Divisive PlayStation Portal is already being scalped for a fortune
Despite the PlayStation Portal releasing yesterday, it is almost impossible to find.
Pre-orders for the handheld accessory sold out almost immediately, and anyone hoping to grab the device for themselves on launch day has had a tough time, largely due to scalpers buying stocks up.
The PlayStation Portal has sold out at all major retailers
The PlayStation Portal released on 15 November for £199, however it quickly sold out.
Retailers including Argos, Amazon, Smyths Toys, and the PlayStation Direct website have all run out of stock of the new handheld device.
PlayStation’s UK website encourages anyone who wants to purchase the handheld to come back at a later date.
The website says: “Not in stock? We’re working hard to make more stock available. Please check back on Wednesday 22nd November.”
The US site appears to have a similar message, however instead encourages players to come back in early December.
The original amount of stock which Sony set aside for the debut of the Portal is unknown, however the Amazon listing does state that more than 1000 units have been sold in the last month.
Given how niche the device’s audience is, it is likely that there was a limited amount of units ready to go for the launch, however it seems a lot of these were purchased by scalpers.
Scalpers are already selling the PlayStation Portal for a fortune
While several people struggled to get their hands on a PlayStation Portal, scalpers have not.
There are already three pages of ebay listings selling the device for well over retail price, with some going as high as £500 not including postage.
One listing is selling four brand new PlayStation Portal remotes for £1325. A US seller listed 11 brand new Portal remotes for $310 each and appears to have sold almost all of them.
However most scalpers are listing the PlayStation Portal for over £300, making it roughly 50% more expensive than its retail value.
Anyone who is desperate to get their hands on the PlayStation Portal is probably better off waiting for a restock to come than spending so much money on the remote.
Based on the PlayStation Direct website, these restocks could come sooner rather than later.
