Japanese consumers line up for PlayStation 4 launch
The scene outside the Sony Building in Tokyo's Ginza district.
A year after its New York reveal, PlayStation 4 will finally launch in Japan tomorrow. And outside the Sony Building in Ginza, fans are lining up for the midnight launch.
Sony is giving away 100 tickets on a first-come, first-served basis to buy the PlayStation 4 at midnight. And among those 100, the first 30 people will be invited to attend the midnight launch event.
Consumers began lining up at 1 p.m. yesterday (Japan time, February 20). As of 10 a.m. this morning (February 21), one hour before Sony began distributing tickets, over 40 people were waiting outside the Sony Building.
The weather is cold in Tokyo. Many line-goers are equipped with blankets and heavy coats. One appears to be all bundled up in a sleeping bag. Looks kind of cozy.
A nice surprise in line are the six members of the the game system idol unit Game Girls (only four are seen in the photo). Given their natural love for video games, it seems they couldn’t wait to get their hands on Sony’s new console.
The man at the head of the line told Famitsu that while he’s lined up for Apple products in the past, this is the first time he’s lined up or a game console. He finds PlayStation 4 fascinating, and is looking forward to its graphics and Share features.
The first person to purchase a PlayStation 4 at midnight will be determined by lottery.
The PlayStation 4 Japanese launch event will be live streamed, beginning at 10:30 p.m. Japan time. Esteemed creators like Hideo Kojima, Shinji Hashimoto, and Toshiro Nagoshi will be featured. Find more details here.