Scalpers have always been a thing, but the past year has been especially rough on the gaming industry. With PlayStation 5 consoles falling into the hands of these scumbags time and time again and basically any limited-edition games being snatched up in minutes to be resold for triple the price, nothing seems sacred anymore. Despite not releasing until February 2022, Elden Ring has already become a target for scalpers–and I’m not even talking about those shiny collector’s editions. The closed network test for the game is coming up in a few days’ time, and invites to those selected have already been arriving in inboxes around the world. But not everyone who signed up is interested in playing the newest FromSoftware game–they’d rather sell the codes on eBay for hundreds of dollars instead.
Last week, fans were treated to their first extended look at Elden Ring‘s gameplay, and reactions across the internet have been hugely positive. Prior to this–and during a time when information about the game was incredibly sparse–the title won Most Anticipated Game at the Game Awards 2020. The upcoming closed beta test will take place during five three-hour intervals from November 12 and November 15, and players clamored to enter the lottery to participate back in October when it was first announced. Scalpers selling codes for the beta are demanding steeper and stepper prices, with some selling for as high as $300. As tempting as it may be to find a way into this preview of what’s to come, given that the full game is only three months away from launch, it’s better to just wait. Never give the scalpers what they want.
Elden Ring is now scheduled to release on February 25, 2022, and will be available on PC, PlayStation 4, PlayStation 5, Xbox One, and Xbox Series X/S. The closed network test is scheduled to take place from November 12 until November 15. Invites have been sent out, so congrats to those who will be trying the game out–and not selling the keys for a quick buck.
