When Microsoft, Sony, or Nintendo release a new console, it’s always a big deal. Each company has its legion of dedicated fans, many of whom want to get their hands on every new product as soon as it’s released. Unfortunately, in recent years, demand has vastly exceeded availability, resulting in many very disappointed players.
This has been notable with the PS5, which released in November, yet has frequently been out of stocks in the months since. Not only are many fans are missing out on the chance to play on this amazing piece of hardware, but there’s also no indication of when supply will finally meet demand. It could be another year before everyone who wants a PS5 can get their hands on one.
If you’re currently struggling to buy this new console, it might be worth finding ways to pass the time wisely until your luck turns around. These are the five ways we’d recommend doing that.
Sign Up For Mailing Lists And Notifications
It’s not just the fact that stock supplies are low that makes getting a PS5 difficult. There’s also the issue that as soon as the console becomes available again, it sells out almost instantly.
To try and lower the chances of this happening, it’s worth signing up for mailing lists and getting notifications where you can. Get involved with as many reliable suppliers as possible so that you know exactly when the console becomes available again. It won’t guarantee that you’ll get your hands on a PS5, but it will mean you won’t discover too late that it was back in stock somewhere.
Just make sure that wherever you’re looking to buy from is trustworthy. You might be eager for the new PlayStation, but you don’t want to risk being scammed.
Read Reviews From Current Owners
When you’re struggling to get a PS5, the last thing you probably want to do is look into the people who have had better luck than you. However, not everyone who’s bought the console is going to be raving about it. Plenty will share their honest opinions on the hardware and whether or not it’s worth buying.
While most of them will likely agree that it is, that doesn’t mean they won’t mention issues that have yet to be patched out. This kind of thing is common in new consoles, and it can take a while before the problems are fixed. That’s why some publications don’t recommend buying games and consoles as soon as they’re released because they’re not always as perfect as you want them to be.
So, if you check out reviews and the like from unbiased PS5 owners, it could help you to work out when any major issues are resolved. That way, you know exactly when the best time is to double down on trying to buy the console.
Get In Some Practice Elsewhere
During its lifetime, the PS5 will have plenty of titles unique to the console, some of which are already out. However, not all games will have this restriction, with many releasing across multiple platforms.
Take Call Of Duty: Black Ops Cold War, for example. Released last year, the game is available on PC, multiple Xbox consoles, and the PS4, as well as the PS5. While you might be eager to play this game on the newest PlayStation hardware, that doesn’t mean you can’t hone your skills elsewhere in the meantime.
If you’ve got a decent PC, why not buy the game on there and use the coming weeks and months to get in plenty of practice? You can even consider using some of the gaming cheats at iwantcheats.net. This assistance might help you get to grips with using weapons and understanding map layouts, so you’re fully prepared once you have the PS5. Plus, given that the software is frequently updated, the risks of you being detected are as slim as possible.
Play Other Games While You Can
Once that PS5 arrives, it’s probably going to have your attention for a long time to come. That means anything else you might have been planning to enjoy at some point will fall to the wayside.
Rather than investing all your energy into getting the new console, why don’t you dedicate time to those other games you’ve been meaning to play? If they prove worthwhile, then they’ll do a decent job of keeping you entertained during the agonising wait for PS5s to be restocked.
This is also an excellent opportunity to browse the online stores of your choosing and see if there are any games worth giving a try. The PlayStation Store and Steam often have tons of amazing deals, so you might find something that’s far higher quality than its low price would suggest.
Save Up What You Can
The PS5, as with any new console, isn’t cheap. Right now, the minimum you can expect to pay is £350, but that’s only if you’re happy to go digital-only. Anyone who still likes owning physical copies of games should expect an extra £100 on top of that, which is quite a lot of money. What’s more, this is just the console price. Once you factor in the cost of games – which seems to be worse for UK players than US players – everything becomes quite a drain on your bank account.
With this in mind, the delay in getting a PS5 might not be a bad thing. It could give you an opportunity to put more money aside so that you can afford everything you want when you do eventually get the console.
You may already have enough cash saved up, in which case, this probably won’t seem that beneficial. However, plenty of people who want a PS5 don’t necessarily have the funds to buy one, so this gives those players a chance to change that.
It’s frustrating having to wait longer for the PS5 than you want to, but just think about it this way. Not getting it immediately means you don’t have to deal with day one bugs and glitches. There’s also a better chance that you’ll be able to buy the console as a bundle, which could save you some money. So, while the delay might be a great test of patience, at least it has its upsides.