Ben-DutkaThings like this worry me.
We all know how excited people can get for new console launches. Avid gamers are a passionate bunch, so it's sort of to be expected.
However, it appears that the PlayStation 4 launch in Europe was a bit more chaotic than it was here in the US. I don't recall seeing videos or hearing reports involving situations that might call for riot shields, do you? Enthusiasm, not mob lunacy.
But in Europe, at select locations at least, there appeared to be little or no organization concerning the launch festivities. As seen at NeoGAF and further summarized at PixelEnemy , stores in France, Germany and Austria saw some wild scenes. Here's one written example from an Austrian consumer:
"They let them in front of the store at 5 am, crowd very calm and waiting in a nice line. When store opened at 9 am, security guards just moved aside and over 120 people rushed into the store…rushing mass overtuned several shelves, throwing goods (laptops, PS3s..) on the floor…fights erupted when they grabbed all consoles and security guards had to step in."
It's not the lack of security or organization that disturbs me; not all retailers in all parts of the world are equipped for such an event, nor are they all as strictly regimented as GameStop is in this country. What worries me is the general reaction. Excitement is one thing; risking injury – or purposely hurting someone else – to get a purely luxury item is more than a little disconcerting. There were times in human history when people acted that way for food because they were starving .
I'm a gamer, too, but if your top priority in life is to get a new game console (or a new iPhone or TV or whatever), and you're willing to act like that to do it, I have questions. Questions that involve your life's direction or perhaps its lack thereof. And by the way, all those people who say video games are addictive, who say they can cause violent behavior, who say games should be treated differently than other forms of entertainment? Incidents such as these represent more ammunition for such people.
And they don't need more ammunition, unfortunately.
If anyone says this is an example of how gaming makes people violent, direct their attention to the "Tickle Me Elmo" tramplings a buncha years back.
Remember that? heh… guess those muppets cause violence too!
I am sure some will. Games do influence people like most POP culture does. But like I have posted below… it really comes down to human nature and what events spark the worse in people… in us.
Keep playing and be safe!
I think this has more to do with the whole mob mentality thing. For whatever reason normal, functioning members of society can sometimes behave like lunatics when they're part of a large group of people. This has nothing to do with gaming.
I remember reading about brawls over $20 DVD players at Wal-Mart on Black Friday. People are just insane.
Ben, its not just gamers, its people in general. All you have to do is look at past and recent Black Friday events in the US. Sorry, in as much as I think many gamers are immature << insert noun >> (not all or most), people on average are nice little trained consumers no matter how they are grouped or labelled. And they will go to any lengths to get what they believe they, their kids or family need when really its a want to have.
Like you said, they are luxury items. Can you imagine when and if their is a world food shortage what will happen? If people will shoot others over a parking space… what will people do for food?
AND on the happy note, hopefully for most no one gets badly hurt and people remember what really this time of year is about. In the States being Thankgiving weekend.. well be thankful and not just because you have a PS4 or Xbone.
Anyway, hope posters/gamers here enjoy the sales, BE SAFE!! and happy Thanksgiving to the US neighbors. Its cold out there.
Keep playing and peace!
I am sure there are plenty of parents who go out to buy a console for their kids/family on these special event days will go to no length to get it. Even if it means they hurt someone in the process. Someone they will never meet or see again.. .unless they happen to get arrested for assault.
Here in Canada the Black Friday craze is seeping in to cities and already seeing .. nutters
I know that it's people in general, which is why I'd never trust a group with more than 10 individuals in it. No matter what the situation.
But the point is that there are those looking for excuses to blame games for causing this sort of behavior. And this is the kind of thing that can look really bad for gamers on MSNBC.
no matter how bad the media makes gamers look, we're still gunna play games legally or illegally in some cases whether they like it or not, much balls can be sucked by the media.
Aye, but it's still sad to see it happen. A little composure and self-control goes a _long_ way to making a better society, but it's something we can only do ourselves – something those people in those stores definitely didn't do!
Don't think MSNBC's 12 viewers will care much. 🙂
True enough Ben. One can only hope and I say HOPE that most people will look at the situation it a bit of a broader view.
