19 April 2023 , 13:30
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The prices of scalped PS5 consoles have finally dipped to less than what Sony’s console is to buy new, as retail stock evens out.
Well, it may have taken just shy of two-and-a-half years, but it finally looks like PS5 scalpers will need to find other ways to make money. Sony’s current-gen console was at one time the most hot-ticket item for ne'er-do-wells who wanted to make a quick buck back when it first launched in 2020. However, as retail stock for the PS5 begins to even out, it’s increasingly looking like people will no longer feel enticed to pay silly money to join the PlayStation ecosystem – sometimes in the thousands.
This sentiment was recently brought to light when a user posted a screenshot of a Facebook Marketplace listing over on the PlayStation subreddit, showcasing scalped PS5 consoles being sold for just $400. That’s roughly $50 less than what a brand-new PS5 console sells for at retail in the UK, USA and Australia, which has an RRP of £479.99 / $499.99 / $749.95 respectively. For the longest time, players wanting to purchase the latest PlayStation console were forced to pay much more if they couldn’t secure one from an approved retailer. Instances like this hint that this might no longer be the case.
The global PS5 supply shortage was exacerbated by the aftershocks of the pandemic, which when coupled with the wider issues securing chipsets, once created an economy where both the PS5 and Xbox Series X|S would sell out in seconds. During its last earnings report in February, however, Sony revealed that it still had sold upwards of 32 million PS5 units since launch. "By optimizing our operations, we are exerting every effort to sell as many units as possible to meet the strong demand," Sony said, as per ShackNews.
Let’s all play
PS5 stock finally evening out well beyond prior levels is a best-case scenario for everyone. It sets PlayStation up nicely to sell through thousands more consoles as we enter the 2023 summer and holiday season, and as a nice aside it means scalpers will be less tempted to fleece players on the second-hand market.
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The second-hand PS5 market flailing also might tempt Sony more to give the PS5 its first price slash in future. But don’t expect to see that happen as long as the console keeps selling gangbusters. Regardless of price, people generally always benefit from purchasing hardware from retailers directly as opposed to scalpers, not least because of the peace of mind you get from the warranty evidenced by your receipt.
With the sequel to Marvel’s Spider-Man due out on PS5 this year, alongside a boatload of other exclusive titles like Demon’s Souls, Ratchet & Clank: Rift Apart and Returnal, it’d be a shame to deny people that want to play on PS5 the opportunity of accessing this growing catalogue. As the scalping efforts die down and stock levels begin to settle, all signs point towards more people picking up a PS5 and the ecosystem getting stronger.