Every few years, a toy is released in limited quantities and takes the world of Christmas shoppers by storm. From Cabbage Patch Dolls to Furby to Tickle-Me Elmo, something always comes along to stir the competitive juices in consumers.

This year is another one of those years. On Nov. 17, Sony released the PlayStation 3 into the eager hands of the public.

From coast to coast, people waited outside stores, anxious to buy the hot commodity. With production numbers being incredibly low, most stores in the United States sold out within minutes of opening. However, what’s interesting isn’t the scarcity of the item, but rather the acts of madness that resulted from it.

At stores across the nation, bizarre acts of violence erupted. In Fresno, Calif., two men were arrested following a trampling that occurred while shoppers tried to rush a store in hopes of getting a system.

In Lexington, Ky., four people waiting in line at a Best Buy were injured during a drive-by shooting involving a BB gun. A few days later, at this very same Best Buy, an escaped prisoner was found among those waiting in line.

In Ohio, two masked gunmen entered a GameStop, holding up the employees and forcing them to hand over their stock of PS3s.

In Connecticut, two armed teens in ski-masks approached a man standing in line with the intent of robbing him. When he resisted, they opened fire on the man, shooting him in the chest. The gunmen fled, and the man was taken to a nearby hospital with injuries believed to be non-life-threatening.

Also in Connecticut, a group of five men jumped a shopper as he was leaving with his PlayStation. They quickly snatched the item and drove away. Proving that irony is still alive in the world, the thieves pushed one of their own out of the car while escaping.

In Sullivan, Ind., a gamer decided to fight back. Upon being confronted by two men who attempted to rob him of his cherished possession, the man pulled out a knife and stabbed one of the criminals.

Not to be outdone, Wisconsin had its own story of the completely absurd. At a Wal-Mart in West Bend, over 50 people were in line for the system. However, the store only had 10 units to sell. So, in a genius move that couldn’t possibly result in injury, store officials decided to stage a race through the parking lot for the rights to buy one. In the ensuing uncoordinated stampede, one man was shoved into a metal flagpole, resulting in a broken jaw.

The good news for gamers is that the next PlayStation won’t be released for another five years. That gives them plenty of time to start lifting weights, taking karate lessons and amassing a collection of various firearms.

Sources: chron.com, kotaku.com

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