Actually, no. The pre-orders were orderly, and thankfully, not chaotic—like when the PS3 launched. At some stores, the lines were insane. At other stores, they were manageable. Combine the two, and you have a solid start for the PS Vita.
The above gallery breaks down stores in both Tokyo and Osaka. Things to keep in mind:
The Greater Tokyo Area has over 35 million people. Not that 35 million people live in Tokyo proper (they don't!)—there's only something like 12 million. That's 10 percent of the country's population right there.
On the other hand, the Greater Osaka Area has over 18 million people. Likewise, not all 18 million people live in Osaka City. The population of Osaka City is 2.6 million.
Thus, lines in Tokyo are bound to be longer than in Osaka. Lines in both cities will likely (but not necessarily) be longer than the rest of the country.
Also, not everyone lines up. Thanks to the magical internet, it's possible to pre-order online (amazing, I know!), and there have been reports of heavy traffic at retail sites after they opened for pre-orders. Amazon Japan apparently finished pre-orders only twenty minutes after starting them.
Another thing to keep in mind is that the Vita wasn't the only thing kicking off today. Several new toys from Bandai went on sale today as well as One Piece and Tiger & Bunny figures. Retailers had signs for both the Vita and the toys, and at many stores, the lines consisted of both customers.
One line I did not get to check out was the Yodobashi Camera in Osaka's Umeda, which typically can draw hundreds—over even over a thousand for hardware launches. By the time, I arrived, those waiting in line had been moved inside to wait. The security guard I spoke with had no idea how many were waiting. Though, I haven't heard any estimates, I would not be surprised if the line was in the hundreds. Big stores get more in stock and, thus, usually have bigger lines.
One line that Kotaku Japan wasn't completely able to check out was the Bic Camera in Tokyo's Yurakucho, where Sony held its official PS3 launch. The store, which was supposed to open at 10am, started pre-orders early. By the time Kotaku Japan arrived, there were 20 or 30 people lined up for Vita pre-orders. It's hard to judge how long the line originally was.
Generally, it is also hard to judge how hardware will do these days, especially with the advent of online pre-orders. I do think the PS Vita will be hard to come by when it launches on Dec. 17 in Japan—especially as Sony flogs the product more and more on television. If you haven't gotten a pre-order so far today, there still might be time.
