Since its release on Nov. 12, the PS5 has been one of the most highly sought after pieces of technology in the world. Despite selling four million units thus far, it’s still extremely difficult to acquire one, with unannounced drops typically selling out in minutes.
Retailers like Walmart and Target offer these unannounced drops in order to lower the traffic on their websites. The shift to online shopping over the past year due to the pandemic has even further exacerbated the difficulties of buying a PS5, as more people are trying to get the console through these exclusively online drops.
Although the PS5 is technically advanced, there are various other reasons as to why so many people want one. Scalpers, those who buy a PS5 with the intent to sell it at a higher price, have run rampant through the entire process. Online marketplace website StockX has reportedly sold 80,000 on their website since the PS5’s launch.
For others, simply the high demand and hype surrounding owning a PS5 is reason enough. Robert Grace ’21 initially wanted to buy a PS5 to resell, but ultimately decided that he “didn’t want to be that guy.” Now, Grace “[doesn’t] really know why [he] wanted to buy one.” For those like Grace who are looking to purchase a PS5, these unannounced drops may be their best chance.
In early December, Grace started following an array of accounts with notifications on in order to get notified when these unannounced drops take place. Even with these notifications, Grace encountered significant trouble, admitting that “I didn’t think it was going to be this challenging.”
Reflecting on the experience, Grace says that it was “100% worth it…been gamin’ ever since.”
