PS5 preorders went up a day early — and chaos ensued. Is it too late to get one?

Mike Stunson
·3 min read

If you’re trying to secure Sony’s new PlayStation 5, scheduled to come out in November, you may already be too late.

Sony announced Wednesday that preordering for the next-generation PS5 would be available as early as Thursday at select retailers.

Those major retailers must not have gotten the memo.

Walmart, Target, GameStop, Best Buy and Amazon each began allowing preorders for the digital and standard versions of the PS5 Wednesday evening, causing gamers to mad dash to the retailers’ respective websites.

While Walmart appeared to be the first to sell out of preorders, Target wasn’t far behind.

Issues were plentiful on the websites for GameStop and Best Buy. Many people reported getting messages on GameStop’s website letting them know they are blocked from accessing the page. Some gamers secured the new system at GameStop stores, and by Wednesday night, the online site had sold out.

Even Geoff Keighley, the producer and creator of The Game Awards, was blocked from GameStop’s site at one point.

Perhaps the most issues were found on Best Buy’s website, where people reported having the new system in their online cart for hours without being able to complete the purchase. Best Buy, which eventually sold out of the gaming console as well, became a trending topic on Twitter as many users voiced their displeasure with the major retailer.

With frustration mounting against Sony because preordering started before the announced date, the gaming company’s rival had some fun on Twitter at Sony’s expense.

“Don’t worry — we’ll let you know the exact time pre-orders start for you soon,” XBOX said Wednesday night.

All eyes were on Amazon late Wednesday night for people who had yet to come away with a PS5 preorder. As thousands of people kept refreshing the Amazon page, preordering went live shortly before 12 a.m. Eastern.

The digital and standard PS5 preorders both sold out shortly after midnight and many people were left empty-handed.

So now what? Some lucky gamers will be able to preorder directly through a Sony lottery, but they will not have enough spots for everyone.

Walmart will release additional PS5 preorders Sept. 22, according to gaming reporter Alex Kane. It’s unclear when other retailers, such as Sam’s Club and Costco, will begin preorders.

The digital PlayStation 5 costs $399 and standard edition is priced at $499. Both are scheduled for Nov. 12 releases.

Sony has not responded to the frustration among the gaming community. McClatchy News has reached out for comment.