The most recent console, the PlayStation 5, or better known as the PS5, was released in November of 2020, and almost a year later, is still in high demand with low availability. Retailers around the world are practically begging for an opportunity to buy the console, and yet Sony has none to deliver.  

  For starters, the COVID-19 pandemic started supply chain shortages. Many goods and services around the world are in a shortage, and it does not end with PS5’s. Computer chips, a vital component in anything relating to technology, has been one of the goods hit the hardest. 

   What used to be millions of consoles being spit into stores and other retailers is now large department stores wishing they had a chance to get the new technology. However, the problems do not stop there.

   Retailers that can consistently get their hands on it, like GameStop, Walmart, Amazon and Target, all have the same issue of scalpers. “Scalper” is a term for those who set up multiple bots, or automated algorithms, to buy every single quantity a store has in stock online. Most scalpers buy the consoles to increase their profit margin and make money off of the console, driving the price up and letting these consoles seem “impossible” to get otherwise.

   Many websites have tried to end the journey of scalpers, such as Walmart’s online queue and rule for one console per address. However, they rarely work. Most scalpers have their bots set up to multiple IP addresses, therefore making the precautions Walmart has set in place practically useless.

   Between supply chain shortages and scalpers, the consoles are rare. Consistent restocks happen for paid members on BestBuy, Walmart and other retailers, but they still are not easy to get.

   But when in doubt, Twitter it out. As many problems as Twitter has caused in scalping, many devoted gamers have set up bots to watch for restocks and alert their Twitter followers. For more information on upcoming restocks and 24-hour surveillance, a couple accounts to follow are @PS5restocks_etc and @CameronRitz.