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PS3 eBay prices soar

Online auctions see Sony's next-gen consoles fetching between $2,000 and $15,000 on launch day.

There was little doubt that online auctions for Sony's PlayStation 3 would be commanding exorbitant prices after the system's launch at 12:01 a.m. this morning. With expected shortages around the country and gamers and scalpers alike camping out for days just for a chance at landing one of the systems, prices on preordered systems were routinely hitting the $1,500 mark a month before the system went on sale.

Now that the PlayStation 3 has hit the market and sellers have their systems in hand, prices for online auctions are soaring. A quick survey of eBay Friday morning found more than 10,000 listings for PS3 systems (although many had been taken down), with three auctions won by bids of $15,000 or more. However, it seemed most systems were going for between $2,500 and $5,000, with one "lucky" bidder snagging a PS3 for $2,250.

Auctions for Nintendo's Wii were less plentiful (a search yielded more than 1,100 listings for Wii systems) and were commanding lower sale prices, but some of the $250 consoles were going for several times their retail price, with one bundle including games and accessories topping the $1,400 mark.

685 Comments

  • _Sam_

    Posted Nov 26, 2006 10:53 am GMT

    I would never spend that much!

  • capthunt

    Posted Nov 21, 2006 9:00 am GMT

    Pfff you console ppl

  • Arch-l

    Posted Nov 21, 2006 7:13 am GMT

    well we live in plutocracy government everything based off money in america, if u have alot of money and earned it u can spend it w.e way u like. so people waste it on sumthing thats worth 20x less then what it does on ebay. they choosed to do so then fine. but don't attack them based on there desicion picking a 600 console OVER a HOUSE, OR a CAR, OR new pool etc. lolol but then again the people selling them on ebay think about it, they are the ones buying the HOUSE, CAR, AND new POOL. lol also idk why people call one person who owns this console and that a fanboy, but if u call them that then ur a fanboy as well. who ****ing cares if they like 360 over ps3 or wii over 360? honestly to tell u the truth i play games in general, shoot! i love playin as mario on gamecube, riding vehicles and blowing up aliens on halo, and snapping soldiers necks from behind in mgs. been playing handhelds from neogeo to gamgear to psp. for some reason i like the playstation consoles better for my own reasons everyone has likes and dislikes about the systems. but theres no need to go out on a forum and say stupid crap. o and anotherthing about this biased stuff......everyone is biased no matter what u say based on ur beliefs and what u value the most. so its not a big deal what im saying is biased right now and who ever reply's after this or responds to my post there comment will be biased as well. im gonna buy a wii since they have more in stock then a ps3 so all have all the new gen consoles. peace

  • jingwa

    Posted Nov 21, 2006 5:41 am GMT

    In all reality its Sony's job to make sure they have lots of Ps3's in stock, either way im glad im not a sony fan boy, id feel like a total retard buying one at ebay, even buying it at recomended retail makes me feel like id have to be missing a few brain cells.

    Either way im not surprised peops are willing to spend so much money, some of my friends are complete nutt jobs and dont seem to register how much there actually paying for it. However if next weekend when we conect our ps2.xbox.xbox360,gc and someone drags in a ps3 which cost them 2k, well im not going to complain, their money and im going to take advantage of that situation, more fun for all of us.

    With so many Wii's available for launch i wouldnt think there would be much demand for it on ebay, if you want a Wii nintendo have plenty of stock expected to ship almost weekly, so there is no reason why u cant get one unless your in a zone were it hasnt officially been released yet, but again if your willing to spend heaps of money on ebay, why not pay for some airline tickets and go grab one.

  • Thefrogcatcher

    Posted Nov 21, 2006 2:40 am GMT

    Who the hell is gonna buy the 10 mill one... seriously. i read the thing, it's 5 games, 4 controllers, talladega nights, and it gets hand delivered buy someone dressed as santa. Oh, and 10%-15% goes to charity. And even if you want to donate to charity be buying a PS3, why not buy the $25,000 one? 90% goes to charity.

    Maybe they think Bill Gates will buy a Sony product.

    Or Ken Kutarigi..

