ars technica is reporting Sony may not hit its already lowered target of 2 million PS3 shipments in 2006. *gasp* This is a surprise. Let's go over what we know:

• No consoles for Europe until March 2007
• 100,000 units available for Japan on Nov 11
• 400,000 units available for US and Canada Nov 17

OK. 500,000 units on or around the middle of November. This gives Sony roughly 45 days to produce and ship three times the units available on launch. Or assuming some sort of production ramp up this would mean that Sony should have the ability to produce the entire launch volume in a week or two by the end of 06. Crack meet pipe.

It's widely speculated that Sony will slip on the launch numbers. Missing the numbers on launch puts the wildly fantastic 2MM projection firmly in the realm of impossibility.

From ars, "It's grim news for those gamers who swarmed GameStop and EB Games outlets across the country last week when preorders began. Store allocations ranged between five and 20 consoles, and the chain went through its entire, nationwide allocation in a matter of hours."

Try minutes. I was there. However it is hardly grim news for gamers. There are plenty of alternatives out there more than happy to take your money.

Note that their new bluray player is also being delayed. Sony are having real production problems it seems.

I think Sony reps should have those words lacquered on their desks.

I didn't write that, Pathogen. Please quote correctly.

This concept makes me so utterly unhappy... Dealing with the PS3 pre-orders was bad enough (I still have nightmares), but I don't think I can take another three months of "Hey, you have any PS3s?" when, of course, we won't. I just... I think it's time to see if McDonald's is hiring.

Who cares?