TechTheDay

Anyone who has kept up with the world of console gaming will probably wince at the mention of the latest and greatest in the Sony and Microsoft line — specifically the former. The Playstation 5 has been the victim of so many different issues that it can be challenging to know where to start. That said, even those who are not keeping up with the world of gaming likely have heard of the Playstation 5, as much of the problems have to do with scalpers.

While scalpers have always caused trouble when it comes to luxury items, the PS5 is a level of scalping not yet seen. People who tried to preorder and secure their own spot come launch day find themselves beaten out by a surprising number of bots. These scalping bots are capable of bypassing security measures of various stores such as Target and Walmart to essentially take all of the PS5s from the carts of people who just want to purchase something they want for themselves, family, or friends.

The trouble with scalping

The biggest issue that scalping provides is not necessarily the taking of units, but the reselling. Most homeowners are tired of the search, and are willing to pay two or three times the price for each unit, something that the scalpers are more than willing to provide. It is an unfair exchange that has driven many not to purchase the PS5 outright until something is done. While things have somewhat calmed down, the problem is that many people are starting to see the process as normal.

A terrible portrayal of Robin Hood

One of the most surprising facts is that the scalpers still see themselves as some form of middleman, though that could not be any farther from the truth. The middlemen, such as Target and the like, still take the time to purchase necessities from farms and various sources, providing a convenient means of getting the job done. These scalpers not only take from those convenient sources, but jack up the price by an unreasonable amount.

Still worth purchasing?

Surprisingly, there have been efforts made to make scalping illegal due to the PS5 debacle. While it is still in the early stages, scalping continues to be rampant, but it will eventually dull down. As more and more people decide that the PS5 is not yet worth purchasing in such an early stage, the market will eventually go back to normal. While only time will tell how long it takes for things to normalize, the current talks about the future of scalping — not just in luxuries such as gaming but the tech world as a whole — it will serve to further protect those just looking to have a good time in a world hit by the pandemic.

For those who are still sour about not being able to grab a PS5 as soon as possible, great things come to those who wait. Not only will the price go down, but the next productions of PS5s will have hardware fixes.