GTA 6 Isn't Out Yet and Scalpers Are Already Hoarding PS5s at Scale
Less than five months remain until GTA 6's launch and the grey market is already in anticipation mode. With pre-orders open and PS5 demand spiking — PS5 pre-orders for the game outnumber Xbox by 6 to 1 — scalpers have identified an opportunity and are acting on it.
The pattern is exactly the same as the PlayStation 5 launch in November 2020: buy in bulk while stock is available at retail price, wait for stock to run out near launch, and resell on the secondary market with margins that reached 100% in 2020.
How it's happening
Automated purchase bots — the same used to snag limited sneakers and concert tickets — are now sweeping retail sites for PS5 at retail price. GameStop and Amazon have already announced limits of one unit per account to curb speculation.
🤖 Bots don't sleep: In 2020, many PS5 units were purchased within seconds by bots before any human could click. Sony and retailers promised to improve verification systems — but scalpers have also evolved.
What retailers are doing
- GameStop: Limite de 1 PS5 por conta, verificação de identidade em loja física
- Amazon: Limite por conta + restrições de endereço de entrega em promoções
- FNAC / MediaMarkt: Vendas presenciais com cartão de fidelidade para stocks limitados
- PlayStation Direct: Sistema de fila virtual com verificação PSN
Secondary market figures
On eBay and Facebook groups, good-condition used PS5s are already appearing above retail price in the weeks preceding major launches. For November, retail analysts estimate secondary market prices could rise 15%–40% above store price — depending on stock availability.
What you should do
If you already have a PS5, there's nothing to worry about — pre-order the game and you're set. If you don't have a console yet and want to play GTA 6 at launch:
- Compra agora enquanto há stock a preço normal
- Usa canais oficiais: PlayStation Direct, FNAC, MediaMarkt, Worten
- Evita comprar a "revendedores" no OLX ou Facebook — o risco de fraude é real
- Se comprares em segunda mão, prefere lojas com garantia (Cash Converters, etc.)
💡 Dica Vice News
PlayStation Direct (direct.playstation.com) has been the most reliable way to get a PS5 at retail price. Create a PSN account now, enable stock notifications, and have your card ready. Sony's virtual queue system is fairer than normal retailer checkouts.
Why PS5 and not Xbox?
The 6-to-1 PS5 vs. Xbox pre-order ratio isn't surprising for those who follow the market — PlayStation dominates Europe in market share. Sony and Rockstar have had a close partnership since GTA IV, with timed exclusive content across multiple titles. For GTA 6, there are rumors that PS5 may have exclusive access to certain missions or GTA Online content during the first few months — but nothing has been officially confirmed.
What about PC?
If you have a powerful PC and no console, there's the option of waiting for the PC version — which a leak points to February 2027. In that case, scalpers aren't a problem: you can simply buy digitally on Steam or the Rockstar Launcher when it's out. The trade-off is missing the first months of discussion about the game and the "everyone playing at once" effect. For many players, that has real emotional and social weight.
Everything about the PC version: GTA 6 on PC — what we know about February 2027 →