Submitted by: kirkland on Wednesday October 11th, 2006 at 09:49 PM EST

As expected, GameStop Corp.'s offer to let anxious gamers get their hands on a small number of slots to pre-order the long awaited Sony Corp. PlayStation 3 gaming console didn't last long.

In some cases, the slots filled within minutes. P.J. McNealy, a video game analyst for American Technology Research, said most stores had lists for just eight, 15 or at most 16 pre-orders.

He noted that a Boston-area store had gamers camping out overnight just to pre-order, and one store in Atlanta suggested that, if customers want a console for Christmas they do the same the night before it is released.

The quick sellouts of the pre-order spots "reinforces that hype and anticipation for the PS3 are alive and well," McNealy wrote in a note to investors.

» Full story @ MSN Money