PSN downtime prompts increase in PS3 trade-ins

PlayStation Network’s on-going downtime has prompted frustrated punters to trade in their PlayStation 3’s for an Xbox 360, reports EDGE.

The site claims that a number of retailers have observed a noticeable spike in the number of PS3 trade-ins during the weeks that followed Sony’s decision to pull the plug on PSN after the system was infiltrated by hackers.

Under conditions of anonymity, one high street chain told the site: "In the first week of downtime we did not really see any major change in sales or trades.”

"However from the second week onwards we have seen an increase of over 200 percent on PS3 consoles being traded in, split almost 50/50 between those trading for cash and those taking a 360 instead."

Elsewhere, a retail source based in the South West of the UK reported a “massive increase” in the number of PS3’s being traded in as of late, with many users – apparently those belonging to “the hardcore online shooter crowd” - swapping their consoles for a 360.

Belgian indie retailer Gameswap also painted a similar picture: . "At the end of each month people come to sell their consoles. People that need money [to pay bills]. What's different this time around is that that they are bringing in PS3s together with all their games and they don't want money, they want an Xbox 360. In every case it is because of Black Ops and or Modern Warfare 2,” said the company.

"We're just ten days into the month and already we have an increase of 200 percent in PS3s coming into the store compared to all of March. Normally we sell them really fast, but not this time. We've only sold 30 to 40 percent of our inventory right now."