By using this site, you agree to the Privacy Policy and Terms of Use.
Accept
PS5 Home - The Home of PS5PS5 Home - The Home of PS5
  • Editorials
    EditorialsShow More
    Can You Change Theme And Wallpaper On PS5?
    7 Min Read
    The Best PS5 Games For August 2022
    7 Min Read
    The 10 Best Games On PlayStation Plus Extra
    7 Min Read
    The 10 Best Games On PlayStation Plus Premium
    7 Min Read
    How To Reset PS5 Controller
    7 Min Read
  • Games
    GamesShow More
    The Best PS5 Games For August 2022
    7 Min Read
    The 10 Best Games On PlayStation Plus Premium
    7 Min Read
    The Best PS5 Games For July 2022
    8 Min Read
    Can You Play Street Fighter 5 On PS5?
    7 Min Read
    Fastest Horses In Red Dead Redemption 2022
    5 Min Read
  • News
    • Rumors
  • How To Guides
    How To GuidesShow More
    Can You Change Theme And Wallpaper On PS5?
    7 Min Read
    How To Reset PS5 Controller
    7 Min Read
    PS5 Warranty Guide – Duration, What It Covers, And More
    8 Min Read
    Can PS4 And PS5 Gamers Be In The Same Party?
    7 Min Read
    What To Do If Your PS5 SSD Is Full
    7 Min Read
  • Console
    • Accessories
    ConsoleShow More
    Can You Change Theme And Wallpaper On PS5?
    7 Min Read
    How To Reset PS5 Controller
    7 Min Read
    The Best PS5 Racing Wheels
    7 Min Read
    The Best PS5 Travel Cases
    7 Min Read
    PS5 Warranty Guide – Duration, What It Covers, And More
    8 Min Read
  • Get The PS5
  • PS4 Home
Search
© 2022 Foxiz News Network. Ruby Design Company. All Rights Reserved.
Reading: The Great PS5 Shortage – Why Is It Still So Hard To Get A PS5?
Share
Sign In
Notification Show More
Latest News
Can You Change Theme And Wallpaper On PS5?
August 9, 2022
The Best PS5 Games For August 2022
August 6, 2022
The 10 Best Games On PlayStation Plus Extra
July 29, 2022
The 10 Best Games On PlayStation Plus Premium
July 26, 2022
10 Esports Games We’d Love To See On PS5
July 24, 2022
Aa
PS5 Home - The Home of PS5PS5 Home - The Home of PS5
Aa
  • Editorials
  • Games
  • News
  • How To Guides
  • Console
  • Get The PS5
  • PS4 Home
Search
  • Editorials
  • Games
  • News
    • Rumors
  • How To Guides
  • Console
    • Accessories
  • Get The PS5
  • PS4 Home
Have an existing account? Sign In
Follow US
© 2022 Foxiz News Network. Ruby Design Company. All Rights Reserved.
PS5 Home - The Home of PS5 > Blog > Console > The Great PS5 Shortage – Why Is It Still So Hard To Get A PS5?
ConsoleEditor's picksEditorialsFeaturedNews

The Great PS5 Shortage – Why Is It Still So Hard To Get A PS5?

PS5 Home
Last updated: 2021/07/16 at 7:35 PM
PS5 Home Published July 16, 2021
Share
SHARE

The PS5 is truly a marvellous machine, but not everyone has been able to enjoy its many merits. At time of writing, it’s still incredibly difficult to actually get your hands on a PS5, with many outlets selling out within mere minutes of receiving stock and going live with listings. It’s safe to say we have a veritable PS5 shortage on our hands, and it’s not looking like that’s going to get any better in the immediate future, either. How did we get here? Why are PS5 consoles so hard to find?

The answer is a little more complex than you might expect, but the current PS5 shortage can essentially be boiled down to this: there’s a major shortage for a crucial component of the console, and since this component is present in lots of consumer electronics, everyone wants to get their hands on what stock is available. The semiconductor shortage has hit every consumer electronics industry from gaming to automobiles, and it’s having a knock-on effect elsewhere, too.

Semiconductors are fairly complex to fully explain, but you can think of them as part of the “chip” that powers most consumer electronics. Indeed, in many places around the world, the semiconductor shortage has been referred to as a “chip shortage” instead. This means that the “brain” that essentially drives most of a piece of tech’s functionality isn’t easy to get hold of, which in turn leads to shortages everywhere from gaming tech to advanced AI.

Despite what you may have heard, Sony has actually assured gamers that the ongoing COVID-19 pandemic doesn’t have anything to do with its PS5 supply woes. Of course, that isn’t technically true; the semiconductor shortage is due, at least in part, to production halting thanks to COVID-19, so indirectly, the pandemic is to blame. Still, Sony swears it hasn’t actually slowed production due to the situation, so it really is just that semiconductor shortage that’s the culprit.