  • jd130oo

    Posted Nov 20, 2006 9:32 pm GMT

    NanoElite666,

    I couldn't be more agreed with you. You actually CAN buy a car with $15000, and ur gonna spend it on a PS3??? Please....!!! Give me a break!
    This social behavior is seen everywhere.... Even hollywood stars waste money like there's no tomorrow... A million dollar diamond, necklace, car, house...it's unacceptable, at least knowing that a lot of people in Central Africa and America are dying because of AIDS or extreme famine... Well to change that is gonna be very difficult (or imposible)...

  • ShadowTheHHFan

    Posted Nov 20, 2006 5:50 pm GMT

    Who the **** is going to buy it at that price? its like buying a coke can for 0.99$ with but the shipping is over 500$

  • AbrahamPenaloza

    Posted Nov 20, 2006 4:17 pm GMT

    just yesterday i found one at 3,000,000 with 5 bids

  • Generic_Dude

    Posted Nov 20, 2006 3:53 pm GMT

    Looks like some folks are selling photographs again too.

  • dragkill

    Posted Nov 20, 2006 3:53 pm GMT

    "Well dAmore we don't need to make fun of you...you easily and simply make fun of yourself. Don't you dare relate yourself in any way to me or for that matter anyone that has been to this site. thank you"

    Despite what he said, I'm feeling the same way to what Plays_4_Pants is, but at the same time, gamerZ1245 is no different either. Thought I don't agree the way he gamerZ said his argument, i do feel that paying 15,000 for a game system is pretty ridiculous. You can definitely have patience to wait to get the system, rather than needing to pay that much, just to have, for example, social status. Not only that, but first batch systems have problems at least 50% of the time one way or another.

  • Zoomer30

    Posted Nov 20, 2006 2:46 pm GMT

    I have time to wait, no sense in spending that kinda cash.

  • SolidusHo

    Posted Nov 20, 2006 2:19 pm GMT

    i have more money than sense... i think i'll buy a 911 turbo tomorrow

  • quain-chi

    Posted Nov 20, 2006 2:02 pm GMT

    some people truely have more money than sense

  • K_W_guru

    Posted Nov 20, 2006 2:00 pm GMT

    i would get in line for hours to get a PS3...then sell it. why? cuz never has a system came out without problems in the hardware. you get a system on launch day, you will be using your warranty within that year. so why not pay 600 and get 2000 and with that get another in the future when all the problems are fixed?

  • Plays_4_Pants

    Posted Nov 20, 2006 1:54 pm GMT

    Well dAmore we don't need to make fun of you...you easily and simply make fun of yourself. Don't you dare relate yourself in any way to me or for that matter anyone that has been to this site. thank you

  • subyman

    Posted Nov 20, 2006 1:40 pm GMT

    Old article. Wiis are now going for right over MSRP and there are over 20000 of them listed.

  • mc2k4

    Posted Nov 20, 2006 1:22 pm GMT

    Dipset! Dipset! Dipset!

  • joverstr2

    Posted Nov 20, 2006 1:09 pm GMT

    It's just Sony trying to recoup some of their losses.......

  • igl

    Posted Nov 20, 2006 1:06 pm GMT

    hihiuhuhuhuah ^__^ dont buy ps3! sent ur children to kellog instead!
    i bought a house for 15k.

  • mecabreraus

    Posted Nov 20, 2006 12:18 pm GMT

    What most people don't realize is that is not just the 600 you have to pay for the console, ... I you have in mind some games to buy right away the cost will go up to ... what ? 700, 800, 900, US, I still think it is just to stupid to get it for such insane amount of money I mean, 2.500 or up to 15.000 us, and no games? hahahaha, I will wait until May or July to get mine in Germany.
    Some people....

  • RaiderVC

    Posted Nov 20, 2006 11:53 am GMT

    I am going to agree with Foxhound. As irritating as it is to see these systems sell for so much money, it is the nature of a market economy. People never over pay for a good, so if someone is willing to pay $2,500 for a PS3, then all the power to them. Personally, I will be picking up a Xbox 360 this holiday season...

