Hello Mr. PS2, welcome to America

The PlayStation 2 is probably the most hyped console in the history of anything, ever - not even the ill-fated N64 was the subject of such controversy and media frenzy. Perhaps the only upshot of the console shortage is that by the time we are all able to buy PS2s in our local electronics store, the initial wave of games will have passed and some truly impressive titles such as Gran Turismo 3 will be upon us. But for fans in the States, this is all largely irrelevant - their day has come. Anxious gamers have apparently been queuing up for some hours now on the streets of America's biggest cities to be the first in line. Electronics Boutique stores have had PS2 displays up for nearly a week, with employees decked out in PS2 garments to boot. Some are even opening as early as 8:00am to help cope with the enormous quantity of expectant gamers. Which games will the punters be picking up with their hardware though? In this country e-tailor Gameplay has been courting the most pre-orders for titles like ISS, Silent Scope and FIFA 2K1, but Stateside it's expected the emphasis will fall on games like Madden, Tekken Tag Tournament and SSX. With just under 30 titles to choose from, some publishers are likely to have a less successful launch than others, but the scope is there for some very bizarre combinations. Related Feature - The Hype Machine