| In Search Of: The Allusive PS2 Network Adaptor
Posted on August 31, 2002
Rant Report by Tiptonium
According to researchers, experts and those with the press release access,
the Sony PlayStation 2 Network Adaptor is rumored to exist in the USA
in numbers reaching anywhere from 100,000 units to 500,00 units strong.
This hybrid Ethernet/Modem Hybrid device was first spotted by eyewitnesses
on or about August 27, 2002 on the Left Coast of the Americas.
My job was to search out this device, to determine if it had indeed migrated
across this land mass, and to acquire two of these gizmos. On for myself,
and the other for R.D. Reynolds of Wrestlecrap.com fame.
August 27, 2002
Numerous reports of the existence of the PS2 adaptor could be found
on message boards across the country. Apparently, some had captured some
of these devices and had put a price on the heads that far exceeded their
value. EBay became a hotbed for ruthless resellers of this rare never
seen in the wild of retail chain stores anywhere devise. Small (very small)
fortunes were made, or at least that's what it seemed at first. Further
study proved that some of the winning bidders had no intention of acquiring
the overpriced device, instead were among those lovable funsters that
enjoy breaking up an auction that seems unjust. I do not condone this
at all. I guess these lads could be considered the “Green Peace”
of technogeekdom.
August 28, 2002
Best Buy Encounter. Even though Tiptonium had reserved one of these
devices at an Electronics Boutique to “guarantee” that he
would receive the device at launch, a second unit needed to be acquired
so that Tiptonium and RD Reynolds could whip each other up and down the
broadband internet network highway. Fond memories of the Dreamcast network
games are still with us but they are fading with time now.
There were no devices to be found along the PS2 isles. I locked on to
three blue shirted employees and asked if they had encountered any of
these devices. All three gave me a strange look. I was fully clothed and
my zipper was up so I just could not figure out why I was getting these
odd looks. One of them looked particularly uncomfortable so I asked again,
directing my question to him. He said, “Uh, I might have one in
the back.” Then nothing. I asked, “Could you check?”
He then moved sloth-like towards the storeroom next to the 12-25”
TV displays. Two minutes later he arrived with a single PS2 Network Adaptor
and handed it to me. The other two mumbled something in low tones to the
guy… I hurriedly made my way to the checkout.
Wow, a hit on the first try. I have confirmed the existence of the PS2
Network Adaptor on the Right Coast of America! This was indeed a good
day. Now it’s off to Electronics Boutique to pick up my reserved
unit. This will be easy since I’ve got a reserve slip with the money
down at the Electronics Boutique store --- or so I thought.
But before I do that…
Since Circuit City was right next door to Best Buy I decided to research
that store. They had not seen the Network Adaptor. It was to arrive but
none were shipped. I stopped at Target, Sears, Toys R Us, Kay-Bee and
Walmart. None had seen the device. A few department managers had heard
of its existence but thought that maybe it was just some sort of rumor.
A few had absolutely no clue at all. A couple of department managers said
to check back on the 29th since they received SOCOM, a game that supports
the network adaptor already.
I arrived at Electronics Boutique at approximately 18:00 hours. I presented
the sales associate with my small slip of paper that proved that I had
one of these units on reserve. After a short pause, he said: “Sorry,
we only received four PS2 Adaptors.” Only the first four people
with reserves got theirs. The store had a total of seven units reserved.
This number would come back to haunt me latter. He then said that I’d
probably have to wait unit late September or maybe November. He would
not tell me if I was number 5, 6 or 7. I guess it did not matter since
they only received four, right? He said that I would be contacted when
my unit arrived.
I next visited Funco, a peculiar little store located in a strip mall
next to a discount mattress store and a buy/sell/trade PC component store
with inflated prices that attracts PC neophytes that have PC troubles
like a porch light does to moths. Sad. Funco is owned my Gamestop.com.
I asked the sales associate if he had received a supply of PS2 Network
Adaptors. He said he had but all were sold. He himself purchased one as
did the several of the other staff. He said that he also acquired three
additional units from “someplace else”, not a Funco Store,
and he sold them to customers “privately” for $60 each. I
asked him where he got those but he immediately clammed up. I left the
store.
August 29, 2002
On this day, I checked in with every chain that sells PS2 equipment in
my area. The story was the same. The allusive PS2 Network Adaptor was
nowhere to be found.
