A UK based re-seller group responsible for targeting PlayStation 5 and Xbox Series consoles has claimed that all the negative press aimed at scalpers has not been justified.
The Lab is a paid-for community that operates in the same way as most of the scalpers groups out there. They work together to provide a network which allows them to identify and track various high-value goods before using bots that let them jump queues for online retailers and snap up what little stock there is. To finish, as we are all painfully aware, they'll sell on those goods as massively inflated prices.
Scalpers are, of course, one of the main reasons that many of us are struggling to land a next-gen console right now. Groups like The Lab have come under more fire than ever before, arguably because the PlayStation 5 and Xbox Series consoles are among the most in-demand and valuable items they've ever gotten involved with. This was always going to come with an extra level of scrutiny from a general public who are starting to think they might never get a next-gen console in their basket.
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Speaking to Forbes, The Lab's founder (who was referred to as Jordan for the interview), attempted to explain why scalpers aren't doing anything wrong. I'm not sure it'll go down brilliantly with the people out there who still don't have a PS5.
"There seems to be A LOT of bad press on this incredibly valuable industry and I do not feel that it is justified," he said. "All we are acting as is a middleman for limited quantity items. I mainly just try and help others now, that's all that really matters to me. The whole group came about near the start of the first UK lockdown and it makes me so happy that I can help people make some extra money for themselves."
Jordan went on to claim that the group donates to charity and that he shares a lot of the membership fees with a local foodbank... however he declined to reveal the name of the foodbank so that Forbes could verify these claims.
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In other news, the UK Government is currently considering taking action against scalpers and the techniques they use to jump queues and secure stock. If we're lucky that'll be sorted and over the line by the time the PlayStation 6 releases.
Topics: PlayStation 5, GAMING, News