Should Sony require new PS5 buyers to be forced to buy 2-3 digital or physical games to reduce scalping?

How the hell would a reseller be able to scalp game codes and physical games and still make as much bank? Its gonna be a huge haggle for them to sell off the extra stuff just to get the PS5 for resell.

This is what I would do...when you check out on amazon/target/bestbuy for a PS5 you have to choose 3 games out of 20 games codes or physical options....(I don't really care about physical anymore) but yeah and than when you pick 3 60-70 dollars games you can buy the ps5 finally and it lets you check out.

Now scalpers would have 3 games tacked on to their purchase and need to resell the ps5 for a higher price just to break even and its gonna be a total crap show for them since people aren't willing pay that high of a price anymore. The whales are dying out finally and most of them already have a PS5 now.

I should be in charge of this kind of stuff Sony, we've seen forced bundles work in the past. Why the hell aren't they out there right now!? Right when we need them the most to combat scalpers.

Make the scalpers buy 3 games make them have to resell those games with the ps5 don't just give em straight up ps5's make scalper's life hell.

nobody cares about ps5, nothing worth playing so who even cares if the price is high. Their supply issues are only helping xbox and people are playing tons of games on xbox. I am planning to get a ps5 in 2 or 3 years once the games I want release. Until then, people can continue to scalp the shit out of ps5...only fools are buying it at the moment anyway and these people need to get ripped off every penny.

na dude i need ps5 im willing buy 3 games straight up if I can buy it at retail pricing. I'm not messing with scalpers I never mess with scalpers in my life I don't like those people I don't trust em i don't like em I don't buy from them I buy retail only.

JFC try some punctuation, Protoss.

No.

Got Spider-Man MM and Drmonsouls when I got mine and was 100% ok with it as I wanted those games to begin with.

I owned one then sold it, it wasn't worth it. If you have a ps4, then it makes even less sense to own a ps5. Alot of the hype over it is FOMO, but these people are just fools, and like I said they deserve to get ripped off. If I wanted a ps5 or whatever as much as you did, I would buy it from a scalper. I mean, time is the important thing, what is that worth to you? So you lose an extra $100 buying from a scalper, thats not worth much, even if you're working a minimum wage job. If you want something bad enough, then pay the extra to a scalper. Free market and all.

I'm pretty sure GameStop does forced bundles and, it doesn't really do much to stop scalpers.

They'll just end up reselling the physical game or, digital voucher.

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The only real long term solution is to produce a ton more consoles and actually get them on shelves.

Yeah but gamestop sucks they make you buy extra controllers and garbage you don't want... its different when you get to choose the games you want and it being on the bigger sites like amazon. Barely anyone especially scalpers are even using gamestop anymore.

Just stop selling them online, and have in person retail as the only option. COVID was the excuse before, but now there's no reason people can't waddle into a store.

I can't help but think that this desire for PS5 is insanely inflated. There aren't any games for it that I need, much less want, so I have zero interest in actually owning one. And anecdotally, two of my friends are already having problems with their controllers, after only minimal use. I have no desire to support new hardware, cobbled together under these goofy supply constraints, without any games I want. No thanks

Yeah...that would boost sales.🤭

I would buy Returnal, Lego Skywalker Saga Deluxe edition, and Elden Ring on PS5 if I can get a retail PS5.

I'm a consumer SONY DO THIS CRAP let me buy my 3 games with your system for $600 or $700 and i would prefer digital so i want digital codes with it thats so much money you and the retailer make together.

Thats like $70+$70+$70 so $210 for games + $400 for the digital PS5 for around $610

id slam down $600 bux for PS5 digital or 700 for a PS5 physical and 3 digital games ez. F the scalpers they want the $600-$700 for themselves with no games they are ripping people off.

No, all they would have to do is require a PSN account before purchasing to help prevent scalping. Sell through the PS Store and not 3rd party stores.

Wut?

@zerothehero: protoss, don't be cheap just pay the scalpers

Scalpers scalp because people buy from them. You don't need a PS5. Nobody needs a PS5. If people refused to pay crazy inflated prices to these people then they'd drop like flies. Mind you, I blame them first and foremost for being the opportunists and taking advantage of people who just want to play games and have fun. But if you're looking for solutions to people taking advantage of each other - usually there aren't easy solutions - this is at least a case where we have complete control over whether we get taken advantage of. Just so no to drugs!

Agreed man i can't stand scalpers what you think about this idea though it could hurt bots if they have to pickout 3 games from a list an stuff?

Sony could care less about you mate. Sony love scalpers. Sony could do like Nintendo and make you have online membership, butSony is so stupid.

No. There are other much better ways to reduce scalping. Ways that don’t force extra fees on legitimate customers.

Yeah but most people are gonna buy 1-3 games when they pickup a new console anyway so they have something to play I don't see an issue of forcing it. What are you gonna do just buy the system and just chill with it and no games?

@zerothehero: They can do whatever they want with it. Forcing people to buy a game, or even worse multiple games when they get a new system just isn’t very consumer friendly.

Awww shut up. Xbox's only claim to fame is being the Starfield box, which it will look the worst on Series consoles. Looking at the Xbox top ten it's a next gen Fortnite console anyway 🤣

The only way to deal with scalpers is not buying them, but that is not going to happen.

