Anyone hoping to queue up for a PS3 at midnight on 23 March will have to wait until daylight thanks to the Metropolitan Police. Apparently PC Plod has told several shops on Oxford Street not to throw open their doors for customers eager to get their hands on the latest next gen console over fears they'll get mugged.

Game and HMV have moved their PS3 launches to the early morning following concerns from the police over launching the console at night. Game will start flogging the PS3 at 7am while HMV will start at 7.30am.

Game will be handing out bacon sandwiches, coffee and pastries while people at HMV will get a free copy of Virtua Tennis 3. Expect Celiacs to head off in the general direction of HMV.

"The launch of the PS3 is a big deal to our customers," said Anna Macario, marketing director at Game. "We are managing the launch so it is safe for them, and the only thing they have to concentrate on is securing their new console."

According to reports from Gamespot, an HMV spokesman said that police and Westminster Council were concerned that customers could potentially be mugged of the reassuringly expensive console in the wee small hours of the morning. "The general consensus was that people coming out of the store at one or two in the morning with £500 worth of kit, they felt was just going to be just asking for trouble," he told the publication.

Virgin expects to be flogging PS3 at the stroke of midnight as the Sony official launch will be held there. Not only that people will be able to camp out in the store from noon tomorrow. As it's its going to very cold in London over the next few days in London, expect a lot of homeless people to suddenly gain an interest in gaming.

Also, we won't be expecting the crowds we saw for the World of Warcraft launch and thankfully no bizarre fancy dress costumes either.