Although the PS5 is a great console, it’s hard to argue that it hasn’t been blighted by availability issues. Trying to get hold of a PS5 since it launched back in November 2020 has been notoriously difficult, with many struggling to find the console and turning to scalpers or sites like eBay to pick theirs up. This problem has been endemic since the PS5 launched, causing many gamers to ask exactly when the issue will improve and PS5s will be more widely available.
Unfortunately, it doesn’t look like that’s going to be the case anytime soon. We’re well into 2022 now, and the issue is continuing, with many retailers still struggling to secure PS5 stock. However, there are rays of hope in the form of occasional stock drops at major retailers, as well as prices potentially falling from second-hand sources (although certainly not from scalpers). Here’s our PS5 global availability update for the month of May 2022.
PS5s are still scarce in May 2022
Let’s get the bad news out of the way first. The PS5 is still very difficult to obtain in 2022, and May hasn’t brought any major stock relief for retailers. News outlets are reporting sporadic stock drops at major UK retailers like GAME, Curry’s, and Argos, but the fact is that if you’re looking to head to a website and simply grab a PS5, you’re not going to be able to do that just yet. The launch situation continues, it seems; the PS5 isn’t a widely available product, and it could be quite some time before it will be.
Things aren’t likely to get much better in 2022
The even worse news for PS5 hopefuls is that the situation isn’t likely to improve too much over the course of the year. Sony says that it fully expects the PS5 stock shortage to last at least for the rest of the year. The company has even gone so far as to reduce its sales expectations from 14.8 million units down to around 11.5 million, which shows just how gloomy Sony’s outlook is for the PS5. Sadly, it’s not looking like you’re going to get a console easily this year.
Why are PS5s so scarce?
Once again, it’s that dastardly chip shortage that’s causing serious problems with the PS5 supply chain. Since the COVID-19 pandemic began in 2020, there’s been an issue with obtaining semiconductors, which are necessary for building all kinds of tech (including, you guessed it, games consoles). As the chip shortage continues, tech manufacturers are having serious issues getting ahold of chips for their devices. Sony is also blaming “logistics confusion”, which suggests there are problems on the production and shipping end as well. It’s a multifaceted problem, and one that’s not likely to go away just because one element of it is fixed.
You can still get a PS5 if you’re lucky
It’s still possible to get yourself a PS5 if you’re lucky and if you pay attention. There are many stock checkers and trackers online that you can follow, and if they’re good at what they do, they’ll alert you to the presence of PS5 stock as soon as it appears. You can then put yourself in the queue and hope that you’re able to pick up a console. However, we must stress that this does involve a great deal of luck; if you’re not in the first wave of customers that fires up the website, you’re going to struggle to get a console.
How can you make sure you get a PS5?
As we’ve pointed out, there’s not really a good way to “make sure” that you obtain a PS5 when stock does become available. However, there are a number of tips you can put into effect in order to increase your chances significantly. Here’s how you can try to make sure you get yourself a PS5.
- Don’t buy from sketchy websites. First and foremost, it’s important to check the credentials of the site you’re buying from. Too many websites scam customers for PS5 consoles, and you might find yourself on the receiving end of one of those scams thanks to desperation or carelessness.
- Set up stock tracker notifications. If you’re following a stock tracker on Twitter, then you can set up notifications within your browser so that you get notified every single time that account tweets. We’d strongly recommend doing this so that you don’t miss a stock update.
- Buy bundles. Scalper bots don’t know how to look for bundles; they usually buy the console on its own instead. As such, you’ll have a much better chance of picking up a PS5 if you buy a bundle. Look for one that has games or accessories you’d want alongside your console, and give the console on its own a miss.
- Go for the Disc Edition. You might think that the digital-only PS5 would have higher stock and lower demand, but in fact, this isn’t the case. At least in the early days, digital edition PS5 demand was extremely high, but stock was much lower, so you’ll have a better chance of picking up a Disc Edition PS5 if the situation remains the same now.
As you can see, the stock situation with the PS5 remains dire in May 2022. Hopefully, things will improve over the coming months, but Sony has said it can’t accurately predict whether this will be the case or not. Either way, we wish you the best of luck in your PS5 buying journey!