Twitch Bot Keeping Track of PS5 and Xbox Series X Stock
Searching for an available PS5 or Xbox Series X has been a much more difficult process than some expected, but one Twitch channel has a plan – creating a bot that does it automatically. The Killercam1020 stream is currently open 24/7, and is singularly dedicated to finding viewers a new videogame console to buy, especially with Sony's recent PS5 restock announcement. Unfortunately, it hasn't had much success so far.
This holiday season has been fraught with buyers seeking ways to get their hands on the PS5 and Xbox Series X, only to be met with a brick wall of disappointment and manufacturing delays. Those who pounced early were able to get their hands on their choice of the rival consoles, but the recent landscape has been barren in every sense of the word. Not only are hopeful buyers competing against each other, they also face an army of bots and scalpers looking to profit off the extreme scarcity.
In an effort to combat this difficulty, Cam Ritz runs the bot 24/7 through his Twitch channel. He uses a publicly available program called Streetmerchant to monitor the availability of PS5 and Xbox Series X stock at various retailers, such as Walmart, Gamestop, Best Buy, NewEgg, and Amazon. For the most part, the stream is just a disappointing wall of "OUT OF STOCK" in red text. For those looking to buy either the PS5 or Xbox Series X, for themselves or as a gift, it doesn't offer much hope.
For the casual viewer flipping onto the stream in search of Black Friday deals, it only serves as a disappointing visualization of how hopeless the search may be — or, perhaps, vindication for those uninterested in either console. Apparently, the stream has helped some find what they're looking for. "[I] had luck last night though with one person getting one from [Sam's Club], and yesterday had luck with a few people getting Xbox Series Xs from Gamestop," says Ritz. The Twitch Channel owner already acquired his console through pre-order, so his creation of the bot is purely philanthropic.
He's also said that he plans to add more retailers to the list. The bot is simple enough that most people could run their own, but the Twitch Channel does offer some commiseration among fellow console-searchers. In contrast, Sony and Microsoft are surely popping champagne over their respective PS5 and Xbox Series X launches. The rivalry between Playstation and Xbox fans is a tale as old as time, and the most die-hard fans don't often find much overlap, but perhaps misery loves company enough that people can join hands in their disappointment.
The PS5 and Xbox Series X are out now.
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