The PlayStation 5 launched last November, but months later, it’s still hard to snag one, especially in Japan. Early today, the Yodobashi Camera electrics megastore in Akihabara, one of the biggest in the country, sold a huge shipment of PS5. All hell broke loose.
People began shoving and pushing, descending on a Yodobashi clerk who had a stack of an estimated 300 numbered tickets to purchase the PS5.
Have a look at the chaos that ensued:
Oh my God!!!! ヨドバシps5 pic.twitter.com/v2ilIadbFk
— Dave Gibson ⠿ POKEMON???? (@AJapaneseDream) January 30, 2021
The police were called, and the sale was cancelled.
They cancelled the sale due to people being insane!! Pushed so hard even the cash registers and staff went backwards. I’ve never seen that kind of insanity in japan before…
— Dave Gibson ⠿ POKEMON???? (@AJapaneseDream) January 30, 2021
Why did this happen? As Twitter’s AJapaneseDream points out, the Akihabara location is apparently only one of two Yodobashi Cameras in the greater Tokyo-Yokohama area that does not require the retailer’s black credit card to purchase the hardware — a requirement that was instituted, it seems, to thwart resellers.
What’s more, unlike in the past, the store gave out numbered tickets first come, first served. In the past, also in an effort to discourage console flipping, the retailer would give away raffle numbers for the chance to purchase the hardware.
This created a perfect opportunity for those who wanted to get a PS5 for themselves or even to resell.
秋葉wwwwwww
乱闘wwwwwww
クソ面白いwwwwwww#ps5 #ヨドバシ #アキヨド pic.twitter.com/FH3x5M5R4f— たばた。 (@tabata__97) January 30, 2021
Keep in mind that the Japanese government has currently declared a state of emergency over the novel coronavirus. Tokyo has the highest number of cases in the country.
All tweets were used with permission.
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