Retailers Are Issuing Console Shortage Warnings Ahead of GTA 6, and Now I'm Worried Scalpers Are Going to Have a Field Day This Christmas

A large retailer has warned determination volition beryllium console shortages up of the motorboat of GTA 6 successful November, sparking interest that scalpers volition currency successful connected request for PS5 and Xbox Series X and S this Christmas.

GTA 6 is owed retired connected PlayStation 5 and Xbox Series X and S only, which means that if you indispensable person a existent procreation console from either Sony oregon Microsoft to play the game. Given Rockstar’s hotly anticipated unfastened satellite escapade is expected to beryllium the biggest amusement motorboat of each time, user involvement successful buying a caller console is expected to skyrocket.

That would usually beryllium fantastic quality for Sony and Microsoft, but according to The Game Business, retailers are disquieted they whitethorn not beryllium capable to capitalize connected the demand. According to the site, a “major” games retailer warned determination won’t beryllium capable consoles to conscionable request implicit the important vacation period.

“We’ve been informed that due to the fact that of the ongoing issues astir hardware constituent availability, we won’t beryllium getting the units we privation up of GTA,” the anonymous root said, adding: “Demand volition apt outstrip proviso during the twelvemonth extremity period.”

Both Sony and Microsoft person raised the terms of their consoles this year, though the latest terms hike from Microsoft doesn’t footwear successful until August 1. Some are disquieted Sony whitethorn denote yet different PS5 terms emergence earlier the twelvemonth is retired (the past terms rise, effectual from April, sparked a income illness successful the U.S.). Currently, the PS5 costs $649.99, the PS5 Digital Edition costs $599.99, and the PS5 Pro costs $899.99.

Xbox console terms rises effectual August 1, 2026:

• Xbox Series S 512GB: $399.99 ---> $499.99
• Xbox Series S 1TB: $449.99 ---> $599.99
• Xbox Series X 1TB Digital: $599.99 ---> $749.99
• Xbox Series X 1TB: $649.99 ---> $799.99

The terms rises are the nonstop effect of the "RAMpocalypse," which is an ongoing planetary representation shortage and terms situation driven by semiconductor manufacturers reallocating their DRAM and NAND accumulation capableness to high-margin hardware for AI information centers.

“Last October, we accrued Xbox console terms by $20-$70 successful the U.S.” Microsoft said erstwhile it announced Xbox terms rises this week. “We hoped different terms summation would not beryllium necessary, and we person spent the past respective months moving with suppliers connected options. Unfortunately, console retention and representation prices person accrued by much than 2.5x and we expect different doubling by the autumn of 2027.

"The full user electronics manufacture is struggling with the existent components crisis, but the effects are peculiarly hard connected consoles. Unlike phones, computers, speakers, and different user devices, consoles are typically not sold astatine a profit, but alternatively for little than they outgo to make.”

Microsoft executives person insisted request for Xbox consoles exceeds supply, and that it is struggling to amended the situation. What does this mean for you? Well, if you privation to play GTA 6 astatine motorboat and you request to bargain a current-gen console, doing truthful sooner alternatively than aboriginal is astir apt wise. As I’ve mentioned, Xbox Series X and S get much costly from August, and who knows what Sony volition bash with the terms of PS5?

Not lone that, but some console offerings whitethorn merchantability retired due to the fact that of the GTA 6 demand, which could unfastened the doorway to scalpers cashing in. The past happening anyone needs is to beryllium faced with the imaginable of paying $1,500 dollars for an Xbox Series X from eBay conscionable to play GTA 6. I dread to deliberation however overmuch scalpers volition database a PS5 Pro for this Christmas if it sells out.

for each the latest, cheque retired our ongoing GTA 6 unrecorded report, wherever we person a dependable watercourse of updates connected the game.

Wesley is Director, News astatine IGN. Find him connected Twitter astatine @wyp100. You tin scope Wesley astatine [email protected] oregon confidentially astatine [email protected].