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How to pre-order the PS5

Joseph Yaden
Giovanni Colantonio
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Securing a PlayStation 5 pre-order is no easy task. Following the PS5 console reveal in September, Sony’s next-generation system suddenly went up for pre-order and sold out just as quickly. Fans who didn’t get their hands on one in the first round are now left wondering when they might get a second chance.

While you wait for more systems to become available, here are some things you ought to know about PS5 pre-orders. In this guide, we’ll go through what you need to know about the console itself and how you can get your hands on a PS5 at launch.

Further reading:

Release date and price

The Game Awards creator and host, Geoff Keighley Image used with permission by copyright holder

The PS5 disc and digital versions will launch on November 12, 2020, in the U.S., Japan, Mexico, Australia, South Korea, and New Zealand, with the rest of the world getting the system a week later on November 19. Pre-orders went live starting September 16 at select retailers, despite Sony saying the consoles would go on sale the following day. Geoff Keighley originally warned fans that some retailers were making inventory available a day ahead of Sony’s planned pre-order date.

Related

Note: I am hearing some retailers may make inventory available today as well. Stay tuned.

— Geoff Keighley (@geoffkeighley) September 16, 2020

Despite concerns over exorbitant production costs, the PS5 matches Xbox Series X in terms of price. The disc-based version is $499, while the all-digital version is $399.

As for games, the console will launch with Marvel’s Spider-Man: Miles Morales, Demon’s Souls, and more. We know certain titles such as Madden NFL 21, Destiny 2, Far Cry 6, Marvel’s Avengers, and others will include free upgrades from the PS4 to the PS5 versions. Sony’s first-party games range in price, with some releases being as high as $70.

Retailer pre-order notifications

Certain retailers also give the ability to sign up for pre-order notifications, similar to the way some handled the consoles of the previous generation. Below, here’s a list of known retailers who have or previously had pre-order notification signups. Simply input your information, and when pre-orders go live, you’ll get an email from the retailer letting you know it’s time to buy:

Availability

PlayStation 5 Controller
Image used with permission by copyright holder

It also seems retailers will be limiting the number of PS5 consoles available to purchase at a time, at least if a supposed error found within the source code on the PlayStation Direct site is any indication. A user on ResetEra (as relayed by a Redditor) seems to point to an error message that reads “You can only purchase one version of the PS5 Console: Disc or Digital. You have already added one PS5 console to your cart.” While this leak is mostly unsubstantiated, it could mean Sony is cracking down on the system’s availability, regardless of which version you try to get. This leads many to expect retailers to do the same — limiting the number of PS5s you can pre-order. The supposed leak is in reference to PlayStation Direct only, but this could be the case across the board.

Recent Nikkei and Bloomberg reports also point to Sony increasing PS5 production by 50%, with an estimated 10 million units planned to hit store shelves by December 2020. This is apparently due to increased demand during the global COVID-19 pandemic. As Bloomberg notes, Sony started producing PS5s in June and “expects to assemble 5 million units by the end of September and another 5 million between October and December.” Again, this has not been confirmed by Sony, but given the two sources, it could very well be true.

During the first wave of pre-orders, consoles sold out in minutes, indicating that stock may be limited. Retailers have since announced restocks and more could be coming before the console’s November launch.

Open registration for pre-orders through Sony

Image used with permission by copyright holder

Sony sent out emails to PlayStation fans, advising they could register for the possibility of being one of the first to pre-order the system through the company directly. Users could register on the company’s site by submitting their PSN ID. The site made mention of limited quantities of PS5 systems and advises fans to “act fast” if an invitation is received.

The company’s FAQ page further broke down the number of quantities customers were able to pre-order through the site, allowing only one system per PSN ID, two DualSense controllers, and two Pulse 3D wireless headsets, among other accessories. The other important factor is that this is for customers in the U.S. only, as the FAQ reads “any orders that contain a non-U.S. based address will be canceled.”

Despite the seemingly organized system, many retailers put the console up for pre-order before Sony could email fans itself, leaving many frustrated. While open registration through Sony is currently closed now, fans have since reported that Sony has sent out another wave of pre-order emails through the list. If you signed up for the program, make sure to keep an eye on your email inbox from now through November.

Restocks

We are pleased to announce that further quantities of PS5 consoles will be made available to pre-order at https://t.co/hfsGYTcy0V and in GameStop stores tomorrow, Friday 9/25. pic.twitter.com/EbRMkAe5RW

— GameStop (@GameStop) September 24, 2020

If you missed your chance to get a PlayStation 5 when they first went up at retailers, don’t worry. Restocks are already starting to trickle in, so more should hopefully be coming soon.

GameStop already announced its second wave of pre-orders, which begins on September 25. The retailer says that stock will be available both online through its site and in-store, though it’s unclear how many consoles will be available.

Make sure to keep an eye on retailers like Amazon and Best Buy for restock notifications. We’ll update this page when additional consoles become available.

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Joseph Yaden
Joseph Yaden
Joseph Yaden is a freelance journalist who covers Nintendo, shooters, and horror games. He mostly covers game guides for…
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