The Astro Bot PS5 controller is going for crazy money thanks to scalpers
You'll have to pay more than double for the Astro Bot PS5 controller from eBay
💰 The new Astro Bot PS5 controller is already being held to ransom by scalpers
😱 It’s up on eBay for more than double the price from some sellers
👉 You’re best signing up to The Shortcut and following Matt Swider for instant alerts
😤 Sony has a frustrating history of underestimating demand for its accessories
The Astro Bot PS5 controller was always bound to be popular – especially as it’s one of the best designs yet and our glowing Astro Bot review proves the game is no slouch either. However, it quickly sold out and is now being flogged for silly money by scalpers, just like the Hogwarts Legacy PS5 controller.
We’ve been tracking Astro Bot controller pre-orders and it has reappeared at Sony’s PlayStation Direct store, though it’s harder to find at other retailers. The price is $79.99, but scapers are trying to sell desperate buyers Sony’s latest PS5 controller color for up to $198.99 – more than double the price.
While it can be tempting to turn to eBay if you missed out, there’s no way anyone should pay that much for a controller, unless you believe you can sell it for more down the line.
Your best bet is to follow Matt Swider on X and turn on notifications for when the next restock goes live so you can grab one without paying over the odds. Sony has already shown there’s more stock to be had, though we’re still waiting for a PSVR 2 PC adapter restock.
Astro Bot is shaping up to be one of the best PS5 games when it launches on September 6, but it’s frustrating that Sony has underestimated demand yet again. We’ve seen this situation countless times before: from the PlayStation Portal and PlayStation Earbuds for PS5 to the PSVR 2 PC adapter – we can expect a similar scenario when the PS5 Pro releases later this year.
Thankfully, Nintendo has reassured fans that Nintendo Switch 2 won’t suffer the same fate as many of Sony’s PlayStation 5 accessories. Nintendo president Shuntaro Furukawa recently said the company will counter scalpers by producing “sufficient numbers to meet customer demand.” Hopefully, that will bear fruit when the console releases in March 2025.
Adam Vjestica is The Shortcut’s Senior Editor. Formerly TechRadar’s Gaming Hardware Editor, Adam has also worked at Nintendo of Europe as a Content Marketing Editor, where he helped launch the Nintendo Switch. Follow him on X @ItsMrProducts.