The journey to own a PlayStation 5 was quite perilous for many. The consoles post-launch supply was low, and a huge demand driven by global factors (cough) was a tad rough – and in that dark place, a particularly nasty evil thrived.
Scalpers have existed for aeons; they reside where-ever scarcity and demand might dwell. I have many hobbies that skirt the borders of scalper town (it’s basically considered PART of any ‘collectible’ hobby at this point) and the frustration of desiring something and having to pay an absurd mark-up is blood boiling. So when the PS5 supply flow was identified to be more like a trickle, these scumbags set up shop in a big way; reaping the rewards of a hugely mainstream customer base who just wanted to buy the new ‘VIDYA GAEM’ that their kids wouldn’t stop raving about.
Nowadays, the supply of PlayStation consoles has more than returned to a normal state – and the beautiful side effect of such a mundane thing is the scrambling of scalpers that are now desperately trying to offload their hoard, with many having to even sell at a loss to try and recoup cost:
Some details compiled by TheGamer revealed that savvy consumers are quick to realise that even with scalpers trying to incentive offloading their stock for a minor discount, buying from a retailer of course comes with the added benefit of a warranty should they experience any difficulties – further adding another gut-punch to the scummy salesmen lurking on Facebook Marketplace.
It’s been a long, strange trip for many to get to their PS5 ownership status. I have personally brokered a handful of sales on behalf of friends who wanted to own the platform, with tense back alley deals that felt more like a drug deal than a game console purchase. Wading through an ocean of scams and scalpers to find someone who genuinely wanted to on-sell their PS5 for whatever reason, to share a relieved laugh when we both remark on how absurd the market is – the tension lifted when we both realise that neither party was trying to sell a brick in a PS5 box or hiding a stabbing implement. Hell, a close friend of mine kept asking me about red flags when the seller he had contacted refused to meet in a public place for the exchange – sounding more like a tragedy-laden subplot out of Breaking Bad.
Walk into my parlour, said the Spider to the Fly – I promise I have a Horizon Forbidden West edition PS5 console…
PS5 Scalping Seemingly Comes to an End with Sellers Offering Consoles Well Below MSRP https://t.co/dLa0A8GHol pic.twitter.com/IMAJVvoSf1
— TheFPSReview (@thefpsreview) April 20, 2023
It’s heart warming to see those that made such a simple transaction a nightmare for so long struggle – and the patient gamers among us get to reap amazing rewards, picking up their PlayStation console for not only a reasonable price, but with a warranty and likely bundled games as well. The lament of scalpers serves as a great backing track to your new ownership experience.
The gaming industry as a whole can start tuning up their tiny little violins – a send off to PS5 scalping is a more than welcome tune.
Did you need to navigate a treacherous landscape to procure a PS5? How do you feel about scalping coming to an end? Let us know in the comments or on social media.
Shoutouts to TheGamer.
Known throughout the interwebs simply as M0D3Rn, Ash is bad at video games. An old guard gamer who suffers from being generally opinionated, it comes as no surprise that he is both brutally loyal and yet, fiercely whimsical about all things electronic. On occasion will make a youtube video that actually gets views. Follow him on YouTube @Bad at Video Games