  • chickmagnet_1

    Posted Nov 20, 2006 11:18 am GMT

    http://video.google.com/videoplay?docid=5343608704156791739&q=ps3&hl=en

    Ok, I know these guys are pretty retarded, but I still can't help finding this video very enjoyable. God forbid some rich kid PS3 fanboy has to see these 2 people destroy a PS3. Oh no, it's the end of the world. Go cry to your mommy, little fanboy. awwwwww!!!! Sony, your new systems are overpriced. I played a PS3 in Walmart, I was playing Motorstorm. And although it was cool, it was nowhere near $600 cool. You must be out of your freakin mind. (Not to mention none of the games look all that great on anything but an HDTV, which I do not have. Those things add an extra cost to an already expensive system - whether it be PS3 or 360) As a matter of fact no system brings anything new to the table except for the Wii. And personally I'm getting pretty bored with the standard controls of videogames. Geeze, they have only been the same for the last 25 years!!!!! Anyway, enjoy this fabulous video.

  • foxhound421

    Posted Nov 20, 2006 10:59 am GMT

    "It should be illegal to auction game systems at higher than what they cost at the store. These people are making a profit off of a product someone else made by taking advantage of others, and I can't believe it's being allowed to go on.
    I mean, common decency too... if you don't want the game system, let someone else who does want it but it."

    are you effing kidding me? do you have any idea how our ecomomy works? i understand the point about letting others who actually want to play the system have them at launch, but making it ILLEGAL to sell something that you own for a profit? what the hell's wrong with you?

  • orionthescorpio

    Posted Nov 20, 2006 10:45 am GMT

    Perhaps this whole Ebay thing is Sony secretly selling PS3's to make up for the outrageous productions costs. LOL I just saw a PS3 on Ebay for 99 Million. Come on Ebay'ers, don't insult us!

  • Stumper

    Posted Nov 20, 2006 10:23 am GMT

    Gamespot take this "news" item down. It's completely misleading when Mr. Sinclair reports $15,000.00 sales without even attempting to verify the accuracy of his statement. Aren't you concerned with your image? Don't you want your readers to take you seriously? I could understand leaving this on the main page for a day, then realizing your mistake, but I've seen many others point out the fact that this "news" is erroneous... and it's been posted since Friday. I for one would like to be able to trust this site for gaming news, and ditch this tabloid headline and others like it.

  • Aizou

    Posted Nov 20, 2006 10:11 am GMT

    It should be illegal to auction game systems at higher than what they cost at the store. These people are making a profit off of a product someone else made by taking advantage of others, and I can't believe it's being allowed to go on.
    I mean, common decency too... if you don't want the game system, let someone else who does want it but it.

  • ekimis

    Posted Nov 20, 2006 10:04 am GMT

    DoubleDragon1: Youre absolutely right, I dont disagree with you on any level and its indeed simple economics of supply and demand. I was just expressing that the only way you could ever have some kind of control would be to take away the medium that allows this type of action. (And we know that would never happen nor should it) Its totally not eBays place to police this nor would they shoot themselves in the foot and walk away from tons of business including monstrous hits from people who are curious. But it would be nice in these situations if the systems actually made it into the hands of the people that use them first and not a sell for profit guy. (I have my own stories if you cant tell.) Plus it would be naive to think that the console developers wouldnt want this given the free publicity/marketing theyre getting. Again my point in a gamers mind of a perfect world; it would be great if a person that invests a ton of money over the life of a system could get the privilege of owning one on release. But yes, if an idiot wants to pay $2,700 for a $600 system, by all means knock yourself out.

  • alrector81

    Posted Nov 20, 2006 9:53 am GMT

    Please keep in mind that any of those rediculous bids (over $3,000) were probably done by eBay users with a feedback of (0), meaning that someone probably just setup a new account so they could make an insanely high bid on an auction, that they have no intention of paying for (just to ruin the auction). Do you REALLy think that someone is going to pay $15,000 for a PS3? Unless that seller comes out and says that it actually sold for that much money, and he has the money in the bank, I don't believe it in the least. Don't be taken in by the hype. I doubt that many consoles sold for much more than $3,000. Personally, I think anyone who spent more than $1,000 on the PS3 is crazy... but hey, to each his own. I'll just wait out the Winter, and pick one up after the glitches are fixed, and the availability is normal.

