One of the most highly anticipated gaming consoles of this year, the Playstation 5 (the PS5), was released on Nov. 12. Rather than it being released nationwide by realtors, SONY instead chose to have stock sold online in order to maintain social distancing during the COVID-19 pandemic.
People have been excited about the PS5 – or rather, the idea of the PS5, ever since rumors began circulating online. For it to be officially revealed in 2020, excitement and enthusiasm only grew as SONY declared the PS5 to be “The Future of Gaming.”
Possessing features such as smoother frame rates and high-speed loading rates, backward compatibility with “4,000” PS4 games, and even the ability to upgrade PS4 games to digital PS5 games, surely its hefty price of $500.00 would be worth it.
Walmart seemed it would be the most reliable site for purchasing the PS5. Early on, they announced they would have multiple restocks on launch day. Specific time frames were listed, such as 12 p.m., 3 p.m., 6 p.m. and 9 p.m. EST.
In comparison, sites such as Gamestop and Amazon seemed to have the new system in stock as well, but shoppers had to check back at random times which is a tricky thing to do if you had a full schedule on your hands.
Personally, I was ready and willing for the PS5. I thought to myself, nothing was going to stop me when I had both the funds and the technology to get it. If I was timely, as well as efficient, the purchase would be a smooth transaction.
Needless to say, I put too much belief in the internet and came out empty-handed on Nov. 12.
At 11:50 a.m. sharp, I was on the PS5’s page waiting for 12:00 p.m. to come. I regularly refreshed the page and of course, at launch time it was up. I hit purchase and began to enter the important information required for the transaction to be complete.
However, I knew something was wrong when my address took multiple times to save.
It was by my tenth time re-entering and resaving my information when I received a message stating that the PS5 was sold out. Never had something like this happened to me before and until this moment. I believed that when something was in your cart, it would be secure from running out of stock.
The website assured me that as soon as the console was in stock, it would remain in my cart. To be on the safe side, I made an account on Walmart’s website to ensure my card and address would be ready in order for the transaction to be swifter.
6:00 p.m. was worse. Now, the website was regularly crashing the moment I logged on and I could not even access my cart.
I was not the only one having this issue with the website, for multiple customers took to social media outlets such as Twitter in fury.
Admittedly, I did not try again at 6 p.m. or 9 p.m. I felt the same technical difficulties would remain present.
Although Nov. 12 was the launch day, SONY did not stop bringing in new units to distribute across the internet. Still, there was often a pattern of stock being sold out within a minute’s notice. This brought me to make the critical decision of waiting until next year to purchase a PS5.
I came to the following conclusion based upon four reasons.
Right now, websites cannot handle the traffic for the PS5.
Online shopping should not be difficult and no one should be shocked when the inventory in their cart is suddenly out of stock during the checkout process.
From the perspective of a consumer, to see websites such as Walmart crash, it seems as though sites were not actually prepared for the digital wave of people that would be incoming.
That, and it has been stated that online shoppers are in very much competition with bots that have been purchasing PS5s.
It is not guaranteed that you will be able to purchase the PS5 in-person right now.
Certain stores such as Gamestop had a limited amount of PS5 units during Black Friday. Rather than shopping online, you could go to the store in-person. However, in the case of my local Gamestop, they all were sold out by 7:15 a.m.
While one can view this as a situation in which the ‘early bird gets the worm,’ the most hardcore of gamers – the campers – must be taken into consideration. Beyond deciding whether you are willing to sleep outdoors waiting for Gamestop to open, you also have to decide if you are fine with the concept of sleeping outdoors in the midst of a pandemic.
In another worst-case scenario, you may be a camper – fine with all of this and taking necessary precautions, only to see the PS5 has been sold out of stock before it is your turn in line.
Prices are being hiked up due to the holidays.
There are scalpers around the world who purchased the object en masse – and there are corporations which are taking advantage of the fact the holidays are near, neither of these things is a good combination for purchasers.
Scalpers are reselling PS5s in the $1,000 and up the price range, while certain websites are promoting bundle deals which can be up to $800. If one was to wait until perhaps April 2021, there is a higher chance that the PS5 will be in stock and at its regular retail price.
The game station isn’t flawless.
There have been multiple reports of issues the PS5 has, which includes the console crashing while in rest mode and even overheating. This is not the sign of a bad game console, but these mishaps are something every new console initially endures. It takes time for all the kinks to be sorted out, and the PS5 is likely to be in its ideal, perfect form by 2021.
The PS5’s release was definitely a highlight of 2020 – an overall miserable year that felt short yet somehow long at once. But the console just isn’t something someone can easily achieve, even if they have the funds. Presently, to get a PS5 is to constantly be on the prowl, high alert, and hoping your wifi doesn’t go out.
Digital shopping does not need to be like a goose chase.
All and all, it’s best to keep your chin up, your money saved, and wait for 2021 when the PS5 is bound to be mass-produced and it only takes a simple click or a visit to your local store at any given hour, to bring your home.
Ayzha Middlebrooks
Executive Editor