CAMPING at Circuit City

Mariano Harari, 19, sits wrapped in blankets and reading a textbook. He is supposed to be in class at the University of Richmond, but instead he is camping out with 100 other people to receive the first PlayStation3s available in Virginia.

Harari arrived at the Circuit City near Short Pump Tuesday at 2 p.m., and he will stay there until the PS3 is released today.

He packed food, water, blankets, sleeping bags, pillows and a tooth brush before heading to Circuit City. He is first in a line of 100 people waiting to get their hands on the new Blu-ray, a media format delivering high-definition quality entertainment.

John Denton, his suitemate at U of R, is second in line, and he said they set up a tent, but Circuit City asked them to take it down during business hours.

Harari and Denton said they expect some rough weather tonight, so they made a call for some umbrellas.

Richmond’s Circuit City is one of only six cities receiving exactly 100 PS3s. Thursday at 10 p.m., Vouchers will be handed to the first 100 people standing in line, and at midnight when the doors open, they will be able to purchase the PS3s.

The other locations are New York, Los Angeles, Philadelphia, Chicago and Rockville, Md.

Circuit City also will hand out raffle tickets to the first 2,000 customers, and they will raffle off five PS3s for free.

BestBuy is not having a midnight release, but it is opening at 8 a.m. on Friday, an earlier time than usual. Wal-Mart will begin sales at 12:01 a.m. on Friday.

Richmond’s Circuit City at Short Pump has been preparing for its first midnight launch for a while now, said Brian Phillips, the store manager.

“We’ve created a line, and we’ve done as much as we can possible with managing the line,” he said. “This is definitely the most hyped game system that’s been available so far.”

He said there is a rumor that some in the line were arrested Tuesday night. But it is only a rumor.

Phillips said he told the line, “Be nice to your fellow gamers.” And so far, there have been no problems, he said.

When asked about the list of 100 names being passed around outside, Phillips said that is an unofficial list created by the people outside. Circuit City will not follow it.

Extra security has been arranged for tonight’s release. Four or five Henrico police officers and about five Circuit City security officers will be in attendance to keep everything calm, organized and flowing, he said.

He said Richmond is lucky to be one of the six cities receiving PS3s, and his entire staff is excited about the event.

Those outside wrapped in multiple blankets, some sucking on cigarettes for warmth and some taking naps squished in the back of cars, said they are equally excited.

Patrick Byrd, 24, a resident of New Kent County and fifth in line, said he is braving the outdoors for the teenagers of New Hope Church.

“It’s a place for teenagers to go to stay out of trouble,” he said.

He wants to get a PS3 for the teenagers at the church.

Byrd also brought a projector and big screen to set up and play movies for the people waiting in line. He said the movies and video games were played for “countless hours” throughout the night.

Byrd slept on a blowup mattress right next to his equipment where strangers came to play throughout the night.

Some students had the help of their parents. Marc Azzarello, 20, and Wes Edwards, 20, both students at The College of William and Mary, received a phone call from Edwards’ mother that a line was forming after she saw it driving around Short Pump. They jumped in a car, and Edwards’ mother stood in line until they made it to Circuit City.

Edwards told his professors he had a “family obligation.”

Azzarello and Edwards said they are excited about the PS3, and it is worth living outside for a few days.

“It’s a multipurpose device,” said Azzarello, who is No. 81 in line. “It’s just got everything.”

Azzarello said he is outside Circuit City to get one because he and his brother have always played PlayStation, and it has become a tradition.

“Me and my brother have been playing PlayStation ever since PlayStation 1,” he said.

The friends said living under the open sky is a tough life.

“I feel like a homeless person,” Edwards said. “It feels weird. I’ve been blessed with a house my whole life, and to be out here for 48 hours is utterly insane. I can’t describe it.”

They said they are going to keep it up to get their PS3s.

Azzarello and Edwards are the minority in the line since they plan on keeping their PS3s. Most in line are using the opportunity to get one of the 100 available PS3s to sell on eBay or craigslist.

Chip Brown, 28, a resident of Ashland, took a vacation from work to get a PS3. He plans to sell it on eBay for $1,000 more than he is going to pay for it, which is about $600.

He explained the process of standing in the line. Brown said anyone can “tag out” and “tag back in” for food or bathroom trips.

He said Circuit City asked everyone in line to be “civil.”

He is spending his work vacation to get a PS3, all in hopes of making an easy grand.

“It’s my dream vacation right here,” he said.