Sony has a Simple Method for PS5 Scalpers
The PlayStation 5 will be available for purchase directly from Sony, but with some restrictions that may be aimed at scalpers.
Almost a year after the launch, buying PlayStation 5 remains quite a challenge, especially if we want to buy it for a (relatively) normal price. Sony is aware of this and prepares a solution. Players will be able to purchase PS5 and DualSense controllers directly from the manufacturer, albeit under certain conditions.
Sony's offer will only apply to those living or registered in the US, and buying will by no means come down to adding the console to your cart. Interested users must register on a special page and then wait for a possible response from Sony. "Possible", because the company has introduced purchase restrictions for all included products (in addition to the PS5 and various DualSense variants the list includes the PS5 Media Remote and Pulse 3D wireless headphones).
There will be a maximum of one PlayStation 5 console per account in either the base or digital edition. Furthermore, once the application is accepted, Sony will set a deadline for the selected users to purchase the chosen products. Notifications are expected to be sent out next month.
This solution is probably the result of the scourge of scalpers, who continue to buy up PS5s (and more) en masse in order to sell them at much higher prices. Perhaps for the same reason Sony will select registered users based on "past PlayStation interests and activity". In other words, priority should be given to submissions from those who often used the PSN account (read: played on last-gen consoles). This limits the chance of applications from newly created accounts, often used by scalpers for bulk purchases, being accepted.
Of course, for European buyers this is just a curiosity, and also for American gamers it does not mean that all interested parties will get a chance to buy the console. Sony has not given any information about the available stock of PS5 and other products available through this initiative. There's probably not much to look forward to - the crisis in the market for components continues (for many reasons) and no one believes that the situation will improve in the near future.