  • raist2021

    Posted Nov 20, 2006 9:46 am GMT

    Ahh the console wars and need to be first always brings out the best in people ; ) At first reaction I was upset to hear someone paid 15K for a console but then again it's THEIR money and the same people pay 100's for t-shirts and 1000's for jackets, etc so whatever if they want to waste thir money it's their choice... I will be waiting for 6 months before buying mine in hope the nutjobs will go back in their caves by then ; )

  • Arkdragon

    Posted Nov 20, 2006 9:45 am GMT

    THAT IS JUST SAD !!! i want a ps3 but im not going to spend 1500 gran no way, whta are they thinking, i don't find the words to discribe that foolishness, come on wait , the ps3 does not have good damn games.

  • NanoElite666

    Posted Nov 20, 2006 9:31 am GMT

    Oh wow... As much as I want a PS3 and as desperate as I am to get one, paying $15,000 for one is unaccaptable. Whoever pays that much for a game console needs to be removed from the gene pool immediately! There's more important things to spend fifteen grand on, like a car or college tuition... That's just pathetic...

  • ZombieDr

    Posted Nov 20, 2006 9:22 am GMT

    holy crap what is wrong with these idiots spending more than 10 grand just for a game system. I mean seriously what is with people just throwing away their money for a game system. It's like most Sony fans are extremely wealthy.

  • biggerbob2

    Posted Nov 20, 2006 8:09 am GMT

    so my question is... why didnt sony just auction them all away from the start?

  • cloudstrife75

    Posted Nov 20, 2006 7:58 am GMT

    Why would someone want to pay more than 1000$ for a game console worth 600$???

    That still leaves me in awe... Why are people so impatient?

  • starstreak7

    Posted Nov 20, 2006 7:27 am GMT

    ridiculous, all of this, Sony is Lucky they are rich as heck!

  • videogamesjunki

    Posted Nov 20, 2006 7:25 am GMT

    Its disgusting, but its also smart business. I also waited months before I bought a 360. I'll wait just as long for a PS3, but I did want a Wii (and Zelda). The last console generation of pre-orders, I remember having 3-4 weeks of time to pre-order a Gamecube, PS2 or X-box. This generation, the general public knows they can make money during the console launch and holiday season. The idea had been gaining ground for years, after the N-64 and Elmo shortages almost a decade ago. Pre-orders for the PS3 and Wii sold out in minutes. Launch day was no better, with people camping out up to 4 days in advance for the PS3 and 1-2 days for the Wii. Now there are about 18,000 auctions (for both PS3 *and* Wii) on Ebay. I won't purchase a console on Ebay and pay a premium of anywhere from 100% to 450% just to receive a console that should have been available if the greedy masses hadn't exploited this season. Its good to know the "holiday of giving" has become the "holiday of price-gouging."

  • amar1234

    Posted Nov 20, 2006 7:21 am GMT

    One lucky bidder snagging the PS 3 for $2,250 !!!!! I think lucky is not the correct word , unless the bidder was a multi millionaire with no ties or responsibilities (even then I would say what a weirdo, since celebrities and the influential all get the PS 3 for free a day before launch) .

    No this dude made a big mistake, and was extremely unlucky for winning. What i don't get is why don't Sony themselves just jack the price up if plonkers like this are willing to pay thousands anyway. At least this way the money goes to the people who worked for the money and not unscrupulous scam artists who bought all the PS 3's just so that they can extort poor misguided fools who will pay thousands of dollars for a $500 product.

    from what i hear Sony are actually selling the PS 3 at a loss so that people can afford it and that enough folks buy it. What is the point in that !! If there are not enough consoles to go around and folks have to spend thousnads to get a console because greedy people bought loads of PS 's for themselves to sell.

    I think if people were clever they would refuse to bid on consoles that demand more money than they are worth. This way all the greedy pigs who bought out stores and all the corrupt mangers who didn't sell any consoles over the counter will feel the sting of losing out instead of the common gamer.

    Once the greedy folks have lost all their money on non selling PS 3 they will never try that scam again.

