PS5 scalpers apparently secured '2000+' orders from Game

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PS5 stock sold out fast

PS5
(Image credit: Sony)

PS5 stock reappeared briefly at Game yesterday (January 19), but predictably sold out in a matter of minutes. While demand for PS5 continues to be extremely high, it appears that a group of scalpers might have made things a lot more difficult for those still searching where to buy PS5. 

As spotted by VGC, a social media account by the name of Carnage Bot bragged that its users had managed to secure over 2,000 checkouts at Game. The account was soon targeted by a wave of angry consumers, which led it to lock its profile.

PS5 scalpers

(Image credit: Twitter)

A Game spokesperson has since assured VGC that it will be checking pre-orders to ensure that only one PS5 is sold per customer, which could mean we see more PS5 stock return if some orders are deemed invalid.

“PlayStation 5’s continue to be in very high demand and that demand far outweighs current supply," Game said. "We have strong measures in place to help ensure that our ‘1 per customer’ statement is maintained to allow for as many individual customers to successfully purchase as possible.

“All pre-orders are subject to automatic checks and order updates such as cancellations following these checks take place after a customer will have received a valid order confirmation email. At the present time these orders are still pre-orders and as such no payments have yet been taken from customers.  Payments will commence once our order checks have been completed.”

The majority of shoppers who logged on to Game were placed in an online queue, and while a few people will have secured a PS5, an “out of stock” screen quickly appeared to inform customers that no more consoles were available. Some PS5 Digital Edition console bundles also appeared, but again, they didn't last long. 

Robot wars

Bots have continued to plague retailers and anger consumers as scalpers look to snap up any PS5 and Xbox Series X stock as soon as it becomes available. US retailer Walmart blocked a staggering 20 million bots in the first 30 minutes of its PS5 stock event, which took place on November 25. 

Bots are able to checkout and react to consoles coming in stock far quicker than any human possible can, and with millions of bots monitoring the web for PS5 consoles, it shows the challenge that retailers face while demand continues to far outstrip supply.

We're doing our best to keep you informed as soon as any PS5 stock appears, so stay tuned to TechRadar for all the latest updates. You'll find all the quick links you'll need to a buy a PS5 in the UK below. 

Where to buy PS5

Adam Vjestica
Adam Vjestica

Adam was formerly TRG's Hardware Editor. A law graduate with an exceptional track record in content creation and online engagement, Adam has penned scintillating copy for various technology sites and also established his very own award-nominated video games website. He’s previously worked at Nintendo of Europe as a Content Marketing Editor and once played Halo 5: Guardians for over 51 hours for charity. He is now an editor at The Shortcut.