Tempers flare in NYC as PS3 nears

NEW YORK CITY--In recent times, New York City has rid itself of the stigma of being a grumpy city. While in office, then-mayor Rudy Giuliani "cleaned up" much of the city, and tragic events, including the World Trade Center attacks, have helped the metropolis's citizens bond.

Now it appears as though one thing may rip them apart--the PlayStation 3.

In stark contrast to the jovial atmosphere of last night, emotions of those waiting in line today to purchase PlayStation 3s are reaching fever pitch. Gamers who were on the cusp of getting a PS3 last night have now been edged out by line-cutters looking to take advantage of the situation.

Outside the SonyStyle Store in Midtown Manhattan, several gamers voiced their disgust at the way the line was being managed, complaining of seeing their place in line move farther back because of line jumpers.

At the Circuit City in Union Square, several gamers told GameSpot that people have been cutting the line since midweek, with the most coming in the last hours.

"There's no management of the line here," said one hopeful PS3 owner. "People are just jumping the line, there were even fights last night. It's totally messed up."

Employees of Circuit City told GameSpot that the store will have 100 PS3s for sale but will also raffle off an additional 100 consoles beginning at 10 p.m. with the support of a New York City radio station.

Local news stations are also covering the escalating tension, reporting that some gamers have moved about 100 feet backward since they first got in line.

The weather doesn't look to help matters, either. An overcast morning turned into a blustery afternoon with winds picking up--the leading edge of an incoming thunderstorm. Rain and winds up to 35 miles per hour are expected straight through the console's midnight launch.

To see if gamers go home happy or a full-scale riot develops, check back later tonight for GameSpot's coverage of the event. For now, those interested can check out Tim Surette's video blog of the NYC PS3 line.