Sony promises more PS5 stock — while Xbox Series X laughs

After the big Sony PS5 event this week, the November 19 U.S. ship date and starting price are now out of the bag. And it looks like people are frantically snapping up their consoles, whether it’s the $499 PS5 or the $399 digital edition that comes without a disc drive. 

As customers frantically searched for a console in stock at their favorite retailer, many wondered if Sony would actually be able to provide enough consoles for everyone that wanted one — a very real concern after rumors claimed Sony had cut down on its initial supply of PS5s.

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Sony denied those rumors at the time but now, in an interview with The Washington Post, Sony Interactive Entertainment CEO and President Jim Ryan confirms that when the pandemic hit, distribution issues did emerge. However, Ryan added that Sony will have  "more PlayStation 5 units ready for sale than they had PlayStation 4 units in 2013." 

Seven years ago, Sony sold around 2.1 million PlayStation 4 units around the world just two weeks after launch, and 1 million in the console's first day on the market. It’s unknown how many units will be available for the PS5, so supply could very well be an issue. 

Based on reports of buyers heading to retailers like Amazon, Best Buy, Target, GameStop and Walmart to be met with "sold out" messages, that certainly appears to be the case. Some reports indicate that there's more stock coming in the next week, particularly for Walmart, and others noted that they were only able to pre-order their systems at GameStop by visiting a physical location. For physical visits, some retail staff reported only 10 to 20 units on hand per location. 

Microsoft couldn’t help but enjoy a laugh at the expense of its rival in the console space. The Xbox Series X maker tweeted out “Don’t worry - we’ll let you know the exact time pre-orders start for you soon” — a clear reference to the PS5’s scattershot approach.

Pre-orders for the Xbox Series X begin on September 22 in advance of its November 10 release. The Xbox Series X costs $499 — the same price as the PS5 — while the all-digital Xbox Series S costs $299.