Why are gamers joining the reselling world?

Imagine this: you’re currently waiting for a release on a pair of shoes or clothing item. You’ve wanted this for days, weeks, months, or maybe even years. Once the release day finally comes, you rush to be one of the first people to order. As you click on the item, you notice that the item is completely sold out, despite it being only one or two minutes since the website updated. A few weeks later, you see the same items being sold on the secondary market for more than the retail price. Would you believe it if it were to happen with game consoles? Because surprise it is, and it totally stinks.

Ever since the PlayStation 5 and Xbox consoles came out last month, they have been out of stock within seconds. Even when they restock these coveted consoles, lots of people still don’t get the chance to buy it. No one in the world would think that people would resell them like they do with sneakers and streetwear, but it’s actually happening. Currently, websites like eBay and StockX, which is a website meant for sneakers and clothes, are offering PS5’s for outrageous prices. The lowest asking price is $870, when the original price is $499. Who in their right mind would pay that much for a gaming console? 

Similar to the two Sony products, the Xbox Series X and S are also being sold for extremely high prices. The lowest ask for the Series X is $763, while the Series S costs $434. While the price for the Series S isn’t as bad as the others, it still shouldn’t be this high. You have to keep in mind that these prices don’t include taxes and shipping. On top of that, you still have to pay for games, accessories, and online memberships for Xbox players.

Another issue with having to purchase these consoles from secondary sellers is that some sellers lie about having them. If you plan on buying a console, try to avoid buying it from eBay. You will mostly run into people who are either selling a piece of paper with a picture of the console, or they are just selling the box that it came in. 

For both consoles, there was an online restock on December 15. While some people might have gotten lucky, there will be those who took another loss. If you missed out, you might not be able to get your hands on a console for another couple of months. Microsoft confirmed that after tomorrow, there won’t be a restock until April of next year. Sony, on the other hand, hasn’t released any information about this right now. However, they will most likely wait a while as well.

Because of everything going wrong, some people are starting to ditch consoles for gaming computers. If you do decide to stick to consoles, let’s hope Santa gives you a second chance in time for the holidays.