The scarcity of items allows entities to use bots, which buy it before you see it, and that gives them the power to control the market by ensuring scarcity. People are making millions of dollars on ammo, components, game consoles, and computer parts via this mechanism right now. Manufacturers are pricing to hedge against inflation, and that's about it. They are not responsible for monstrous price increases. Some dealers are doing it. The same ones that can always be seen doing it. They are happy to take advantage of the situation, but it isn't really their creation. This is individuals. Tech savvy folks that see an opportunity for a quick buck. The people deploying bots, aren't shooters any more than they are console gamers. They are capitalists, however.
There's no conspiracy. This is just raw capitalism when unchained greed has no negative repercussion. So long as people keep buying at absurd prices, the absurd prices will persist. The individual, and their individual choices, is what allows this situation to exist. Without peoples fear of missing out, the bots and their owners, would be completely powerless. When you have someone willing to pay you $1000 for a 1k primers... and you bought them for $55, you'd have to be nearly out of your mind to turn it down. The buyers control this situation... not the sellers.
