Sony has spoken: There will be no PS5s available for purchase in stores on launch day. Uhm... we're not crying, you're crying...
Not to say we told you so but... ah screw it: We told you so. 'You probably won’t be able to walk into a store and just buy a PlayStation 5' – that was the exact wording in our previous article and now Sony confirmed that in a statement on their official blog:
In the interest of keeping our gamers, retailers, and staff safe amidst COVID-19, today we are confirming that all day-of launch sales will be conducted through the online stores of our retail partners. No units will be available in-store for purchase on launch day (November 12 or November 19, depending on your region) – please don’t plan on camping out or lining up on launch day in hopes of finding a PS5 console for purchase. Be safe, stay home, and place your order online. Gamers who have pre-ordered for pick-up at their local retailer should still be able to do so at their designated appointment time, under the retailer’s safety protocols. Please confirm the details with your local retailer.
Well... that's pretty damning for everybody (like some of us) who didn't preorder. Excuse me, while I hack my colleague's preorder... I think he put down the wrong address...
MORE ON THE PS5:
- 3 Reasons Why The PS5 is Better Than The Xbox Series X
- Buying a PlayStation 5: Where Can You Get the Console?
No PS5 in stores before Christmas?
There is no word anywhere on the blog post on when (or if) the PS5 will be available to be bought in stores. It's hard to imagine that Sony would leave the Christmas business entirely in the hands of online-orders. We fully expect the PlayStation 5 to be available in stores some time this year. That is, of course, largely depending on the COVID-19 situation in each respective region. If a country or city is on a serious lockdown, it's unlikely that stores will be allowed to store PlayStation 5 units that tempt the masses.
Isn't it just frustrating? Half the world is on lockdown and gaming is one of THE activities that keep us from going crazy and now the next-gen systems seem further away than ever before.
On the bright side: The launch titles are only a fraction of what the PlayStation 5 gaming library will have to offer. The best titles are still ways away and by the time they are released, everybody should be able to get a PS5 easily.
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