    So please everyone refuse to buy a PS 3 on ebay if they ask more money than it's worth. The very first PS 3 are also clocked lower than what the PS 3 should be. It will also have many bugs and niggles that will take some time to iron out. Why do you think there are so few consoles. It's because they are having problems with them .

    Next years Ps 3 will have their gpu clocked back it's original 550mhz instead of 500mhz and should have less bugs.

    The PS 3 will also be widley available next year, so juwst wait if you couldn't get it at launch. Don't be a sucker .

  • gskehans97

    Posted Nov 20, 2006 7:05 am GMT

    yeah...ok...If u wanna pay that much by all meansgo right ahead.i waited like 6 months after for my xbox360 and y can't ya do the same er wait even longer?

  • chrisdojo

    Posted Nov 20, 2006 6:57 am GMT

    dang, i should have preordered....

  • The_Weekend

    Posted Nov 20, 2006 6:35 am GMT

    Auction ... the last resort to get high demand items ...

  • King_Dodongo

    Posted Nov 20, 2006 6:20 am GMT

    I love how much the sony fanboys cried when the system smashers came and destroyed a PS3 in front of them. Piece of BS in much $$$$

  • theragu40

    Posted Nov 20, 2006 5:39 am GMT

    "You can spend some time in Beijing. *wink*"

    "Wink"? Jesus lord, what is that supposed to mean?

  • Sanguis_Malus

    Posted Nov 20, 2006 5:17 am GMT

    Foolish consumerism !

  • Solid_RAG

    Posted Nov 20, 2006 3:55 am GMT

    just saw a person buy it for 27,599 last night >.>

  • Tikimotel

    Posted Nov 20, 2006 3:24 am GMT

    Saw the number and could resist....

    10.000!!!? You can almost buy your own ship for that!!!
    Look, kid, who's gonne fly it....

    15.000!!!, these guy's must really be desparate. This is really going to save my neck...

  • mrrasta

    Posted Nov 20, 2006 2:31 am GMT

    I was in one of the electronics markets on Nov. 17 picking up Gears of War and saw PS3 consoles going for 6,000 RMB which is around 750US. That was the price without negotiating. How those systems got there is another matter. In China items like this tend to "fall off the back of trucks".

    If anyone is feeling desperate they can get a PS3 for $750 plus the $1200 plane ticket. The price is still under two grand and you can spend some time in Beijing. *wink*

  • DoubleDragon1

    Posted Nov 19, 2006 11:33 pm GMT

    Gotta love seeing the Free market economy in action. Demand and supply in it's purest form. Just proves that there are some subjects in school that actually apply to real life (like Economics). I really don't feel sorry for anyone who decides to pay an extra few grand for something that isn't planning on going anywhere whether or not you have at that very instant or not. If the buyer wants to pay extra just to have that item right now, then by all means. I just hope they realize that more will be coming in the upcoming months... As for Ekimis, I respect your opinion and agree with you to a certain extent,however, I don't think Ebay should be held directly accountible for the actions of it's users as long as both the buyer and seller are in agreeance in regards to their transaction. I think if someone wants to pay 10 times the amount something is worth (or something we would never dream of paying that amount) fully knowing that they will be able to get that same item at a later date (and more likely cheaper), then go for it. Ebay is just the facilitator and as long as both parties agree, then let nature take its course. I dont agree with IF Ebay knowningly allowed transactions that both parties did not agree to or come to terms with. Anyways, if any moron is going to spend thousands more just so he can claim that he was the first one on the block that had it 15 minutes earlier than little Jimmy down the street, all the power to you. I'll admit I don't exactly like seeing dirtbags who just comes in to these frenzies just to profit from these exchanges and if little johnny goes without a new system because of such activities. But at the same time, people then can't complain about such actions because that is just the ecnomic wheels spinning it's course. It sucks to see such things but that is life.

  • SuaveSavant19

    Posted Nov 19, 2006 11:31 pm GMT

    santiago_gallo
    poor guys those who got their ps3's stolen, surely the thieves auctioned them on Ebay.............................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................I saw on the news that one guy got shot (don't know if he was killed or not) because he wouldn't hand over his recently purchased PS3 to a thief.

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