MANAMA: A shortage in supply of a popular video game console, released globally yesterday, has already sparked a secondary market in the kingdom, as parents scramble to buy one in time for the holiday season.
The Sony PlayStation 5 (PS5) was only available to those who had pre-ordered and paid in advance.
Within hours, however, it was clear that the demand for the system far outpaced the supply as unopened consoles were being posted on social media for as much as BD900 apiece.
“I have been looking to find one all day – I’ve tried Bahrain, the US, the UK and Australia,” 34-year-old Bayden Tierney, who lives in Riffa Views, told the GDN.
“I want one for my two sons before Christmas. Santa must always deliver... even if their dad completely forgot to pre-order one when it was announced! When I tried to pre-order it in October, it had already sold out.”
He added that his sons, Cooper, eight, and Rupert, three, enjoyed gaming on the PS4 and he was sure they would be ‘disappointed’ if the newest console wasn’t wrapped under the Christmas tree – and so would he!
“I have gamed on all the PlayStations since the PS1 and to this day, that’s our primary gaming platform, even though we have an Xbox in the house, which we mainly use for media applications, like Netflix.”
Mr Tierney spent hours yesterday searching on eBay, finding pre-ordered digital-only PS5s going for as much as £900 (BD448). The store price for these is £359 (BD179).
Mr Teirney’s queue online waiting for a PS5
The standard console is available in Bahrain for BD222, with demand heating up, as a second wave of production before the holiday season is yet to be announced.
LuLu Hypermarket was one of the outlets in the kingdom that delivered on its promise ... in more ways than one. It dropped off pre-ordered consoles to the homes of excited gaming customers.
One young Bahraini, however, who pre-ordered a console on September 17 when it was first announced, had a double delight in store.
He ended up with an extra one after his brother surprised him with a PS5 for his birthday.
“I had no idea that he had ordered one for me too, so I decided to sell the extra one,” said the 27-year-old, from Saar, who asked not to be named.
“I put the extra PS5 up for sale for BD410, including a number of accessories and a game. In total, including the accessories, it had cost me almost BD390, so I only priced it BD20 more than cost.
“Since I am a gamer myself, I didn’t want to take undue advantage of the situation and I think everyone should be able to get one without having to break the bank.
“I listed it this afternoon and within three hours, I had sold it.”
The PS4 sold 4.5 million units within the first two months and the PS5 is expected to beat that, with some estimates suggesting that as many as five million units may be sold by the end of the year.
Demand for the PS5, which offers cutting-edge graphics, faster load times, a redesigned controller and backward compatibility with PS4 games, has been intensified by a pandemic which has seen more and more of those under lockdown turn to gaming. Meanwhile, supply chains remain strained as the pandemic affects production too.
Analysts expect the shortage to last until 2021.
While the secondary market and the associated overpricing may be a viable option for many parents striving to find a console, Mr Tierney refuses to pay over the odds.
“My wife would kill me if I paid too much, so I’m going to hope for a second wave of PS5s to be announced,” the young dad said.
“In the meantime, I am going to keep scouring the Internet to find an extra unit at retail price, or close to it. I have been waiting for more than four hours at an online store trying to get one!”
One of the lucky gamers able to get a PS5
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