In a stunning turn of events, shoppers have been tearing open boxes of cereal to find codes to win a PlayStation 5, as the console is so scarce.
General Mills, an American manufacturer and marketer of various foodstuffs, has collaborated with Sony to give away a PlayStation 5 physical edition, as well as a number of other exciting prizes. These include 250 Marvel's Iron Man VR bundles comprising of a PlayStation VR headset, a PlayStation Camera, two Move motion controllers, and the game, almost 800 PlayStation 4s, two thousand codes for Sackboy: A Big Adventure, and over one thousand PlayStation Store vouchers. It's the very definition of a bonanza, but the promise of the elusive PlayStation 5 has driven some to desperation.
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Evidently, the pandemic has placed significant strain on the manufacturing industries and the everyday lives of everyday people. Last year, PlayStation CEO Jim Ryan explained how the team overcame the challenges of working remotely, and missing out on the beats of a normal launch of a new console. In spite of these factors, "absolutely everything" was sold, and the pressure to join in on the next generation of gaming was intense. Scalpers, using automated tools termed "Grinch-bots," were able to snap up the limited stocks of PlayStation 5s from online shops, and sell them on for ludicrous prices. Sadly, some keen beans did take the bait, to heart-wrenching results.
So, it's cheering news to know that Sony is producing and distributing new stocks of the sought-after console, and that retailers are putting their foot down when it comes to villainous scalpers. Walmart, for one, stopped 20 million bots from successfully snagging PlayStation 5s within seconds, thanks to its novel detection software. Though, entering a giveaway that does away with the headache and stress of ordering a PlayStation 5 is exceedingly tempting, and that is what has happened with these destroyed cereal boxes in grocery stores.
Inside these boxes of Cinnamon Toast Crunch is a random numerical code which enters the customer into the competition, and each customer may enter the sweepstakes fifteen times until the promotion ends. Rather than buy the cereal, eat the cereal, and then discover whether that box had a winning code for a PlayStation 5, people are ripping the boxes and recording the code inside to check it without spending the money. It's savvy, yes, but spare a thought for the poor staff member who has to clean up the mess. The promotion extends to other cereals like Honey Nut Cheerios, Cocoa Puffs, Cookie Crisp, and Reese's Puffs, so this may only be a small snapshot of the possible destruction. Furthermore, these boxes of cereal are no longer able to be sold by the shop due to the damage, and might be tossed out. Hopefully, these will be sent to a homeless shelter or a food bank instead.
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If you're still after a PlayStation 5, I know the FOMO is strong, but you are stronger. This is a pretty pants thing to do to retail employees, and in actuality, waiting to purchase a PlayStation 5 puts you in a better position than a lot of the people who got one in November. Ratchet & Clank: Rift Apart, Far Cry 6, Returnal, Hitman 3... the list goes on, and on, and on, as we progress through 2021.
Topics: News, PlayStation