Ratchet and Clank: A Rift Apart
As of the time of this writing, you can’t pre-order a PS5 anywhere. That’s been true since mere moments after pre-orders went live in a chaotic crush that went off with no warning, immediately after Sony’s event earlier in the week. If you didn’t get one in that round, you’re not alone: a quick look on social media sees plenty of people disappointed that they either didn’t get the console at all, or didn’t get the vanishingly-rare all-digital edition they had been hoping for.
The good news is new stock does seem to be on its way before launch date. Sony sent out a surprisingly honest apology about the pre-order mess, and promised the there would be more stock in the coming days. With that in mind, here are the retailers to watch:
Sony
The last one there—direct from Sony—is a little more complicated. You had to have signed up with your PSN a little while ago and then let some sort of mystical algorithm deem you worthy or unworthy of a pre-order: I’ve seen some people report getting that special, exclusive invitation, but it doesn’t seem to be all that common. I was hoping my platinum trophy in Bloodborne would earn me favor from Sony, but alas, no.
It’s also worth noting that Walmart will have more stock starting on September 22 for in-store pre-orders, and that is probably one of your best opportunities for outrunning bots so long as you behave reasonably and wear a mask when you go in the store. Update: Walmart will no longer be offering in-store pre-orders in order to keep customers safe according to an email sent to GameSpot.
Other than that: prepare for disappointment. The PS5 is bound to be the hottest piece of consumer electronics this season, and that means everyone wants a piece, from fans to bots and resellers. If you can’t get one before launch, have heart: there isn’t really any major exclusive that absolutely demands you get this thing on day one, and I’m going to assume that most people champing at the bit for a launch PS5 already have a current-gen console that will play all of the major third and first-party titles in the coming months.
