New PS5 Restock Asks PlayStation Fans for $830

This morning, a brand new PS5 restock dropped, courtesy of Ant Online. However, even if [...]

By Tyler Fischer

This morning, a brand new PS5 restock dropped, courtesy of Ant Online. However, even if PlayStation fans were able to beat the bots and beat the website issues, and buy the console, they had to pay $830 for the new Sony machine. Like GameStop, Ant Online's new restock was limited to bundles, or more specifically, a single bundle, featuring two DualSense controllers, a PlayStation Camera, Marvel's Spider-Man: Miles Morales, Demon's Souls, and a PlayStation Plus subscription. $830 for all of this isn't a bad deal, but it's more than double the price of the all-digital model of the console and $330 more than the standard version.

As for why Ant Online is limiting stock to a pricey bundle, it doesn't say, but there are a few obvious reasons that need little clarification. For one, Ant Online makes more money doing this. It could sell the console, or it could use the outrageous demand for the console to sell other products as well, which is what it's doing with this bundle.

The second reason is bundles are like repellent for scalpers. Buying a bundle eats into the profits of a lazy scalper, and even the most efficient scalper is going to have to do extra leg work to account for the extra products that are not only harder to sell, but can't be sold at a profit.

Lastly, bundles drive down demand, which in turn leads to less server traffic, and of course, this leads to fewer website issues.

There are plenty of reasons to limit PS5 stock to bundles in 2021, and many retailers are starting to do it. However, it's also an unpopular practice.

Unfortunately, the PS5 stock situation isn't going to get better anytime soon. In fact, it may not get any better this year at all.

The PS5 is available worldwide -- if you can find it -- for $400 and $500, depending on what model you cop. For more coverage on the console, click here or check out the relevant links listed right below:

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