PS5 demand 'unprecedented' — Sony promises more stock

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Might be some more coming by end of year

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(Image credit: Tom's Guide)

It’s always tough to find a new console at launch, and the PS5 is no exception. After a truly disastrous pre-order process, the PS5 has remained extremely elusive ever since its launch Nov. 12. Restocks are both unpredictable and infrequent, and Sony hasn’t given any hard details about improving console supply — until now.

In a tweet, the official PlayStation account explained that demand for the PS5 is “unprecedented,” and that “more PS5 inventory will be coming to retailers before the end of the year.”

“Please stay in touch with your local retailers,” the message concludes. It’s not a whole lot to go on, to say the least.

Sony claims that the PS5 represented its “biggest console launch ever,” which may very well be true, although that will be hard to verify until we get some hard numbers. But it certainly sounds about right, given how difficult it’s been to procure a system. 

Sony’s commitment to getting out more consoles before the end of the year is admirable, although a more solid game plan would be welcome. Simply hoping against hope that your local retailer will get a PS5 and let you know right away isn’t necessarily the most reliable strategy.

Your best bet at getting a PS5

Tom’s Guide has been keeping abreast of PS5 stock, although even we don’t have much to report on that front. At the time of writing (5 p.m. Eastern time on Nov. 25), Walmart will get the PS5 in stock later tonight, with retailers such as GameStop and Best Buy receiving limited stock on Black Friday.

Beyond that, we don’t really have much solid advice for buying the PS5. It’s almost entirely a matter of luck, especially because the demand far outstrips the supply, and will likely continue to do so up until Christmas. 

My personal advice would be to focus your efforts on finishing up your PS4 backlog, then picking up a PS5 early next year, when they’ll be plentiful and available just about everywhere (hopefully).

Otherwise, restocks are coming, so bookmark the PS5 pages on various retailers and try refreshing them a few times per day. I’ve found that one refresh in the morning and one in the afternoon is a good strategy; more than that, and you’ll only end up frustrating yourself without significantly upping your odds.

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Marshall Honorof
Marshall Honorof

Marshall Honorof is a senior editor for Tom's Guide, overseeing the site's coverage of gaming hardware and software. He comes from a science writing background, having studied paleomammalogy, biological anthropology, and the history of science and technology. After hours, you can find him practicing taekwondo or doing deep dives on classic sci-fi.