Honestly, scalpers aren't even the problem. It's the complete lack of self control and patience that has become more commonplace in modern society. People who just can't say "no" to having the latest console as soon as possible and will incentivize scalpers by paying the stupid prices required to get it. Honestly, people who get ripped off by scalpers are what is causing the problem for everyone else, and they deserve every penny they get ripped off for because if nobody was willing to pay above retail, there would be no profit in scalping, and there would be no scalping.

It's likely the same assholes that keep micro transactions, loot boxes, and those $90+ "deluxe edition" scams alive too. It's simple folks, learn how to say "no."

Omg you just gave me a horrible idea...What if Sony+Microsoft actually like getting these boxes in scalpers hands cuz there more whaleish with there money.... Dude thats mindbending. What if they like to make more money off these suckers since there a chip shortage and maybe they did some research and found that out they spend more on stuff.

Now im pissed and im probably skipping this generation and waiting for ps6 cuz this is sick there not doing crap for us. I can wait another gen at this point its been 2-3 years now its already half over and I can't find a ps5 I can easily sit this one out till next gen now ive got PC ive got a switch. If sony doesn't want me they don't want me.

Welcome to the incredible thought process of Protuss.

The way valve did steam deck showed infinitely more thought than Sony and Microsoft put together. Sony and Ms court the scalpers.... Valve destroyed them.

Yeah wasn't it first come first serve and people didn't have to get lucky its more like just waiting your turn in line right?

Yes... Even right now, 5 bucks will reserve your spot in line. Need to have had a steam account with a purchase on it too I believe. Hopefully others have taken notice of this. I have zero problem waiting if I know I'm in a spot in line. It's being a savage I dislike... Don't want to crawl over people or track a best buy truck across the state. Just give me a spot in line and an email when it's ready.

No!! lol :P

So instead of costing 500 dollars (or whatever it runs) it will cost 710 dollars? Remember, Sony be charging 70 dollars now!

Anyway, there are better ways to fight scalping:

• Punish stores that sell more than one per customer.
• Use investigators to make sure the above isn't happening.
• Track IP's, shipping address, etc for online sales.

I don't know I'm not a sales or logistics guy, but I think there are other tools in the toolbox they could be using than sometihng as lazy and draconian as "force people to buy games".

Of course, this assumes Sony actually wants to stop scalpers, and frankly why would they? Because they care? BWAHAHAHAHAHA

The theory is instead of buyiing a scalped ps5 for 700 dollars you can get it at retail and 3 games for 700 dollars so you don't feel screwed.

Everyone buys atleast one game anyway when you buy a new system thats just reality imo.

This would really hurt scalpers IMO and help regular gamers who just want retail prices and to buy there one or three games all at retail prices. no forced second controllers or wacky charge stations just pure games that you would get to pick out yourself from a big list. I wanna see scalpers suffer more is all.

So, your solution is to punish customers in order to stop scalpers?

Not everyone can afford to buy 2 or 3 games at release.

The problem we have is online retailers have no incentive to spend money to prevent scalpers. A sale is a sale.

We need Sony and MS to require online stores to have some sort of bot protection. I get that they can't just sell the hardware exclusively (retailers wouldn't carry games without consoles) but they need to ensure retailers have systems in place.

Most hometown retailers (Walmart, target, Amazon, etc) are easily exploited by browser extensions. For example, the honey app crawls these sites for discounts. You could easily create an extension or bot that crawls for restock, which they do.

Easy solution would be exclude new hardware, at least for time, from being included in these extension or algorithms. That's the LEAST they could do, but then again they are willingly giving up immediate sales which they don't like to do because inventory space costs money

Three 9s and one 10 last year from MS. So good luck with that argument.

Ironically, it's only salty cows who bring up Starfield.

I hate forced bundles, so I'm out.

So you instead prefer the status quo of just paying a high price for just the unit itself from a scalper whos running buy bots on all the retail websites because theres no checks and balances like bundles screwing there margins?

I've been buying bundles all the time I had Darth Vader Battlefront PSP, Mario Duck Hunt NES, BloodBorne/Last of Us PS4 bundle, Call of Duty AW XB1

I usually buy 2 games right away with a system at launch or a bundled system etc. I dunno why you don't like games you confuse me sir.

Who said I'd buy from scalpers? I'll just wait, just like I won't buy computer hardware at the current inflated price. Anyone buying from scalpers deserves to be the hustled. There would be no scalpers if people refused the prices.

I have nothing against buying games with a console, I just don't like forced bundles. It reeks of that horseshit franchise video game retail stores used to pull. "we'll sell you a console, but only if you buy all this crap with it".

Plus bundles is more of a Playstation thing. I'd just get an Xbox with Gamepass.

@HalcyonScarlet: You are trying to have a discussion with Protoss 2.0. 🤔

It is interesting that many on this forum want Sony or the retailers to do something with scalping while not blaming the consumers who contribute to supporting the practice. What Eoten had said before me is true.

Consumers: have self-control, be patient, and have discernment! You will not die if you do not own a PS5.