The PlayStation 3 launch has met several key Sony milestones, but early indications suggest it may not be the grand-slam hit the company had hoped for.
"Do you, uh, take returns without reciepts?"
We recently had an opportunity to speak with an unnamed GameStop employee who indicated that the PlayStation 3 isn't in nearly as short of supply as first thought.
"We have lots [of PS3s]. So does everybody else," said the employee, referring to other GameStop stores. He explained that Nintendo's Wii console was sold out nearly everywhere, and Nintendo is having difficulties meeting the explosive demand for the system. The GameStop in question had been receiving Wii shipments every week, according to the employee, but lately the shipments have shifted to bi-weekly with only a handful of consoles -- four, in the case of his store.
The employee explained that the PS3 has seen a large number of returns since its November launch, mostly due to customers failing to attain huge resale rates for the consoles on eBay auctions.
This isn't the only report of slowing PS3 sales. An ArsTechnica piece quotes an anonymous game retailer who explains that "It's not that we've gotten more PS3s than Wiis, it's just that no one wants them."
"We've seen a few returned. We have four in the store right now," the employee told ArsTechnica. The piece also confirms that failed eBay auctions are triggering a deluge of PS3 returns from would-be resellers hoping to recoup their PS3 purchase costs.
The ArsTechnica source also mentions that his retailer's vice president has asked all managers to place prominent notes advertising the fact that the stores have PS3s in stock.
GamePro.com
There's a new sheriff in Big TV town, Optoma. We came across their "Worlds Largest 1080p" 120-inch rear projection DLP over in the South Hall today at CES. Ridiculous doesn't even begin to explain how large this TV is. Almost as impressive as the screen size though, is its depth. Measuring in at only 37-inch this TV is pretty damn skinny for a DLP of its stature. Sadly though Optoma is pricing this dream screen at $8.13/square inch, or $50,000. 
