PS5 launch day details just revealed — how to buy yours

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Sony provides a strategy for how to get a PS5 next week

PS5
(Image credit: Tom's Guide)

Want to buy PS5 on launch day? Well, Sony just said you're gonna need to work from home to get it.

In a post on the PlayStation Blog, Sid Shuman (sr. director of Sony Interactive Entertainment Content Communications) revealed that you won't be able to buy a PS5 in person on launch day. And that's a very good thing.

Shuman's post explained that PS5 sales on Nov. 12 and Nov. 19 (depending on your region), will solely be conducted via retailers' online stores. This, he notes is in "the interest of keeping our gamers, retailers, and staff safe amidst COVID-19," as we're far from through the woods of the worldwide pandemic. Just yesterday, the US reported a record high of new infections in a single day, with more than 100,000 positive tests.

That being said, those who have already pre-ordered their PS5 will still be able to pick their unit up at their local store. Retailers will be using appointment times and safety protocols to ensure this all goes down safely, and Shuman advises that folks confirm those details with their local retailer.

This clarification is necessary, as tweets from @AskTarget were not exactly clear up front. First, the store account only said "Yes, Available 11/12/2020 in-store," when asked about release day availability. They had to explain in subsequent tweets that folks will need to buy the console online, and then choose in-store pickup as their delivery option.

Right now, all retailers are out of stock of both the PS5 and PS5 Digital Edition, so it seems as if Nov. 12 may be the next opportunity to get the console. Best Buy plans to have a notedly limited supply of the PS5 available this Black Friday (November 27).

So, other than those two dates, the only other way to secure the PS5 appears to be through a contest at Burger King. Those who order the chain's 2 for $5 meal (or simply spend more than $5) will get a chance to win the next-gen console, as you get a virtual game token to enter into the BK app or BK.com website. As someone who tried this themselves, the disappointment of not winning was as frustrating as the barely-luke-warm burger I unwrapped.

Stay tuned to Tom's Guide for all the PS5 news that's out there, as we continue to track the next-gen console's arrival.

Henry T. Casey
Henry T. Casey
Managing Editor (Entertainment, Streaming)

Henry is a managing editor at Tom’s Guide covering streaming media, laptops and all things Apple, reviewing devices and services for the past seven years. Prior to joining Tom's Guide, he reviewed software and hardware for TechRadar Pro, and interviewed artists for Patek Philippe International Magazine. He's also covered the wild world of professional wrestling for Cageside Seats, interviewing athletes and other industry veterans.