Sony's claims to have a fairly supplied launch for PS3 may be refuted by the very retailers carrying their products. Many retailers have been informed by Sony that their launch day numbers would be between 5-10 systems per store nationwide, thus forcing a decision to not do any pre-sale of the system until mid-October. GameStop, EB Games, GameCrazy and a few other retailers are following these guidelines. Retailers like Wal-Mart, Best Buy, and Target have opted not to do a pre-sale at all. FYE is the only retail chain I have come across that is actually taking pre-orders, however you can bet there will be a back-log of reservations and a hefty waiting period.

What does this mean for the average gamer? Well quite simply your chances of getting a PS3 this winter (if you can afford it that is) are very slim. I recommend staying in touch with retailers so you can jump on the pre-orders when they first start...or you can do like I am and wait until tax season. My winter system will be the Wii, and I will probably be joined by many many gamers who wanted a PS3 but couldn't find a store with one. If you actually manage to get a PS3 at launch, make sure to buy the warranty. Sony has released buggy systems twice over already culminating in redesign and/or class-action lawsuit. Who's to say they won't do it again?