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Sony PlayStation 3 Hits Shops

Sony Launched its new game console, PlayStation 3, Friday, sparking a new epoch in the epic battle on the domination of the game console market. Sony who had a difficult year after its recall of 10 million of its computer batteries, delays in the launch of the PlayStation and a cut-throat flat-screen price war. First to buy the PS3 game console in the United States was Angel Paredes, who waited in line four days in the New York rain. Once the game console was launched thousands stormed stores in attempt to purchase one of the 400,000 PS3s released. Sony intends to sell a million consoles by the end of the year.

Many stores selling the PS3 drew crowds of hundreds waiting in line, starting a social event. Sony`s store in midtown Manhattan gave out finger-food and blared loud music to the enjoyment of the uneasy costumers taking their mind off the anticipation. In a robbery outside a Connecticut Wal-Mart one of the 20 people waiting to buy a PS3 was shot, after refusing to give his money. He is currently in serious condition at a Massachusetts hospital. Rowdy croweds forced the closure of two Wal-Mart stores in Palmdale, California. The Boston police was called in to turn away hundreds of people waiting to purchase a PS3 at a local Best Buy after it turned out the store did not have a permit to open at midnight. A spokesman for Sony said that these events are "not reflective of what the thousands of U.S. consumers experienced."

Some industry experts expect PS3`s high price ($600) could deter many consumers and open Sony up to stronger competition from its competitors. Microsoft`s Xbox 360 is sold for $400 and Nintendo`s Wii, launched Sunday is to be sold for $250.