As expected, several Fallout 4 Pip-Boy Editions are appearing on eBay with prices as high as $600, proving that limited supply and high demand lead to price gouging.
Back when Bethesda announced the Fallout 4 Pip-Boy Edition at their E3 2015 press conference, two thoughts entered our minds. One was that this wrist-mounted smartphone attachment was sure to be a must-have for fans of Bethesda’s post-apocalyptic franchise, and the other was how much it would inevitably sell for on eBay.
Now, price gougers – aka people who buy items only to turn around and sell them on second hand markets at huge mark-ups – are nothing new. Regardless of if a title is in high or even medium demand, most eBay price gougers will test demand to see if they can turn a quick buck. However, in the case of the Fallout 4 Pip-Boy Edition, supplies are extremely limited and demand has still not been met, which means eBay resellers are bound to make a killing.
So far the most we’ve seen on eBay is a $1,000 Pip-Boy Edition of Fallout 4, but that’s just the tip of the iceberg. This posting was done prior to confirmed receipt of the limited edition copy and therefore requires a little more faith on the part of the buyer.
Once the Pip-Boy Editions start arriving on Tuesday morning, however, we wouldn’t be surprised to see dozens of eBay postings flood the Net, and the prices to skyrocket as a result. So while $600 might be the current high price for the Fallout 4 Pip-Boy Edition, we don’t think that will hold for long. Eventually some parent whose child is desperate for the game will come along and they will pay an astronomical amount.
The good news is not every Pip-Boy Edition reseller is asking for a huge profit; some are selling the game for closer to the retail price. Obviously, they are expecting that demand will drive up the price to higher profits, but some of the listing do have “Buy It Now” options.
Regardless of eBay reselling and Pip-Boy Edition famines, one thing we can all agree on is that Fallout 4 is going to absorb many gamers’ lives starting this Tuesday. Bethesda’s latest sequel has been anticipated for a long time, and luckily the developer has been working on the title for almost just as long. Moreover, Fallout 4 reviews have been overwhelmingly positive, touting everything from the story to the customization. Truly, if there was a 2015 game that absorbed gaming culture more than Fallout 4, then we missed it.
Fallout 4 releases November 10, 2015 on PC, PS4, and Xbox One.