If you’ve been following news of the PS5 and Xbox Series X|S, you know that the consoles are still extremely difficult to find in stock. While retailers have been selling a handful of consoles online per week, they’ve been even rarer at physical stores. According to a new report, though, Best Buy may be preparing to sell the PS5 and Xbox Series X at some of its stores this week.
According to reporting from TechRadar, Best Buy will have stock of the Xbox Series X and the disc drive version of the PS5 in stores on Thursday, September 24, which will be for the first time in over a month. If the retailer lets customers actually purchase a PS5 or Xbox Series X in person (as opposed to ordering it online ahead of pick up), it would be one of the first instances of a major chain selling them in stores since last year.
TechRadar’s story suggests that Best Buy still has not indicated whether it will allow people to buy them in stores. Previously, the retailer has made customers buy them online and wait a few days before picking them up in person; however, Best Buy’s recent stockpiling of inventory may be in preparation for in-store shopping. Regardless, the report says Best Buy is planning on putting the consoles on sale on Thursday, September 24. This means you might have to get ready to line up Thursday morning for your shot at getting your hands on one.
The current generation of consoles has faced a challenging combination of low stock and high demand, driven in large part by worldwide microchip shortages and ongoing logistics difficulties stemming from the COVID-19 pandemic. Retailers tend to put units on sale seemingly randomly, and bots and scalpers have further added to the low stock. For more information on how to navigate the labyrinthian processes for buying the consoles, be sure to check our PS5 guide and Xbox Series X|S guide.
