I was there, Gandalf…
No, seriously. I worked at an EB Games in Orlando. My shift was to start later that afternoon, but I wanted to get my system that morning (I also had a pre-order for it before the official pre-order process started). I entered the West Oaks Mall super early and strolled right past the massive line of guys waiting for the gate to roll up. I shouted in, “yo, let me get my system!”
One of the other employees said, “if you want it you better get in here.” Audible groans and clear anger starting to rise from the dudes in line.
“Easy, I’m an employee.”
I go in, was handed my PS2, then I clocked in and started helping out when the gate rolled up and all the dudes started streaming in. It was quick, efficient, and with very little drama. Then I went home, played exactly twenty minutes of TimeSplitters, and then went back for my normal shift where I spent the rest of the day informing people that, yes, we were sold out of PlayStation 2 consoles.
PS2 library was incredible. Golden era was having a PS2, GameCube, and OG Xbox (and free time)
So I was at scout camp when the PS2 launched and some of us had our drivers licenses and a car. Steve wanted to go to the mall that was 30 min away and get a PS2. Steve asked a guy Nick to drive him, and Nick’s condition was that Steve had to buy him a lobster. So long story short some where there are photos of a lobster being put on people’s faces and we had lobster at 2 am at scout camp.
Oh god I remember when stores would only get like 5 units a week if lucky and would sell out within hours. Don’t know how I managed getting one but I did. It was also around the same time DVDs were becoming available and for many, the PS2 was their first DVD player.