a considerable time i reckon for the order to be sent.
Those who ordered the more expensive canadian hockey bundle, which has only been on sale on the site for a couple of days, will have their order filled.
As she said on the phone you buy the gretzky bundle you will getr it, buy the standard value pack, you will wait.
I then went online and cancelled my original order for the US value pack and ordered the Gretzky value pack, taking a 60 euro hit in the process but buying the vain hope that I may now be a little closer to the top of the queue.
Feel pretty bad for those who ordered the value pack early and now face a long wait.
Seems the Videogamesplus site is far more friendly, allowing all those who bought the US value pack to have the Gretzky value pack at no extra charge.

So a surgical strike on DVDsoon is reccomended, albeit after they send me my psp!!

CiDeRmAn

Hooray!
They are at last packaging my PSP!!!!!!!!!!!!!
It is bizarre in the extreme!
I order the value pack in Feb and when I call the other day get told that they are getting nothing but Gretzky packs in and those who order the Value pack will have to wait,
I then change my order but realise yesterday afternoon that I picked the wrong bundle so yesterday afternoon change for the Gretzky pack proper, the same as a value pack but with an ice hockey game packaged with it as well, for another 50 notes!
Then while I was writing a note on this board happened to check my DVDsoon account and see that they are packaging my PSP at the mo!!!
Life is good, I feel Great!
I feel better than James Brown!!

Funny thing is that I could have neatly sidestepped all this madness and just bought it from Ebay, dude here selling a batch of PSP value packs for $250, $35 shipping to Ireland.

Ah well I know where to go for my Xbox2!!!

I will let you all know when I recieve my goodies, should be by Thursday or Friday next week.

Call off the attack on Canada

Ciaran500

http://psp.ign.com/articles/599/599156p1.html?fromint=1

"hmm.. the PSP launch at my Wal-Mart went like this. We opened at 7am. 10am we sold one. 11:30. we sold another. 5:00pm. Almost sold one, another customer said "metal gear is a card game" lost the sale. we have 58 units left. great day."

Mabye they should of started advertising earlier.

CiDeRmAn

Got word they shipped my PSP gretzky bundle yesterday, I cancelled my original order as I said and ordered the Gretzky bundle the other day, went to the back of the order queue but reckon everyone else didn't add two and two and now have to wait til Value packs arrive, hope to have the machine plus lumines on Friday. Expecting wipeout pure today.

L5

CiDeRmAn wrote:

Got word they shipped my PSP gretzky bundle yesterday, I cancelled my original order as I said and ordered the Gretzky bundle the other day, went to the back of the order queue but reckon everyone else didn't add two and two and now have to wait til Value packs arrive, hope to have the machine plus lumines on Friday. Expecting wipeout pure today.

Also expecting Wipeout today,

edit. postmans been & gone, no Wipeout :mad: :mad:

carbsy

w00p got my Wipeout Pure and NBA in the post just there!

L5

carbsy wrote:

w00p got my Wipeout Pure and NBA in the post just there!

who did you order with?

carbsy

L5 wrote:

who did you order with?

Pre ordered them with Video Games Plus in Canada.Worked out at 37 yoyos each which is a steal tbh.

L5

carbsy wrote:

Pre ordered them with Video Games Plus in Canada.Worked out at 37 yoyos each which is a steal tbh.

yeah me too, was posted last monday, oh well should be here tomorrow.

bambam

on the Dead Pixels front, Sony seem to have softened a little. It appears to be on a case by case basis (which involves them asking you to play with if for a week and see if the problem goes away), more here : http://psp.ign.com/articles/599/599185p1.html

oh, And I got mine a while ago from ebay, and I am blown away by it. I haven't gotten this worked up over a piece of technology in a long time. I can't wait for the keyboard to be released and a web browser. And while I'm at it, I'm dying to see Linux ported to it.

yawnstretch

WipEout PurE has arrived upon Irish shores.

IT. IS. GOOOOD.

DAT EEZ AL




(ps goodbye forever - this game is too good to waste any more ti

L5

git. why wasnt mine delivered today :mad: :mad:

Ciaran500

Does this really deserve its own thread?

monument

no - merged

bambam

impatiently waiting for mine also, tick - tock, tick - tock, tick - tock...

Mr. Fancypants

Received Lumines and Ridge Racer from DVDSoon today. Unfortunatly all i can do is look at the instruction manual as its going to be a while till they ship my PSP Value pack.

CiDeRmAn

Day of mixed emotions yesterday, waiting patiently for Wipeout to arrive, envelope popped through the letter box, dashed over, caressed the white jiffybag like a lover, ripped it open and out came......

Lumines!!!!!!!!!

FECK!!!!!

Got on to the DVDsoon website, sure enough codes on shipped stuff were the same, they sent me the wrong game, and I also had another copy of Lumines winging its way to me, should be here tomorrow with the PSP.

Sent an email, realised that they would take ages to reply and waited til 3pm to call them up, expecting to jump through the usual hoops of repacking Lumines and sending it back, then waiting til they sent on Wipeout proper.

Much to my delight Lady on the phone was very pleasant, said that the issue was their fault, just print out a form with details of error, sign it, scan it and email it and within 3 days Wipeout will be sent, and by the way you can keep the game,
not bad service at all I reckon.

So If anyone out there has something to swap for a US copy of Lumines, say Gradius V on PS2 or something on PSP let me know!!!

Will let you know what the Gretzky pack consists of when I get it.

dor83

gretzky pack has everything tha the value pack has, inc. spiderman 2 UMD and a copy of gretzky NHL. got mine today, from VG+.

CiDeRmAn

Mbroaders, the reason is that they are not going to send you a value pack til they get them in, best thing you could do is what i did, cancel the value pack order and go for the canadian gretzky pack.

Bugger, machine never arrived today, getting a little tense about duty charges, anyone else getting one through the regular post get hit?
It should be here in the am, hopefully without the hefty duty surcharge.

Mr. Fancypants

CiDeRmAn wrote:

Mbroaders, the reason is that they are not going to send you a value pack til they get them in, best thing you could do is what i did, cancel the value pack order and go for the canadian gretzky pack.

Bugger, machine never arrived today, getting a little tense about duty charges, anyone else getting one through the regular post get hit?
It should be here in the am, hopefully without the hefty duty surcharge.

My PSP Value pack cost me $224CAD. If were to cancel and re-order the Gretzky Pack it would cost €400CAD.


I think i'll wait.

Mr E

Where did you get it, mbroaders? They're supposed to be $299CAD...

Mr. Fancypants

DVDSoon. I have a fidelity card which gave 25% everything when the PSP was first put on the site.