UPDATE – July 24th, 2018

ORIGINAL ARTICLE – July 22nd, 2018

Spider-Man fans and PlayStation fans alike rejoiced when the limited edition console bundles were announced for the upcoming PS4 exclusive Marvel’s Spider-Man. The console is beautiful and it would be something amazing for any fan to get their hands on. If you live in the USA you’ll have seen the PS4 Pro version retail for $399.99, the exact same price as a regular PS4 Pro bundle. However, if you live in the UK you’ll have had no such luck. The countries number one video game retailer GAME is the only place you can purchase the consoles in the UK, and GAME is taking full advantage of that.

The design is simple yet elegant. Nothing is over the top or flashy and it immediately conveys what franchise the console is linked to. You would be forgiven for being desperate to rush out and pre-order this immediately. I headed to my local game to inquire and was told they had 6 PS4 pro console available to pre-order and 6 slims. Definitely a limited edition then. I asked to pre-order the Pro and was quoted £404.99. Firstly I thought it was odd to have to pay more than our American counterparts. This amounts to around $530. I asked why it was that price and was told about this:

https://www.game.co.uk/en/ps4-pro-1tb-marvels-spider-man-limited-edition-only-at-game-turtle-beach-stealth-300-headset-2430934

https://www.game.co.uk/en/ps4-pro-1tb-marvels-spider-man-limited-edition-only-at-game-turtle-beach-ear-force-recon-50p-headset-2430933

So for the £405 bundle GAME are forcing a £27 Turtle beach headset on players. For the ridiculous £450 version, you’ll get a £70 headset. The bundles cost £378 or £380 respectively if you deduct the headset costs. By throwing in these extra objects GAME are able to inflate the price of the console that they know fans are desperate for. Bundling headsets instead of figures related to the franchise, guides or even other PS4 games is what makes the bundles so egregious. GAME know they have a product fans are willing to go all out for and are showing their willingness to take advantage of those fans. It really is a shameful tactic.

GAME has always had a reputation in the UK for overcharging. Due to competition from supermarkets, Amazon, Smyths, Argos and more there has always been a cheaper option to negate this issue. However, the bundle being exclusive to the retailer puts them in a position of power that is impossible to contend with. You can’t even walk into a store and pre-order the console standalone. You’ll have a Turtle Beach headset forced on you. Employees will probably suffer complaints about decisions made by upper management in order to take advantage of fans of this massive franchise, it really shows why GAME are currently suffering.

For all of your gaming news and reviews, like our review of Marvel’s Spider-Man when it launches in just over a month, stick to thelootgaming.com.

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