If you were disappointed to find no PlayStation 5 console underneath your Christmas tree, it may not be too late to get Sony’s new machine plugged into your TV before the year is out.
Target has made a very limited number of PS5 Digital Edition units available. Confounding this rush is that you must buy the console from a specific store, then go collect it in person. Spiel Times, which first reported that Target would restock the PS5 between Sunday and Tuesday, said that while some outlets will be getting 10 to 15 units others will be getting none at all.
As of 8 am ET on Tuesday, December 29, all the stores we've checked — the New York City area, Raleigh, NC, Atlanta, Omaha, and Orange County — are sold out. PS5 stock is only available on a per-store basis, so it's worth checking your local branch.
It should be noted that on Tuesday, December 29, users on Twitter are uploading video of local Target's rolling in carts of both the PlayStation 5 and Xbox Series X. Other users on Reddit are reporting stock in the Bay Area and Minneapolis area for Xbox Series X units. This could suggest that the dearth of systems could be coming to a close as stores are able to better handle demand now that the holiday shopping season is over.
PS5 restock: Retailer links
- Target: PS5 | PS5 Digital Edition
- Walmart: PS5 | PS5 Digital Edition
- Best Buy: PS5 | PS5 Digital Edition
- GameStop: PS5 | PS5 Digital Edition
- Amazon: PS5 | PS5 Digital Edition
- Sony: PS5 | PS5 Digital Edition
- Newegg: PS5 | PS5 Digital Edition
- Adorama: PS5 | PS5 Digital Edition | Bundles
As for the standard PS5, this was apparently not part of today's restock, though keep an eye out as this availability could change any minute - just as the PS5 Digital Edition's did.
Spiel Times says that a number of restocking reports came from the Midwest region, but adds that they’re also hearing from staff in stores on the West Coast, South Central and South Eastern areas, so it sounds like this could be a wider-reaching PS5 stock drop than the limited Digital Edition numbers might suggest
How can you stand a better chance in what could plausibly be the final PS5 grab of 2020? Well, the first thing to note is that Target restocks tend to take place between 3 a.m and 7 a.m ET, but Spiel Times notes that the two-hour window between 5 a.m. and 7 a.m. has been when past PS5 restocks have occurred.
Obviously, you should be logged in ahead of time, as you’ll have to move fast if you see stock, and make sure that your credit card and shipping details are filled in ahead of time. (So if you don't have a Target account setup, now is the time to create a log-in). Anecdotally, some Target PS5 buyers have had more luck using the shop’s app rather than relying on the website. But if you do want to try your luck via the regular browser, this is the PlayStation 5 stock page that you can refresh at will.
Things have been pretty quiet on the PS5 restock front over the Christmas period with no new consoles appearing in the usual places. Of course, if this report turns out to be correct and Target is getting additional units, it’s possible that other retailers will follow suit. As ever, if you’re still in the market for a console, the best thing to do is to bookmark our where to buy PS5 tracker — we update the page as soon as it comes back in to stock at all the usual places, to save you from overpaying an eBay scalper.
If you can't find a PS5 right now, don't fret. The best time to buy a PS5 won't happen until there are more exclusive games for the platform; by then, it should also be a lot easier to snag a console.
