Let's be frank: the 20th Anniversary Edition PS4 is probably one of the most attractive consoles of all time. However, in a slightly controversial move, Sony sold a swathe of the sleek systems for a scant £19.94 at a secret London location. Predictably, a number of enterprising fans have now listed their grey boxes on eBay at a much steeper price in order to turn a nice profit. As you'd expect, the Japanese giant isn't particularly chuffed with this outcome.
"That's not what we want to see happen," Sony UK big-wig Fergal Gara said. "You can't completely remove it, but that certainly isn't the intention of the exercise at all. It's to honour the fans and having it at such a low price to the dedicated here, it's all but free, but a nice little touch in terms of remembering the launch year."
However, Gara was quick to point out that the firm certainly anticipated this response. "It's inevitable some proportion of that will happen, and very hard to prevent it completely. We did think things through," he continued. "But in each and every case, the way that you get hold of one of these consoles requires some fan knowledge, so we're trying to tap into the people who love the brand the most, and put them at an advantage, because they're the people who keep us in business, who inspire this whole 20 year legacy."
Did you manage to nab one of these gorgeous systems, or are you holding out hope for the next set to be put on sale? Will you be constantly trawling eBay in the hopes of a cheap deal? Share your woes in the comments section below.
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[source eurogamer.net]
Comments 29
They come across as complete stupid if they didn't think some people would do this, even if it cost 500 quid people would have still been flocking theirs on Ebay.
"For the eBayer's"
@Carl-G Argh! That's the tagline that could/should have been! Hat's off, my friend, I've been thoroughly out-punned.
@Jonny They did, read the quotes.
It's a shame really, but inevitable. Can't knock Sony for it though. I'm sure some genuine fans managed to get hold of one, and will keep them.
The consoles are gorgeous and if they had been on sale in regular stores even for a very limited time Id had got one...I've been Playstation since they began, even put up with the ridicule of everyone I knew at school when I sided with Sony and they all went with Sega. It would be nice to own one of the anniversary consoles.
I think the problem is that they should have made a full batch like this. I understand why they wanted to make it limited, but 12,300 just isn't enough to satisfy all of the fans that would like one of these globally.
I think the intentions were in the right place, but there should have been a full shipment of these units.
well can you blame them, they created these for the fans and to mark their 20th anniversary NOT for a bunch of greedy ******** to buy them up and sell them on eBay for a stupid profit
Sony should have gone through and looked at early adopters that have registered multiple systems over the last 20 years (like myself) and offered it to them first, and certainly not in a country that backed the Sega Saturn at a 3-1 clip during the beginning of said '20 year old legacy.' Doesn't surprise me at all.
How many were there on sale for this price?
"Who love the brand most"… good one!
Of the millions of people that bought a 4, Id argue that at least half are "true" fans, so of those less than 100 had the chance to get one and not only that, Sony made those who did jump through rediculous hoops.
Then they say silly things like this. If someones willing to spend well above that paid, most likely knowingly, are they not "those who love the brand most"?
I don't blame them for selling it. I would do it. That's some good money, plus I'd rather have my black PS4 anyway.
Well duh, duh and more duh.
You sell a $400 system for $20 (or whatever the regional currency is) of course its going on eBay. Maybe not every one but closer to 80% than 0%. If they wanted to thank the fans give them t-shirts that say PS 20 on them. And like Blp said, why sell them for $20 anyway if its going to charity. They would habe sold for $400 w/ the cool looking gray eye camrra. And still go on eBay for $500. But not ss many ad at $20. The only ones not sold on eBay probsbly sold on Craigs list or to friends.
Note to Sony - anything limited goes on eBay.
Yeah, I'm not happy about it either. It really kills me when something is made for fans that love something but someone else gets it first and treats it like trash.
Admittedly, if I didn't want one of these but had one anyway, I would have sold it too, but at a more reasonable price just so someone who really wants it wouldn't have to take out seven mortgages to get one. Unless someone who's feeling generous is selling it at a PS4's normal price, I'm not prowling on ebay for one.
I am holding out for another round, but I'm not holding my breath and if I never get one, well, that's life.
They could have even givin the PS4 a better push if they weren't extremely limited.
Sucks love this ps4!! Couldn't get to London, so does that make me a "not so big fan" as I had no way of trying to compete for this prize?! I would of kept the Grey one and sold my Black one, never mind it's all the same inside,
A silly reaction from Sony. Why not making loads of these special PS4's? When Sony is 4 the Gamers, they have to show that. Now is Sony only for the people who want to make cash. What's the problem to make 500.000 of these special units? Why can only 12.300 people celebrate this anniversary?
Idiots.
When people are spending thousands buying these on eBay, I'm sorry I would do the same if I had got my hands on one. I have owned playstations from the beginning, however for an instant profit of thousands, I'm not rich enough to turn that down
@Kohaku they released 12300 as that is the figure close to the original run of ps1's
That's the way the world works today sadly. The more limited an item is the more greedy punks are going to try and resell it for much more. At times I wish the gaming collecting bubble would burst and ruin these video game collectors for profits stuff.
Back on track though Sony should have seen this coming and just produced it as a holiday bundle at the normal price.
@Tasuki I don't agree. I don't see greed I see people making some money for theirselves and I don't blame them. It is a harsh climate with people scrimping to get by. I don't blame them making cash at all. Blame the people willing to pay thousands. If the demand wasn't there at those prices they would be sold more cheaply
I do blame greed. Sure, it's legal, but that doesn't mean it's not a selfish thing to do.
It'd be cool if day-one-ers and preorderers were considered big fans. 😕 I waited outside in the cold dark night for mine.
I wouldn't be interested in owning a 20th Anniversary PS4, even if it was $5, free, or given to me as a gift from a family member/relative or friend.
@Mrskinner
I know, but when I celebrate my birthday, there will be cake for everyone. Not just for some guests. Why not giving everyone a fair chance to win this special PS4 and make 500k for Europe and 500k for North America?
they should have made them in full production for a year. So anyone who buys a PS4 in the 20th year gets this console!
I spoke to a couple of the guys running the store they were sold in, and they said even on day 1 you could tell who was there just to make money. You could tell they werent avid gamers or people who even cared - so its not like its someone who wanted it and THEN decided to sell it, these were people out to play the system.
@Carl-G lol too true with everything today though. limited edition is code for Ebay. Sucks for people who just wanna enjoy and not make a freakin' buck off of everything!
Want to teach them a lesson Sony?
Manufacture more 20 anniversary consoles,and sell them at a close to MSRP price.
It would just print money.
Well if they want to harm the crooks gouging consumers who really want a unit, produce more. Nintendo used to have that common sense and once did it with the Wii Mario Allstars box as the gougers had it going for like 2+ times the price, so they did a larger second run and crushed the flippers.
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