Some UK retailers are now not expecting more PS5 stock until 2021

UK retailers including Argos and Smyths have said they now don’t expect to receive any more PlayStation 5 stock until 2021.

In messages published on their PS5 product pages, the retailers said they expect to receive their next console allocation from Sony next year.

“We will not have any further stock for the rest of 2020,” the Argos website states.

“We are out of stock of the PS5, we are expecting more early 2021,” an Argos customer services representative also said this week.

Smyths also lists PS5 as out of stock online, with more “expected” in January 2021.

It has published the following message for customers who have already managed to place a pre-order. “All stock is now allocated. Pre-orders will be fulfilled by December 18th.”

ShopTo took a fresh wave of PS5 pre-orders last week, as did Currys and Game. ShopTo told customers who were successful in placing a PS5 pre-order – as well as customers who had previously managed to place a pre-order but have yet to receive the console – that it expects to deliver them by December 18.

The situation might be more promising for UK customers hoping to get another chance to purchase Xbox Series X/S this year.

Smyths says Microsoft’s consoles are “expected in stock: December 2020”, while Argos says it’s “working hard to get more stock”.

In a statement released in late November, Sony suggested PS5 had enjoyed the biggest console launch in history following “unprecedented” demand.

“We want to thank gamers everywhere for making the PS5 launch our biggest console launch ever,” the company said. “Demand for PS5 is unprecedented, so we wanted to confirm that more PS5 inventory will be coming to retailers before the end of the year – please stay in touch with your local retailers.”

Xbox Series X/S also broke Microsoft’s own 24-hour launch record of over one million sales, according to the platform holder.

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As with PS5, demand for Microsoft’s console is expected to outstrip supply for the foreseeable future, with Xbox head Phil Spencer recently suggesting Xbox Series X/S shortages will continue into spring 2021.

While more stock is being made available in the run-up to Christmas, Microsoft has suggested it could change how future consoles are pre-ordered in order to avoid the sort of chaotic online retail experiences witnessed over the past month.

Spencer told The Verge Microsoft has discussed giving customers the chance to put a deposit down and reserve a console with a guaranteed delivery date.

UK technology retailer Box is holding ballots to decide which customers will be able to purchase new Xbox Series X/S stock when it goes on sale this month.