I watched a few retail stores in my area before, on , and after launch day, and I must say it was simply astounding. Never before have I seen people standing in line in American stores to get the next big piece of hardware, and I have never seen people turned down because there weren't enough.
Those have always been rumors from across the Pacific; of lines that form the day before, of supply shortages...
I haven't bought a PS2, and I don't know if I will. However, the only word I can think of to describe launch day, at least in my corner of the globe, is WOW.