Best Buy is currently selling a stock of PlayStation 5 consoles, but only to those who pay into a $200 tech protection plan. Sony’s new-generation console released back in November 2020, but supplies of the new system have been extremely low so far. While the PlayStation 5 is readily available in China, gamers in other countries such as the United States are having a tough time getting their hands on the console.
Since the launch of the PlayStation 5 and Xbox Series X/S back in November 2020, both systems have been extremely hard to acquire. A majority of retailers are only selling the systems through digital storefronts, and when stores restock they are very quickly sold out again. This is bit different in China, however, seeing as Chinese retailers are selling PlayStation 5 in-store and there seems to be an abundance of stock. This is mostly attributed to the Chinese market’s preference for mobile and PC gaming over consoles. Best Buy received an in-store PS5 restock back in September, allowing some North American gamers to acquire the elusive console before stores were quickly sold out once again.
A report from Video Games Chronicle reveals that Best Buy recently began selling a limited stock of PlayStation 5 consoles online. However, the sale was limited to those customers who pay for the company’s Totaltech technology protection plan. This subscription costs $200 annually and gives customers boons like 24-hour tech support and free delivery. Exclusive access to hardware sales is not listed as one of the primary benefits of Totaltech, but Best Buy reserved the rare console anyway. The Totaltech requirement effectively increased the price of a PlayStation 5 by an additional $200.
The console war between Sony, Microsoft and Nintendo has been going on for generations, with fans of each company striving to acquire their newest consoles. New-generation systems give gamers access to high-end gaming hardware, as well as beloved console-exclusive games which serve to draw in new customers. However, PlayStation Head Jim Ryan recently expressed displeasure at console exclusivity, since the practice bars certain gamers from accessing certain games. Ryan’s goal is to allow hundreds of millions of players to enjoy PlayStation-exclusive titles, which can not come to fruition while PlayStation 5 stocks are so low.
Stocks of the PlayStation 5 and Xbox Series X/S have remained frustratingly low, and distributors like Best Buy are taking advantage of gamers’ desperation. Limiting console sales to those who pay an additional $200 for Totaltech is a clear way for the company to make additional profits off of high demand and low supply. While Best Buy is now sold out of PlayStation 5 consoles, it is unfortunately very likely that future restocks will only be sold to Totaltech subscribers.
Source: Video Game Chronicle
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