It's time to call a halt to the marketing gimmicks that cause riots when gamemakers release only a small number of games. These people know what they are doing. Sony is the latest to do this with the limited release of its PlayStation 3 game. I say sue the Sony officers and the electronics stores that go along with their little conspiracy.
In Fresno, the Best Buy store in North Fresno was ovverrun by customers when it was announced that only 34 games were available. Instead of havng an orderly process for selling these games, the Best Buy folks apparently thought it was cool to ignite mayhem. What are these people thinking?
Other stores around town did a much better job of releasing their allotments. Fresno Police Chief Jerry Dyer was critical of Best Buy, saying "They have to do a better job of promoting this through a lottery system and not use a system that creates chaos." Dyer also said that the city may go after the store to recover costs of handling the incident. Great. . . and I say the District Attorney should file felony charges against store officials for causing a riot, and make Sony part of the action for being a co-conspirator.
The same kind of behavior at Fresno's Best Buy store also occurred across the country. This is from The Bee story of Saturday: "Demand for the devices, which cost up to $600, sparked scuffles and even shootings outside some stores In Fresno, Police Chief Jerry Dyer criticized the local Best Buy for creating conditions that led to a brief melee and two arrests."
It's time to hold the corporate officers making these decisions responsible for the results of their marketing schemes.
Obviously, the management at Best Buy didn't shine as the brightest bulbs in the room, but what does this incident say about the brain-dead, consumer-driven, loyal members of the tin-foil hat brigade, that think that a stupid computer game is the end-all, the ultimate thrill in life? Now, that's stupidity!
Buy a book! Preferably one that reads at a higher level than 6th grade!
Was it the "intent" of Best Buy to encourage a riot to generate press? If not, not sure how the DA could file charges. It's possible one could agrue that Best Buy should have foreseen the events and made attempts to avoid it...
I'd agree that criminal charges would be a stretch, at best. But I don't see any reason not to try to get Best Buy to reimuburse the City for the police costs incurred by the stunt. It would still be relatively cheap marketing for them.
I think something that is much more devastating is all the brian-dead kids who play these games for hours on end each day, living a sedintary lifestyle.
Parents contribute to this brain drain pork on entertainment.
Kick around a soccer ball, excercise, loose the excess fat.
Parents your included to play with your kids!