A PlayStation 5 restock is coming in-store to select GameStop locations on October 29, giving customers another chance to acquire Sony’s new-gen console ahead of the holiday season. Since its launch in November 2020, the PS5 has been notoriously difficult to find in stores and online due to record-high demand and low global supply. With the PS5 outselling the Nintendo Switch – its major competitor alongside the Xbox Series X/S – for the first time in September, demand for the PlayStation console seems as high as ever.
At launch, the PlayStation 5 received a great deal of praise from critics and players, with its powerful performance and DualSense controllers allowing for more immersion opportunities. The system’s hardware, namely its SSD, allows games to hit higher frame rate targets and make use of new lighting techniques like ray tracing. The PS5 DualSense controller also boasts a number of features, such as haptic feedback and adaptive triggers. The unprecedented success of Sony’s console has unfortunately contributed to a supply shortage, but demand is slowing but surely being met at retailers. Best Buy and GameStop PS5 restocks have recently sold consoles to customers in-store at participating locations, with GameStop’s most recent in-person event having taken place on October 22.
After GameStop’s recent PlayStation 5 restock, the video game retailer has announced another in-store PS5 Bundle Event for October 29. Select stores across the US will begin selling bundles of PS5s and select games, compelling customers to buy more than just the console itself. This in-store event will be held at select GameStop locations in Seattle, San Francisco, Nashville, Raleigh, Detroit, and Philadelphia, with a full list of every participating location being available on the retailer’s website.
As the holiday season approaches, many shoppers remain pressured to acquire a PlayStation 5 for themselves or loved ones. In anticipation of this increased demand for PS5s, Sony’s official PlayStation Direct digital storefront has already started queueing potential buyers. PlayStation Direct’s holiday registration opened up earlier in October, with PSN users registering to possibly receive an invitation to purchase the new-generation console. While the anticipated holiday restock has not yet been released by PlayStation Direct, the new wave of consoles is expected to arrive well before the holidays.
For almost an entire year, the PS5 has stayed in high demand, and stock issues have long been exacerbated by a global microchip shortage. This combination has resulted in many retailers recently limiting PS5 sales to in-store purchases or resorting to console bundles to maximize individual transactions. These more expensive bundles have greater profit margins, and in-store exclusivity can make it easier for locals to get their hands on the system while circumventing online scalpers and bots. With the PlayStation 5 nearing its one-year launch anniversary, time will tell when the console is made more readily available.
