A reader explains why he’s glad he ended up spending £900 on a PS5 and what he thinks of the console and its games so far.
So the PlayStation 5 is now out everywhere in the world except… nowhere in the world can you actually go out and buy one (in plenty of places you can barely go out at all, but let’s not get into that). That’s nobody’s fault but the coronavirus and although the launches of the Xbox Series X and PlayStation 5 have been something close to a disaster I don’t particularly blame Microsoft or Sony.
Sony did make a hash of the pre-orders though, allowing them to start suddenly, and with no warning, for maximum aggravation. It still would’ve been a matter of luck whether you got one or not though and I’m not sure I would’ve bet on my chances even if I did know when it started. There was more warning that sites would get stock in on Thursday though, so I tried my luck there… and came up with snake eyes.
If you’re thinking I sound fairly calm about the whole thing I can assure you I wasn’t at the time, even though I was prepared for this worse case scenario. And by prepared I mean I had some extra money saved up to buy one off eBay if I couldn’t get one the regular way. It’s stupid I know but it’s been such a terrible year, and I’ve been looking forward to the PlayStation 5 so much (all my games got delivered last week), that I couldn’t bear the thought of not getting it day one – or at least reasonably close to it.
So I immersed myself in the viper’s nest that is eBay and tried to navigate the obvious trolls and rage-inducing sellers that for some reason claimed to have not one but 10 consoles to sell. I almost gave up when I saw the prices being mentioned, even though many of them clearly weren’t serious. But eventually I found one with a Buy It Now for £900. More than I hoped but only a bit more than I’d planned for. The guy was local and he was offering to deliver it. I wouldn’t say it sounded perfect but it did sound like something I wasn’t going to be able to resist.
I paid up and asked the seller when he could deliver. He said tomorrow and asked me to make sure I wore a mask. I’ve been working at home this whole time so that wasn’t a problem, but I have to admit my mind wasn’t on my work as the clock slowly ticked round to the allotted time. Then finally the doorbell rang. I took an extra few seconds to go down and then when I opened the door there was a large box waiting for me and a guy in a black mask hovering tentatively down the steps.
‘Why’d you sell it?’ I asked curiously. ‘Thought I could make some money’ he said honestly and with a shrug of his shoulder. He’d doubled his money, I guess, and all within 24 hours and with no more bother than driving 20 minutes from the next town over, so I can see why the scalpers do it. Although this guy struck me as a chancer who was trying his luck because he knew how much it was worth. Which meant he was probably a gamer.
‘Do you regret it?’ I asked, as I picked up the box, ensuring he couldn’t suddenly change his mind. Another shrug of the shoulder: ‘I’ll get one when they’re cheaper’. With that there didn’t seem anything else to say and we both disappeared from each other’s lives.
So now I have a PlayStation 5 that I paid twice as much as I should of for but only got a day late. And… it’s great.
The reviews were right: it’s quiet as a mouse (and huge), the DualSense is amazing, Astro’s Playroom is great, Spider-Man: Miles Morales looks much better than just a PlayStation 4 remaster, and Demon’s Souls has some of the best graphics I’ve ever seen. I haven’t been able to play any of them much yet, obviously, but everything just feels so… next gen.
The DualSense is so different and clever I think it’s my favourite part but if Demon’s Souls is what games look like at the start I can’t wait to see what they’re like by the end.
It’s lived up to my expectations. I didn’t plug it all in and immediately get buyer’s regret, just that butterflies-in-the-stomach thrill of something new and exciting. I shouldn’t have spent all that extra money, I know, but it feels really good right now to own a PlayStation 5.
By reader Futterman
The reader’s feature does not necessary represent the views of GameCentral or Metro.
You can submit your own 500 to 600-word reader feature at any time, which if used will be published in the next appropriate weekend slot. As always, email gamecentral@ukmetro.co.uk and follow us on Twitter.
MORE : Why I’m not getting a PS5 or Xbox Series X till 2022 - Reader’s Feature
MORE : Amazon PS5 UK deliveries see console swapped for foot massager and cat food
MORE : PS5 consoles on eBay listed for up to £15,000 following launch day disaster
Follow Metro Gaming on Twitter and email us at gamecentral@metro.co.uk
For more stories like this, check our Gaming page.
0 Commentaires