Console launches can be frustrating for gamers, and the PlayStation 5 launch has proven to be no exception. The PS5 debuted on November 19th in the UK, and a group of resellers in the region managed to make a huge dent in the number of consoles available to fans. According to Business Insider, the group CrepChiefNotify was able to purchase about 3,500 consoles in the area, in order to flip them on sites like Ebay. The group features thousands of members, and paying to subscribe at various tier levels gives access to bots that can make the purchases as necessary.
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Resellers have long been a frustrating part of the console buying process, but these new tools have made it much harder on fans. Shortly after the system released in North America, PS5 consoles were commanding $900 or more on the secondary market. That number seems to have increased, and many Buy it Now options are now well over $1000. It’s impossible to say whether or not consoles are actually moving at those higher numbers, but clearly resellers feel confident about their chances.
Some PlayStation fans might be tempted to bit the bullet and pay the higher prices, but it’s just not worth it, at the moment. Launch games like Marvel’s Spider-Man: Miles Morales and SackBoy: A Big Adventure also have versions on PS4, and restocks will happen for the system, eventually. Buyers on Ebay will be expected to spend at least twice the MSRP for a system that will be easy to find on store shelves within just a few months.
Groups like CrepChiefNotify thrive only as long as people are willing to pay exorbitant prices for the PS5. If fans would simply wait patiently, those prices on the secondary market would start to plunge, and the incentive for these groups would diminish. Fans can’t be blamed for feeling like they might be missing out, but the fact remains that the extra money they would have to spend on Ebay could go towards purchasing a fairly impressive library of software, or even a 4K TV to fully take advantage of the console’s next-gen abilities. The wait might seem difficult, but the pay-off will be worth it.
Are you planning on buying a PS5? Have you been able to locate the console yet? Let us know in the comments or share your thoughts directly on Twitter at @Marcdachamp to talk about all things gaming!
