The PlayStation 5 was launched last November, but months later it’s still hard to stick to one, especially in Japan. Earlier today, the Yodobashi camera electric mega-shop in Akihabara, one of the largest in the country, has sold a huge shipment of PS5. All hell broke loose.
People started pushing and pushing, going down towards a Yodobashi employee who had a stack of about 300 numbered tickets to buy the PS5.
Take a look at the chaos that ensued:
Police were called and the sale was canceled.
G / O Media may receive a commission
Why did this happen? Like Twitter AJapaneseDream points out, Akihabara’s location is apparently just one of two Yodobashi cameras in the Tokyo-Yokohama area that do not require the retailer’s black credit card to buy the hardware, a requirement that was instituted, it seems, to frustrate the resellers.
Also, unlike in the past, the store delivered the numbered tickets first arrived, first served. In the past, also in an effort to discourage the launch of the console, the retailer would give raffle numbers for the opportunity to buy the hardware.
This created a perfect opportunity for those who wanted to get a PS5 for themselves or even to sell it.
Note that the Japanese government has currently declared a state of emergency for the new coronavirus. Tokyo has the highest number of cases in the country.
All tweets were used with permission.