The PS5 continues to be a hot ticket item. The console has been out for a few months now, but supply is not keeping up with demand, and it remains a challenge for most people to track one down. The current situation has only been exacerbated by rampant scalpers using bots to secure thousands of PS5s. In order to fight scalpers, a number of Twitter users and forum posters have been trying to keep customers informed as to when restock will arrive.
This is generally the norm when it comes to a new console launch. Demand is much higher than supply and production can't keep up. With the gaming industry continuing to grow, there are more and more folks looking to get their console fix, and production numbers don't seem to be scaled to match that growing market. The scalping situation, and the sophisticated bots that scalpers use to acquire so many consoles, is something that is hard for manufacturers and retailers to account for.
Given that it is so difficult to land a PS5, any information about availability is being leaked. According to these rumors, a few UK retailers might be receiving restock of PS5s shortly. The Twitter account PS5 Stock UK reports that on February 4th Argos could be receiving more PS5s, with GAME UK and the online retailer Very set to receive more on February 9th. These dates aren't confirmed by the retailers, so folks looking to score a PS5 will just have to be vigilant on those days. They will also have to act quickly if this information is correct, given that GameStop sold out of its recent restock within minutes.
Despite it seeming like the PS5 is never in stock, Sony shipped 3.4 million PS5 units within the first four weeks of release. This is the largest release month ever for a PlayStation console, but while Sony's numbers show that the units are getting out there, the secondary market is where many of them are going.
This next-gen console cycle has been strange for a number of reasons, first and foremost being the outrageous scalper situation, but another odd fact out of Japan indicates that the PS5 had a lackluster debut in what is usually a Sony console market. This could be attributed to the supply issues, but could also be indicative of the Nintendo Switch's complete dominance right now.
Fans looking to score a PS5 over in the UK will be anxiously watching websites over the next couple of days to see if the leaked information is correct. Hopefully, stock levels of the PS5 improve in the coming weeks.