But will consumers be turned off by the PS2 bait-and-switch? Only the most paranoid gamers honestly think that Sony orchestrated the production delay -- it makes no sense to deny systems to people who've already paid up. As for pulling the stunt to generate hype, Sony actually seems to be avoiding hype. Television ads were conspicuously absent from the airwaves; while a few software companies broadcast ads for specific games, the PS2 itself made no impression at all compared to Sega's media blitzkrieg last year.

But the shortage did make the PS2 a hot commodity. E-commerce sites like Toys 'R' Us.com played their own manipulation game, turning the losses they faced from not having enough units to meet demand into profits, only selling the unit in a $499 package that included three games and two DVDs. A recent eBay search for "PlayStation2" turned up almost 1400 entries, from memory cards to sealed, in-box units. The systems are selling anywhere from $100 to $250 over the sticker price, more when games or peripherals are included. Somebody is even auctioning the URL of a site still guaranteeing PS2s for $299 by Christmas, just $10 for the info. But while some are asking $1000 or more for a PS2 -- one joker had a reserve price of $2500 -- the true gougers aren't getting any takers. Yet.

It's the Games, Stupid
On the software side, there was more good and bad news. A year ago, Sony boasted that it would have more than 80 titles ready for launch, which even at the time was an obvious (and inexplicable) lie. But the system still kicked off with an awesome 26 titles, the biggest launch lineup ever, seven more than the record set last year by Sega. So far, fan reaction has been mixed. Rushed action-RPG Orphen and the fireworks puzzle game Fantavision are hardly must-have titles, but games like Madden Football 2001 and the surprise snowboarding hit SSX mean that there are a few gems in the mix. Besides, with 50 more games expected by Christmas and -- according to Sony -- hundreds in development, PlayStation2 owners have a lot to look forward to.

Next page: Can Sega fill the gap? Mmm, probably not.