The PS5 consoles won't be on sale in stores at launch day. In fact, PS5 orders will be online-only throughout the rest of the year.
This doesn't mean the consoles won't be available at any retailers. Instead, people will have to order the PlayStation 5 online and then pick it up at their local retailer at a later time (or have it shipped to their home). This distinction is important, because it doesn't mean stores won't have restocks after pre-orders sold out earlier this year. Instead, it confirms restocks are happening - consumers will just have to jump through an extra hoop or two before getting their PS5s.
In an official statement from PlayStation that was shared earlier this morning, the company announced this surpridate to the PS5's launch day. After hectic pre-orders and a week of unboxing videos online, it's just the latest way PlayStation 5 is making headlines. However, there's actually a very good reason PlayStation is taking these extra measures.
Why The PlayStation 5 Has To Be Ordered Online In 2020
According to PlayStation, the company is working with retailers to ensure PS5 sales on launch day run smoothly. Part of this is making PS5 sales online-only. There will be no units available in-store on the November 12th or November 19th launch days. This is being done as preventative measures due to the COVID-19 global pandemic. This way, consumers won't be waiting in crowded lines or flooding retailers on launch day. It's a way to keep retailer workers and consumers both safe.
The COVID-19 pandemic has affected pre-orders on a number of levels, so it's not surprising the company is taking an extra step to ensure everyone's safety. And while PS5 orders must be conducted online, the console can still be picked up from retailers once it's been purchased. Anyone who's selected in-store pick-up for their pre-orders needn't worry, either, since they'll still be able to pick up their PS5 at their previously scheduled appointment time.
While this may be frustrating to some gamers, it's important to that 2020 isn't like other years. In order to keep everyone safe, PS5 consoles must be ordered online. Restocks of the PlayStation 5 are happening, but it just may take a little longer for them to arrive since no consoles will be in-store on launch day.
