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'Guerrilla' sales, crowdsourcing: Japan's game console crunch

12 Comments
By Mathias CENA

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12 Comments
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Maybe they should do something against those resellers that are selling the consoles for a higher price! Especially on Rakuten. I know few Japanese that are trying to get the console just to make money

2 ( +2 / -0 )

There is a PS5? I still have the PS3, but only use it for watching DVDs. Lol.

-2 ( +1 / -3 )

It’s crazy that these two devices are two years deep and still hard to find in Japan.

these have become easy to get on shelves or online through actual retail in other regions, it’s just Japan that is struggling against resellers still.

1 ( +2 / -1 )

Personal experience. I haven’t been able to find a PS5 outside of 2nd hand stores selling them for double the price for the past 2 years. I also haven’t seen any games that hooked me into the system. I tried Xbox cloud gaming (Forza) on a whim with T440p and now I’m hooked and likely buying a Series S in the next 4 months. I’ll still buy PS5 if I come across one for MSRP, but it’s no longer a priority and I have no desire upgrade my ps plus account past the basic online plan.

2 ( +3 / -1 )

idk about Sony or Microsoft

But They pulled this nonsense with the Switch a few years back.

Nintendo loves making their products have a feeling of false scarcity to raise buzz for their product in Japan.

it was so much easier just to go to the states and buy one. After I came back, it was still hard to find a switch, for at least 6 more months.

of course that was pre corona…..

2 ( +3 / -1 )

what are these people talking about?

everytime I go to big Book Off Super Bazaar stores in the outskirts of Tokyo (Kawasaki, Saitama, Hachioji, Chiba) I see a few PS5 on sale. Maybe these people don't like spotless "second hand" stuff?

0 ( +2 / -2 )

I paid ¥69,000 on Mericari in April 2021 brand new (list is ¥55,000), and have been enjoying it thoroughly. Certainly worth the extra money to get it with no stress 15 months ago. Just starting to become pretty easy to buy in the US, but airline tickets are through the roof LOL

0 ( +2 / -2 )

Grown people obsessed with toys Giz

It takes all sorts larry. Cheaper than golf which is in itself basically a toy.

10 ( +12 / -2 )

This article does not make any sense. What shortage, what drought? Playstation 5 could be easily ordered throughout the last 2 years since it's release. Just go to Mercari or Kakaku and you can buy your PS5 in 5 minutes (As you could for the last 2 years).

Stop dreaming about a Playstation for 55,000¥ though. You will need to wait forever to get one for MSRP. But that has nothing to do with the availability of the consoles themselves.

-12 ( +0 / -12 )

Grown people obsessed with toys Giz

-13 ( +4 / -17 )

A couple of people I know got tired of waiting for the PS5 and went for a gamin PC instead, apparently Steam is a better replacement and they are very happy with the change now. If companies are not doing enough to discourage skalpers that buy every console available to resell at a huge profit, it makes it hard to feel bad for them when they can no longer sell the games.

3 ( +5 / -2 )

You can pick up an Xbox series s from Yodobashi or Bic Camera easily. Might not be the choice for most people but they’re still pretty decent. Or you could try Xbox cloud gaming without forking out for a console. Can play on your PC, android or iPhone. Can even use Fortnite on your iPhone through cloud gaming if that’s what you’re into.

But, JT, why no link to this guy’s site?

4 ( +5 / -1 )

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