Sony Releases Statement on PS5 Pre-Order Chaos

After the PS5’s price and release date were unveiled during Sony’s showcase stream on Wednesday, a PlayStation Blog post mentioned that pre-orders for the console “will be available starting as early as tomorrow at select retailers.” To say things didn’t go to plan would be an understatement.

A number of retailers, seemingly beginning with Walmart’s website and GameStop’s stores, suddenly started taking pre-orders shortly after the showcase ended. A number of other retailers, including Target, Best Buy, and Amazon, began taking orders throughout the day. Throngs of eager PlayStation fans bombarded said websites, bringing the storefronts to their knees and making it practically impossible to complete an order. A lot of gamers who didn’t secure consoles felt slighted by the whole process, as the retailers didn’t stick to Sony’s messaging. Even Microsoft got involved and took a jab at Sony over the situation, while announcing specific pre-order times for the Xbox Series X and Series S.

It seems that Sony has heard the frustration. In a statement on Twitter, the company apologized and acknowledged that reservations “could have been a lot smoother.” It is also mentioned that more pre-orders will take place “over the next few days,” and that retailers will communicate their specific plans. Additionally, for those who aren’t able to secure a console in the first shipment, “more PS5s will be available through the end of the year.”

The PS5 will retail for $499.99 or $399.99, depending on if you want the standard console or the Digital Edition. It will be available in North America, Japan, and select other countries on November 12 and the rest of the world on November 19.