If you've been trying to buy a PS5 over the last few weeks and today on launch day, you probably noticed how difficult it's been. There aren't any units available in-store because of COVID-19 and online stock sells out within a minute. Those of you lucky enough to get a PS5 in your checkout cart may then encounter website errors. Ultimately, you're left without a PS5.
A PS5 just isn't worth $1,000. It might not even be worth $500 for some.
Many systems have been bought up by bots or resellers looking to make a quick buck. A quick search on eBay for PS5 shows us countless PS5 listings asking for well over $1,000 (opens in new tab) at the very least. Some people are asking for upwards of $1,500, three times the $499 MSRP. The same goes for the PS5 Digital Edition (opens in new tab), which normally retails for $399 MSRP but is selling for over $1,000. It's still cheaper than the regular PS5, but still not enough to warrant you going for reseller.
As much as I lauded the console in my PS5 review, it just isn't worth $1,000. In fact, given the state the economy is in due to the COVID-19 pandemic, I'd wager for a lot of people it isn't worth $500, either. Nearly every game on PS5 right now, barring Demon's Souls and Godfall, is also available on PS4. The PS4 isn't suddenly obsolete because the PS5 came out, and Sony has committed to bringing its biggest upcoming games, like Horizon Forbidden West, for the next couple of years its last-gen system.
I realize it's hard to talk when I've had a PS5 for a couple of weeks now, but I also know how it feels to be left out of a console launch. The PS5 is the first console I have ever had on release date or prior, the reason simply being I just didn't have the money growing up to buy new consoles at the drop of a hat. A lot of people don't this time around either.
You can probably wait a few more months into the new year when it'll be easier — maybe not easy, but easier — to find PS5s in-stock for its normal $500 retail price. All of those games will still be waiting for you to buy from the PlayStation Store. I promise you're not missing anything major. And this of it this way, you won't have to deal with any of those day one bugs that people inevitably run into.
Next-gen is finally here
You can try to buy a PS5 right now, and it's set to be Sony's most powerful console with a super fast SSD, 3.5GHz CPU, and 10.28 TFLOP GPU. Please wait until retailers have more in-stock before turning to scalpers.
Leave physical games behind
The PS5 Digital Edition packs in every bit of greatness the standard PS5 does, and does it for just $399. It might not have a disc drive, but the future is heading towards a more digital age every day.