Unfortunately, this has meant that in the wake of difficulties obtaining PS5 consoles, many scalpers and bots have risen up to take part in the PS5 shortage. If you’ve ever seen a PS5 on sale for a ludicrous amount of money, this is the work of scalpers. They buy the consoles at retail knowing that they’ll be hugely in demand, then mark up the prices to extortionate levels in order to make a profit. It’s not a very morally scrupulous practice, but there’s nothing illegal about it – not yet, at least.

There’s also an issue with demand that’s directly related to the pandemic. Since more of us are working from home, we’re also demanding more round-the-clock entertainment, and the PS5 offers a solution to our boredom woes. We want to have fun as a break from the monotony of working, and since we’re already at home, we reach for the PS5 for a quick blast on Astro’s Playroom or Demon’s Souls. Since more people are working from home, though, this means demand significantly increases for the console.

One unexpected source of the PS5 shortage could also be cryptocurrency mining. Right now, consumer graphics cards are rare, thanks in part to the chip shortage but also to cryptocurrency miners buying up all the most powerful GPUs. AMD cards have been hit particularly hard by this issue, and the PS5 uses a proprietary AMD graphics card to power its visuals, which means that Sony is having just as difficult a time obtaining the hardware it wants as everyone else is.

So, when will the PS5 shortage end? That’s a very difficult question to answer, unfortunately. Sony has said that stock shortages will continue into 2022, so if you’re hoping for widespread availability in time for Christmas 2021, you’re very likely to be disappointed, unfortunately. Some outlets are more optimistic, with suggestions that the PS5 could become more available this fall, but it’s a difficult one to call simply because of the semiconductor shortage.

There is, however, some good news. While it’s true that PS5 stock won’t be at normal levels for a while, you’ll inevitably have a chance to get hold of a console sooner or later. This is because even when one factors in scalpers and bots, eventually, those who want consoles will have them, so each wave theoretically allows more people to get a chance at obtaining a console. PS5 bundles, too, prevent scalpers from getting a chance at them, so if you want a PS5, your best bet is to splash out that bit of extra cash and grab a bundle when you see one.

Alright, so you know there’s a PS5 shortage, and you still want to buy one. How can you do that? Your best bet is to keep an eye on a stock checker page. These refresh constantly with news about when PS5 consoles are in stock and where you can grab them. Turn on your Twitter notifications and watch carefully for when stock is released. The best platforms in the UK on which to get PS5 stock are Game, Amazon, Very, and AO, with Box and Argos also offering semi-regular drops.

With enough dedication and a little luck, you should eventually be able to get your hands on a PS5. It’s not easy, though, and it’s going to be a long time before it’s possible to simply walk into your local electronics retailer, ask for a PS5, and get one without hassle.   

5 2 votes
Article Rating

Sign Up For Daily Newsletter

Be keep up! Get the latest breaking news delivered straight to your inbox.
[mc4wp_form]
By signing up, you agree to our Terms of Use and acknowledge the data practices in our Privacy Policy. You may unsubscribe at any time.
PS5 Home July 16, 2021
Share this Article
Facebook Twitter Email Copy Link Print
Previous Article PS5 Camera – Is It Worth Having?
Next Article How To Fix PS5 Lag Issues
1 Comment
Subscribe
Connect with
Notify of
guest
Connect with
guest
1 Comment
Oldest
Newest Most Voted
Inline Feedbacks
View all comments
Angelo Eftimeo
Angelo Eftimeo
9 months ago

Wonder if some countries have better availability than others? When the PS2 was released and wait times were over 6 months (without paying scalper prices) here in the U.S. I travelled to Toronto for work and walked into an electronics retailer in a mall and they had lots of PS2’s on display. After verifying that the boxes weren’t just empty for show, I purchased 2, brought them back and gave my son one and my nephews one to share between the 3 of them.

0
Reply

Latest News

Can You Change Theme And Wallpaper On PS5?
Console Editorials How To Guides
The Best PS5 Games For August 2022
Editor's picks Editorials Featured Games News
The 10 Best Games On PlayStation Plus Extra
Editorials
The 10 Best Games On PlayStation Plus Premium
Accessories Editor's picks Editorials Games

You Might also Like

ConsoleEditorialsHow To Guides

Can You Change Theme And Wallpaper On PS5?

7 Min Read
Editor's picksEditorialsFeaturedGamesNews

The Best PS5 Games For August 2022

7 Min Read
Editorials

The 10 Best Games On PlayStation Plus Extra

7 Min Read
AccessoriesEditor's picksEditorialsGames

The 10 Best Games On PlayStation Plus Premium

7 Min Read
Follow US

© 2022 PS5Home.com. All Rights Reserved.

iNET VENTURES / PS4 Home / Gamerbolt.com

  • Home
  • Contact and Advertising
wpDiscuz

Removed from reading list

Undo
Welcome Back!

Sign in to your account

Lost your password?