August 30, 2002
Same story everywhere once again. I decided to check in with Electronics
Boutique one more time in person though. Receipt securely placed in my
pocket I proceeded to head through the pre-labor day masses that seems
to attract a wild abundance of back-to-schoolers in search for the ultimate
ensemble.
A new (less then 6 weeks on the job) Assistant Manager was manning the
store by himself. I asked if he had received any additional PS2 Network
Adaptors. He said that they only received enough to cover everyone on
the reserve list, those that put down their payment to reserve a unit.
He said that they had seven on reserve and that was the exact number that
they received. SEVEN?!?! The store associate on August 28th said that
they received FOUR and that I was out of luck. I presented my reserve
receipt and he acted quite confused. He punched it into the system and
sure enough I had not yet picked mine up. He checked behind the register,
the storeroom, nada. He called the Store Manager by cell phone. The line
was bad so he waited for a callback. 10 minutes later the manager called
with an outrageous story. He said that one of the SEVEN units were bad
and they gave my reserved unit to a guy that had received a defective
one. That’s insane. Anyway, I asked the assistant manager for proof
of some kind and he thought I was nutz. He said to come back in 15 minutes
when the manager was back, that they would figure something out at that
time. I went home after 30 minutes. He did not show.
I drove to Funco. I asked if they had acquired additional units of the
PS2 Network Adapator. The manager said no and that their home office has
indicated that they will not receive any more units until November, that
Sony is unable to provide sufficient supply at this time.
I left the store. The FOUR / THREE/ SEVEN thing began to really bug me.
The sales associate indicated that they received FOUR. A Funco employee
said that he purchased THREE from another store (NOT Funco) in the area.
The only other store in a 30 mile radius that had them was the Electronics
Boutique store. The Assistant Manager claimed that they received SEVEN.
Hmmmmm…
After driving home in my Forest Green Ford Ranger XL Pickup I decided
to press the matter further….
I called the Funco store by phone. I asked to speak with the dude that
sold the three network adaptors. I wanted to know the source of his acquisitions.
The manager refused to put him on. She started spouting off corporate
policy ad nausea. I then told her about the FOUR/SEVEN thing at the Electronics
Boutique, just a couple of minutes from her store. At that moment she
stopped me and said: “We just received more adaptors.” I said
I’ll be there within 20 minutes.
I arrived at the FUNCO and everyone working there avoided eye contact
with me. The manager left the store, the dude that sold the three units
went to the back of the store. The clerk behind the counter already had
my “package” in a bag. I paid him the $39.99 plus tax. They
had no other units on display. There was no indication of a shipment of
any kind. Strange indeed.
Not being the sort of fellow that leaves well enough alone I decided
to go back to the Electronics Boutique and tell them of my latest encounter.
The manager was still AWOL but the assistant manager was still there.
I told him about my conversation with FUNCO and that I received a brand
new, never opened, rare indeed, PS2 Network Adaptor after asking them
where the other THREE came from. I did the simple math for him. FOUR +
THREE = SEVEN. Hmmm…. Odd indeed. Again I asked: “Why would
your employee tell me that only FOUR arrived when you yourself said and
confirmed that all SEVEN arrived?” He said that he will speak to
the manager about it and then proceeded to ignore me. It was odd as there
was no one else in the store at the time.
I left the store and reported the entire incident to their corporate
office by phone.
I’ll probably never hear the truth about all of this. It’s
out there, but where?
Why the low shipping numbers. Did Sony underestimate the demand?
Is Sony fearful of what would happen if millions of people switched on
their network equipped PS2 at the same time? Are they waiting for the
cost of production to drop? Do they lack the ability to support customer
calls? Are they afraid of the console peripheral jinx that basically claims
that no console gaming peripheral will gain mass appeal or acceptance
in the US market and is doomed to failure? Will Sony introduce a $199
PS2 with integrated network support soon? Perplexing. Sort of like the
“non existent” skipping problems of the PS1 and the “scratched
disc” problem that has plagued some gamers with the PS2. Just a
rumor, nothing more. A fable… ;-)
Anyway, look for me online. My handle is LarryHokie.
The Network Adaptor rocks! Installation was a snap. Too bad acquiring
one is not.
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