If you are planning on queuing outside your nearest game store in the hopes of picking up a PS5 on November 12th, you needn’t bother. Sony has confirmed that the PlayStation 5 is not going to be available for in-store purchases on launch day.
There’s No Point Camping Out for a PS5
In previous years, the release of a new, eagerly anticipated device has been accompanied by endless newsreels of people camping outside their local Best Buy. So eager are they to get their hands on the latest piece of tech.
Well, if you had planned to grab yourself a pavement space and wait it out until release day, our advice to you would be don’t. In a post on the PlayStation Blog, Sony has confirmed that there will be no PlayStation 5 consoles available to buy, in-store, on launch day.
Where Can You Buy a PS5 on Launch Day?
Basically, not in store. If you have pre-orders from a physical store, then these will be in stock and you can go and collect them using the means stipulated by the retailer. However, if you haven’t already actually purchased the PS5, we suggest staying at home because you won’t be able to buy one at any game stockists.
What if you want to get your hands on a PS5 when it launches on November 12th in the US? If that is the case, then you will have to buy one online and this, Sony says, is the only way you will be able to obtain one.
Why Won’t the PS5 Be Available in Stores?
The answer is pretty simple. Sony is being a responsible brand and ensuring that everyone remains safe. The current health crisis that is sweeping the globe means that companies must shoulder some of the responsibility in terms of keeping its fanbase and PS5 retailers alike safe.
This is why you won’t be able to buy the PS5 in-store on launch day. Sony wants to keep the whole process as COVID-safe as possible. This means no queuing outside stores on November 12th, in close proximity with a lot of people, as this could spell disaster for anyone present. Customers and store staff alike.
Don’t Waste Your Time Waiting in Line
If you really want to buy a PS5 on launch day, you will have to join everyone else and buy one online instead. If you can find anywhere with some stock left. This could potentially lead to disappointment for a lot of people, especially as websites have a tendency to go down when huge numbers of people try to buy one thing at the same time.
If you have the patience, it might be best to wait it out for a few weeks. If you can control your fear of missing out, of course.