25 years ago I flew to Japan to buy a Playstation 2 on launch day. We queued outside a store in Akihabara for 26 hours.
Thursday, 13 Mar 2025
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that’s insane, considering the ps2 was a region locked console.
24 years ago I worked at Toys r Us on Xbox launch day on November 15, 2001. I’ll never forget that day because we had to call police to the store because a man who waited in line to get one, didn’t, and pulled a knife on the person in front of him.
I’ll never forget that idiot screaming and yelling.
Damn, I i wish I had “fly to Japan for a video game console” money
What did you do about the region block?
PS2 era best times ðŸ˜
Love the Limp Bizkit reference by the dude on the top left. Truly captured a moment in time.
Ahhhh the old Akihabara. Before the all maid cafes and swarms of inbound tourists. Good memories!
Love every part of this. These are memories you will keep till your last day! I hope you still kept that ps2 and I hope it brought you lasting enjoyment!
Can you imagine being a kid enjoying your new PlayStation and your dad tells you when he was younger, he flew to Japan to get the PS2 on launch?
Dad lore.
These scalpers do anything to get ahead.
That’s a killer shopping trip.Â
Fucking legend.
How was Kessen?
I did the same, 6 blocks from my house at Walmart. And I got a us regioned system I played till it shit the bed
Few years back when the Switch was still new I remember seeing people queueing for a chance to win a raffle ticket to be able to buy a Switch. Nothing ever changes 😀 love it
Old skool cool
One of the oddest yet satisfying posts I’ve seen in a while. Must’ve been an amazing experience and core memory.
No one remembers Lik-Sang & Play Asia? Happy days when the letterbox went with an import game from them.
Good on you OP
What was Akihabara like 25 years ago?
Rich people are wild.
That sounds amazing. I love that you did it with friends, and you were all able to do it.
Not the same, but a bunch of my friends stayed overnight in a mall trying to get PS3’s, and it was one of the funnest nights I’ve had. We were hiding in corners, running down hallways, and just all laughing and cracking up. We didn’t get a PS3, but looking back we had a lot of fun trying.
Has anyone ever told you that you are crazy?
I had a Japanese launch PS2 too. Came with 2 controllers and a memory card. Also 3 games, Ridge Racer, Street Fighter EX3 and Fanta Vision. Most interesting was the back didn’t have the same network slot the EU market did but rathe a PCMCIA slot like on older laptops
r/OldSchoolCool
Got FFX before forking out for the PS2. Good times
What’s your favorite game? Mine was ratchet deadlocked, killzone, nfs mw, god of war 1&2. Could’ve list a dozen more.Sank in thousands of hours with my brother playing PS2 alone.
Do you still have the console?
Was it worth it?