News in November 2020 emerged that South African stocks of the PlayStation 5 were woefully low. The entire world has seen shortages of the console due to latency in the manufacturing process and increased consumer demand. But South Africa has been hit particularly badly – owing to the growth of the gaming industry and unprecedented demand. But how are stocks now? And how could the situation be remedied?
Where are all the PlayStation 5s?
Reports indicate that the rarity of the console has created an opening in the market for people to profit from eager consumers. If you’re willing to pay double the price, then there are still some available. In trying financial times, it makes sense that those who could access the PS5 early would rather make a small profit than play the console. South African companies such as Burger King and Axe even used PS5s they managed to get hold of as prizes for competitions to grow their audiences.
Stand a chance to WIN 1 of 25 PS5s.
Buy any Chilli Cheese King meal to enter. Extra toppings. Extra delicious.Find your unique code at the bottom of your till slip and dial *120*9688*uniquecode# . T&Cs apply. pic.twitter.com/osGwKVqK5m
— BURGER KING® South Africa (@BurgerKingZA) November 12, 2020
The fact that there is no set date as to when new stocks could be expected has led to people paying over the odds to be able to attain one. The huge improvement to performance, graphics, and gameplay has created such as huge gulf between the supply and demand. The PS5 does offer an improvement over the PS4 and is a beacon of hope for console gamers.
Initial negative feedback may have lulled Sony into thinking the machine wouldn’t have been as popular as it ended up being. But the PS5 isn’t where the buck stops for gaming. There are plenty of alternatives that will give players a unique experience while they wait for the console to be available again.
What Can Gamers Do Instead?
Mobile gaming, for example, has seen a steady rise. South Africa has seen an investment in its infrastructure that makes playing mobile games feasible. Many of these are multiplayer games, which require strong internet connections and viable networks. Players who are unable to attain a PS5 could play mobile versions of older PlayStation games using Remote Play.
Other forms of online entertainment have also been proven to appeal to players. Online casino sites, for example, have become popular in South Africa. By focusing on the ability to deposit money to play the games using rand, they are ensuring that South African gamers have an alternative in the entertainment industry to the PlayStation 5. The sites also ensure customers know the welcome bonuses they are presenting, which supplement the variety of games each site offers. With sites showcasing slot games, table games, and even live versions of poker and roulette, they are pulling out all the stops to show that there are other forms of gaming entertainment out there.
A range of PS5 games are also available for the PC. Games such as Deathloop, GodFall, Resident Evil VIII, Hitman III, and Ghostwire: Tokyo can be played on the PC. As PlayStation fans wait for the console to be available, they could always begin their gaming adventure on the PC. Both PC and PS5 versions of the games will be different, so players can still experience the excitement when they eventually do play on the PS5.
South Africa isn’t unique in having a dearth of PS5s. People around the world have been struggling to get them, which in turn has only increased the demand. After all, if they are sold out everywhere, they must be worth it. As eager fans await any announcements about the next model, there are still gaming options available to keep them happy until then.