Hype for Playstation 5 and the two new Xbox consoles (X and S) was at an all-time high going into the end of 2020.
The video game industry has boomed over the last nine months well past expectations as people were asked to stay home during the global pandemic. No industry was better suited to rapidly expand than home entertainment, with video games providing a fantastic outlet for many.
And even better, toward the end of the year, Sony and Microsoft planned on releasing their newest consoles, the PlayStation 5 and Xbox Series X and S.
But months after launch, both consoles remain out of stock, and extremely expensive on secondary markets like Ebay and Craigslist.
“It’s ridiculous, people on Ebay expecting me to pay thousands of dollars for a gaming system for my kid this Christmas,” said one shopper we spoke with about their experience trying to buy a PlayStation 5.
The worst part for many consumers still on the hunt for one of the newest consoles is the lack of a date when they’ll likely be able to buy one at retail price.
None of the major retailers most commonly used to shop for technology have given out a new date for when they know they will have the new consoles in stock, but there has been a rumor that some might hit shelves this week.
That being said, demand remaining so high is likely going to make a purchase from the next round of shipments difficult as well. It is unlikely for the average consumer to simply walk into one of the major retailers that might have a handful in stock and buy one at retail price. Instead, the scalpers and resellers will likely be eagerly waiting in front of the stores to buy as many units as possible.
