Oh the shock and/or horror of it all. The most antisocial medium of all time, the Internet, and yet I'm convivial. I gazed with bemusement as I saw my lovely puke coloured neighbourly moth metamorphose into two claret chromaticificated butterflies. How did that happen? Generally I'm the reclusive genius that everyone knows is right but are too afraid to associate themselves with someone such as myself. Not so much a change in my personality as a corruption of values. I now see every friend request I get as "I don't know you but I want my journal advertised on yours." Bah, says I.

If you're unfamiliar with the grandiose spectacle of reasons why some people should be born without opinions, or at least a means of expressing them, System Wars, the title may have confused you *laughs* It's a general term used meaning "The *insert group here* Have Been Owned", even though ownage or even pwnage haven't been prevalent on this site since the 50's. What does the E stand for? Why, Europeans of course!! Yes, although Europe has been owned in the gaming industry since before the EU was even formed, this is just the latest on the proverbial conveyor belt or derision that's wheeled out from the US. It's news older than someone's last menstrual cycle, but I haven't made an entry (entry, haha) since before it was announced, hence it goes here.

On the 3rd of this month (February, dimwits) gaming industry magnate Sony finally took the Americans off their tenter hooks by confirming both a price and release date for the almost-as-anticipated-as-much-as-a-prostitute's-next-dose-of-crack PSP. I read the headline "PSP price and release date confirmed" with girlish glee, and immediately went to it to find out how much I would gladly hand over for it, and when. And then, the old familiar sting of the "for the US only" suffix. No mention of Europe anywhere, implying a probably much later release and much higher price. My initial shock and disappointment was left with the wry realisation that Europe was still a festering multi lingual cesspit of second class citizens in the eyes of the gaming world. The PS2 for example. Half the amount of units that were shipped in the US, one month after the US, and with MORE bugs than the US (even though they had a month to address them).

Their "reasons" for this? Unit shortages. UNIT SHORTAGES. They actually have the gall to still expect me to swallow that.

Here's the real reason(s). The DS has been out in the US since November, so Sony have had time to analyze the unit's floppage, sorry, sales, and priced [the PSP] accordingly. Whereas here in Europe, the DS isn't out until 11th March. So Sony are actually going to wait until then at the earliest to grace me with any details. I mean, God forbid that they undercharge me, right? Think about it, if a "unit shortage" was the actual problem, then of course the release date would be put back, but the price would be set, surely. Anyway, the US price is $249, which translates into about €185, but due to Ireland being, well, Ireland, I'm currently guessing of a price tag of about €400 - €500 ($650).

In the meantime, units destined for the European launch are given to America. "There's too many languages in Europe" complains one Sony exec. Great, so that makes you what, lazy or just racist? No no, there's an SCE branch in every EU country, so I don't believe translating is as big a deal as they're making out. Ireland and England both speak English and have the largest amount of gamers in the Union, why not include them in US launches? Oh but I forgot, whereas Europeans are second class citizens in the eyes of the gaming world, the Irish are second class citizens in the eyes of Europeans. Every other country gets the lion's share of whatever technological paraphernalia that come here and Ireland get thrown the scraps of whatever isn't sold. Beautiful.

And yet I still want a PSP more than Gary Glitter wants his credibility back (if indeed he had any to begin with). It's beautiful, innovative, great games, great features, much promise being shown in the line of upgrades and accessories. But that doesn't stop my unbridled hatred of Sony. Speaking of which, I still haven't given into temptation;

Yep, there it is, still as wrapped in plastic as Laura Palmer (TKHBO), next to a REAL game, whose case I've left open.

I have more to complain about, but I'll leave you all to chew on my banquet of eloquence, you ingrates. Or should that be ingrate, as my original reader no longer reads this I do have one reader, apparently. But it's probably just me.

Schillinger