PS5 And Xbox Series X/S Getting Restocked At Best Buy For Black Friday
Best Buy is restocking the PlayStation 5 and the Xbox Series X/S in time for Black Friday. Both consoles are releasing next month, ending a very lengthy period of development and advertising severely impacted by the COVID-19 pandemic. An opportunity like this to get one's hands on the new consoles is a big deal, especially since Xbox head Phil Spencer is convinced that demand for the systems will greatly outstrip supply for months after release.
It's easy to see why Spencer has this viewpoint. Both next-gen consoles sold out just about everywhere on the internet not long after the preorder periods started. The PlayStation 5 preorders in particular were chaos; several retailers jumped the gun and offered their preorders early, resulting in total mayhem, crashed servers, and cancelled preorders as Sony struggled to keep up. Xbox preorders went much smoother but didn't last much longer. At the time of this writing, eBay scalpers are about the only way for someone to get their hands on a PlayStation 5 or an Xbox Series X.
Best Buy has announced its intention to alleviate this shortage during Black Friday, as indicated by its online newspaper ad. Both consoles, along with the pocket-sized Xbox Series S, are listed prominently in the ad, indicating that Best Buy has restock plans in mind. Both consoles are listed as online only, which is good news for social distancing guidelines and will be helpful in preventing a stampede. Best Buy has made it clear that there will be limited stock for both machines, and since there's no telling when exactly the product will be made available, there will surely be a lot of fans camping out on the Best Buy website when Black Friday rolls around.
There's a lot to be excited about with regards to both new consoles. Xbox and Sony have both promised massive technical improvements, incredible graphical overhauls, and a huge reduction in loading times. Everyone has a different console they're looking forward to, and as preorders become harder and harder to come by, it's understandable that gamers are becoming anxious. There are some exciting games being launched alongside the new machines, and no one wants to be left out just because they weren't lucky enough to click a button before someone else did.
If Phil Spencer is right, it could be a very long time before everyone who wants a PS5 or an Xbox Series X can pick one up. There's always a major sales rush when a new generation of consoles launches, but with the COVID-19 pandemic on the rise, it's harder than ever to ensure a smooth supply process. Best Buy's Black Friday sale is a good chance for some fans to get a PlayStation 5 or an Xbox Series X, but players should spend the month before Black Friday coming to terms with the fact that it won't be a good chance for everyone to get a new console.
Source: Best Buy