Buying a PS5 has now become a hunt, where it is no longer just about gaming. No console from Sony has been as sought after as the PlayStation 5. A real community is forming: Some just want to finally get their console, while others want to make even more money with the PS5.
This is the situation with the PS5: On November 19, 2020, the PS5 was officially released in Germany. However, it was hardly possible to quickly buy the console at the nearest electronics store. The Corona crisis brought about two things:
- The demand for the PS5 increased because more people than ever are playing and want a new console. Due to the lockdown, many people spent their newly available time on gaming.
- But Sony could not increase the supply of the PS5 to the necessary extent, as materials for semiconductors are lacking: These are currently in demand worldwide.
Due to the high demand and low supply, fans of the console are practically on the hunt for new drops. Buyers on standby are refreshing provider pages and actively exchanging information in communities.
The hunt for the PS5 has been ongoing for over 3 months, and there is currently no end in sight. On the contrary: The desire to finally buy a PS5 has become a real thrill for some people.
Between excitement and crashed websites
This is what we observe: We have been maintaining an article for weeks on MeinMMO regarding the purchase of the PS5. The ticker is constantly being updated: We check for you all the links and pages that might sell the coveted console.
In the comments, we are experiencing a response like we have rarely seen before. However, there is also much frustration, as some users still cannot get a PS5 even after their 10th try.
We have developed a real community among ourselves, as well as in numerous reddit threads, all sharing a common goal: Finally buying a damn PS5.
We are including here some comments from our users:
- Maximilian writes: ‘I would like to sincerely thank the MeinMMO team again! Thanks to you, I was able to order a PS5 (Disc) from Euronics on 17.02.21, which was finally delivered this past Saturday. Without you, I would have never managed that! So, 1000 thanks for your great work and all the updates! Keep it up! I wish everyone else much success and, above all, patience.’
- Artur says: ‘I finally managed to order a PS5. Thanks to the MeinMMO team. I succeeded in ordering one at Media Markt on Tuesday. I felt like I updated the shopping cart for an hour and was occasionally one step further, but I got kicked back to the shopping cart about 15 times. In the end, I did manage it.’
- Ralf is frustrated and says: ‘Tell me, is it possible that the CEO of Sony is just messing with us? He said there should be enough available in stores, but that’s a joke. Nothing at all. No matter which online retailers and no matter what time. Nothing to buy for months. One wonders: What are they doing all the time?’
Some just want to finally have a PS5
This is how things are developing now: The global demand for the PS5 is immense. Not only in Germany are there sporadic drops that are stormed by hundreds or thousands of users. The rush is sometimes so great that websites crash. Within a few minutes, the stock of the respective retailer is exhausted again.
It is a struggle to get your PS5. The Polygon website quotes the reddit user MafaMoon. He said after he managed to buy a PS5: ‘It will only be here in a few weeks, but the fact that I know my struggle is over is liberating.’
Another user quoted by Polygon says: ‘When I got my first PS5, I felt euphoric all day.’
A third, successful PS5 buyer says: Finally being successful in the hunt for the PS5 feels like defeating a tough boss in Dark Souls.
Sony itself has also commented on the extreme demand. The CEO of the company explained that the interest in the PS5 was greater than expected. They had already sold over 4.5 million consoles in the first months – more than at the PS4 launch. But the Corona crisis is also to blame. Some components, such as semiconductors, cannot be delivered easily.
Some just want to make money with the PS5
This is the downside: One of the reasons why the PS5 is sold out quickly at retailers is scalpers – meaning resellers. They buy a PS5 faster than the average user with bots and then resell it at a higher price on platforms like eBay. This was especially a problem in the first few months. There are certainly some private sellers involved who smell quick money and have luck with their orders.
Currently, PS5s are being sold on eBay for over 700 euros. That’s at least 200 euros more than the actual price of the console with a disc.
Polygon quotes a scalper who says: Many buy a PS5 in the range of $800. Some users even thanked him for not raising the price of his PS5 consoles even more. He has no illusions about how he is perceived:
‘Yes, I see myself as a scalper. And I am fine if people don’t like it. I’m not doing it to make friends. I’m doing it to make money.’
A scalper to Polygon
The incredible demand and the currently low supply also attract people who want to make quick money. To the detriment of the fans who finally want to play on the PS5. eBay has therefore restricted the sale of PS5s, effectively driving away scalpers, but consoles can still be bought there.
Currently, the market for the new Xbox has calmed down a bit. The Series X is still sold out in many places, but a new drop usually remains online longer than with a PS5. The Xbox Series S, on the other hand, is still available at some retailers and can be purchased normally and without much stress.
What’s next? This is currently uncertain. The demand to buy a PS5 is still high and will certainly not be satisfied in the coming weeks. So, you will have to expect a struggle in the coming weeks.
Eventually, however, Sony will probably produce enough consoles for all fans. When that will happen is still uncertain.
Until then, we recommend our ticker for the PS5. There we will inform you quickly when a new offer regarding the PS5 becomes available:
Buy PS5 in March 2021 – Make sure to watch these retailers
Polygon quotes a scalper who says: Many buy a PS5 in the range of $800. Some users even thanked him for not raising the price of his PS5 consoles even more. He has no illusions about how he is perceived:
‘Yes, I see myself as a scalper. And I am fine if people don’t like it. I’m not doing it to make friends. I’m doing it to make money.’
A scalper to Polygon
The incredible demand and the currently low supply also attract people who want to make quick money. To the detriment of the fans who finally want to play on the PS5. eBay has therefore restricted the sale of PS5s, effectively driving away scalpers, but consoles can still be bought there.
Currently, the market for the new Xbox has calmed down a bit. The Series X is still sold out in many places, but a new drop usually remains online longer than with a PS5. The Xbox Series S, on the other hand, is still available at some retailers and can be purchased normally and without much stress.
What’s next? This is currently uncertain. The demand to buy a PS5 is still high and will certainly not be satisfied in the coming weeks. So, you will have to expect a struggle in the coming weeks.
Eventually, however, Sony will probably produce enough consoles for all fans. When that will happen is still uncertain.
Until then, we recommend our ticker for the PS5. There we will inform you quickly when a new offer regarding the PS5 becomes available:
