There’s a Twitch channel scanning for PS5 and Xbox Series console stock
A Twitch bot is currently scanning retailers to see when PS5 and Xbox Series consoles are in stock.
As pressure mounts to obtain next-gen hardware before Christmas and many are left battling scalpers and bots picking up any remaining stock, a Twitch channel is operating as a scanner for any stock that may go live, as reported by Polygon.
The user Cam Blitz is using a programme known as Streetmerchant to consistently check stock across multiple retailers, such as Amazon. Most of the time the feed displays the message “out of stock” next to most retailers, although occasionally some may get lucky.
In a message to Polygon, Ritz told the publication he created the feed “to help others out”, after multiple viewers have reportedly managed to snag some consoles through his feed.
The next-gen stock situation has been far from smooth since pre-orders went up in September. Multiple retailers began taking PS5 pre-orders without very little notice and the Xbox Series consoles were met with websites crashing.
Since then scalpers have been soaking up any remaining stock, selling them onto third-party sites such as eBay at an excess of $5000USD. Scalpers have defended their actions saying that the sales “put food on the table”.
