With PS5 and Xbox Series X scalpers having been out in full force since the beginning of the year, the UK government has finally issued a response to calls for action to be taken against reseller groups as both systems remain in limited supply.
While some retailers have successfully restock Sony and Microsoft’s next-generation consoles since Christmas, punters have found it difficult to get hold of them as scalpers use bots to circumvent online queues and snap up multiple orders. For example, one group claimed to have obtained over 2,000 orders after a restock at GAME.
The UK parliament website features a petition addressing the issue, which has amassed over 15,000 signatures and earned a response from the government’s Department for Business, Energy and Industrial Strategy.
“Using automated software to buy more tickets than allowed by the retailer is prohibited, with unlimited fines for breaches,” it reads, confirming that the government “is discussing other markets with relevant trade associations.”
The Government is committed to maintaining one of the world’s strongest consumer protection regimes and ensuring consumers’ interests are safeguarded in our economy.
The Government introduced legislation that prevents the use of automated software (‘bots’) to purchase event tickets which are sold on at an inflated price in 2018.
We are discussing the issue of bulk purchasing of high demand items like graphics cards and games consoles through automated bots with trade associations such as Ukie, the trade association for the video games industry.
We understand they are currently examining further actions they can take to prevent these behaviours and are working with their retailers to improve experiences for customers purchasing their products.
Related Content – Sony PS5 Complete Guide – A Total Resource On PlayStation 5
Last week, John Carmack of id Software suggested that Sony and Microsoft should auction their own stock to combat scalpers.
[Source – VGC]
This news is republished from another source. You can check the original article here
Be the first to comment