SONY has come up with an ingenious way to take on greedy PS5 resellers – and make it easier and cheaper for you to buy one.
Gamers have struggled to get hold of the latest console since its release in November 2020, thanks to so-called scalpers who snatch the majority of stock and shamelessly hike the price before selling them on.
But Sony seems to have found a simple idea to make the profit making machine less lucrative.
According to Yahoo Japan, retailers in the country have been asked to break open the seal of PS5 boxes once they’re purchased.
That way, anyone who intends to sell it on can no longer claim it’s brand new and should decrease its value.
Of course, it doesn’t stop rogue resellers entirely but at least it’s made harder for them.
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Many in other parts of the world will be wondering why it hasn’t been rolled out elsewhere.
Scalpers use automated “bots” that allow them to hoover up limited stock before desperate customers get a chance.
Almost a year and a half after release, the PS5 is still really hard to get hold of.
Stocks were limited due to a chip shortage during the pandemic, which also affected car production.
Resellers were peddling the console for thousands of pounds in the days after launch, ruining Christmas for many.
Even months later, the PS5 was still in such high demand that people were selling the console for £1,000 on eBay.
Today, they’re going for between £500/$656 and £600/$787, suggesting gamers have had enough of being ripped off and would rather wait to buy from retailers directly.
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Sony launched the PS5 in mid November, charging £350/$399 for the digital version and £450/$499 for the full-fat console with a disc tray.
Last year, the UK Government said it would look into the issue after a petition gained thousands of signatures.
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