Scalpers Continue To Snatch Up PS5 Orders, Retailer Investigating

The next generation of video game consoles like the PlayStation 5 and Xbox Series X have been out for several months now, but it appears that scalpers are still snapping up many consoles as soon as they become available. Now, massive UK gaming retailer Game has said that it will be verifying console preorders to ensure that only one PS5 is sold per customer.

As reported by VGC, Game released a new batch of PS5s for sale on Tuesday morning, which resulted in wait times of an hour or more for interested customers. The consoles ended up selling out in under 10 minutes, with some social media users claiming to have bought 10 or more PS5s using unauthorized bot software. The software's official social media account claimed that over 2,000 PS5s were obtained with its help. Backlash from angry fans eventually prompted "Carnage Bot" to lock its profile.

"All preorders are subject to automatic checks and order updates such as cancellations following these checks take place after a customer will have received a valid order confirmation email," a portion of the statement reads. "At the present time these orders are still preorders and as such no payments have yet been taken from customers. Payments will commence once our order checks have been completed."

Scalpers have been a pervasive problem since the launch of the next-gen consoles last fall, with one report estimating that they have made in excess of $82 million in revenue. If you're still trying to order a PS5, check out our hub to easily check whether or not it's in stock at major retailers. Video cards have also been subject to similar shortages over the past few months.

Analysts have suggested that scalpers have contributed to depressed sales for physical copies of games compared to previous console generations. In response to criticism, a UK-based scalping group issued a statement last fall saying that it had "no regrets" for reselling consoles, claiming that it put "food on the table" for their families during the COVID-19 pandemic.