All you or anyone can do is bring forward other opposing views and hope people will make their own …uh hum… well balanced and informative opinions. Maybe we need Jon Stewart to open peoples eyes. lol. Entertaining and informative.
Keep playing!
This is nothing compare to black friday in some places .So if anyone try to blame videogames for that kind of behavior , they are just stupid .
Especially since that behavior is among us since a really , really long time ago .
That's sad to hear. I mean, I would expect that from Apple fans :p just kidding.
In all seriousness, I have never really understood this. I don't know if this was the same back in the 1900s for other products, and I understand the excitement and all, but I mean, fighting? Hurting each other? I seriously question these people's sanity. I could understand that they might have the same feeling that sports fans have who get all crazy when they are arguing with fans of their opposing team, but that still doesn't make it right to act in such a primordial way.
Not so much the games themselves causing violent behavior compared to want of the game/console in this case. If you play a game that makes you think it's okay to do what you just did in said game, in the real world, you're a retard just as much as your parents/guardians are for raising such a tard. good day sirs
Well… it's not that different to when you hear of people getting trampled during the Boxing Day sales and that. Sure, it may be focussed on a single item, rather than a storewide sale on everything, but that uncaring violence still shows through. In spite of that, this will probably get some small amount of coverage from media extremists who want to point out the negative spin that gaming puts on a person's mind.
It's just the nature of the beast as far as I can tell. What can you do but lament the fact that rational human beings can be reduced to this level, accept it and move on?
This is just a result of materialism in general. People nowadays feel they deserve what they want when they want it and damn your neighbor if he's in the way. It will get worse if we as western societies don't put a stop to this entitlent culture.
For the record, that's not necessarily the result of materialism.
I think it's more the result of increased anonymity in a crowd. I was taught the term in a psychology course once back in school, but I can't for the life of me remember it… :p
If ones goal in life is to obtain material things above treating your neighbors with respect and kindness, that I'd consider materialism.
That's crazy and expected when letting the crowds in all at once. The stores overseas should of done it like the launch was here giving tickets out to arrival and only so many customers at once to have order and avoid the chaos. I use to work at a local groceries store and once a month there would be a sale from damaged products reduced 50% and the manager opened the security gate everyone ran in a eight feet width opening and a lady that was first waiting for an hour was the one to fall and she got trampled on, I was like seriously! This is crazy! I saw heel and boot marks on her skin and she was bleeding and the ambulance was called for her, just shows how people get for discounted can foods. Also another store started Black Friday six hours early and when I arrived for work people were fighting for tv's and boxes were flying over head. Later that night a gentleman bough twenty-seven Xbox ones with no problem, everyone was surprised. I was thinking it was for charity, either way it was BAM! Here you go, Thank You.
I don't know if this applies to Europe, but Amazon has PS Plus year subscriptions for $29.99 and it's stackable. I believe the offer is good today only.
Looks like it was the US only. Hoping that those of us in the UK, Canada, Australia and NZ get a similar offer for Boxing Day!
yeah well i'm glad i wasn't one of the people with DOA ps4's mine works just fine been playing it for hours and btw knack is a great game i've had alot of enjoyment outta idk y is scored so low honestly
but yeah they don't need more ammunition and this is a bit anoiying really. andi ended up with kz:sf,knack,ac4 and bf4 on launch pritty happen no online multi yet though.
happy gaming =)
Knack is fun, though I still like Ratchet and Clank more. I'm also really enjoying (so far) the SP story in Killzone, but then again I enjoy science fiction games/books/movies.
oh please dont act like that never happens in the states.
2 words, black friday!
however this is one of the many reasons why i never go to midnight launches.
that, and the massive ques.
walking out of the shop with my ps4 the other night everyone was staring at me like i just screamed out i killed your mother on the PA system!
exactly why i parked right across from the exit.
people getting bashed and robbed at midnight launches are hardly new news, regardless the geological location.
This is y walmart had ppl in line take arm bracelets ahead of ps4 n tv sales n such n if u didnt get a bracelet u knew u probably were not gettin one that night u
Although w some items u could purchase an online voucher n register it online n u were to have the same item shipped to u by cheistmas
what is your source? the pic with the shield cops is just aberrant, about 150 of them for a bunch of excited kids? come on (and random guy reporting it? could be an XBOX fan)