So for many, today marks the beginning of a new era – the PlayStation 4 is now officially launched and available, and no doubt there’s going to be a lot of busy stores. However, some eager fans weren’t going to wait for something as mundane as “standard working hours”, and sardonic remarks about leave and work were met with the disdain they deserve. Yes, I’m talking about the ardent fans who attended the AnimeWorX midnight launch at the Bright Water Commons.
According to staff, the consignment of 140 consoles was completely sold out, and almost every person who had pre-ordered had come through to pick up their console.
As the lines opened and people started queuing for their respective bundles, Robert Van Zyl was first out the gate to receive a PlayStation 4, picking it up with Battlefield 4 and Assassin’s Creed IV: Black Flag. “I pre-ordered the console in February already,” said Robert in a very brief chat. “I’m a long-time PlayStation supporter.”
One of the inevitable questions most pre-orderers had to ask was, “Which game should I pick up with it?” For Rabih Sabra, that answer was, of course, all of them. “You can ask the [staff] here, I’ve been keen since I heard about the PS4,” explains Rabih. “I’ve been making deposits month by month. I wasn’t going to pass up on any of them.”
AnimeWorX has made a name for themselves in the local scene, and there was a broad cross-section of the gaming scene there – with staff from PC Format and GEAR, Nintendo reps, BT Games staff – really just a hodge-podge of gamers, with old and young alike chatting about their expectations and plans for the weekend and many a mention of slighted significant others and “sick days”.
While some accommodating gamers were willing to stick around for a bit of a group shot (And hats. And yo-yos. And shirts.), most were eager to get home and hook up their new system.
NAG wishes all these lucky gamers a very happy gaming weekend!
