Sony has started informing retailers of their PlayStation 5 launch day allocation

UK retailer ShopTo has begun contacting PlayStation 5 pre-order customers to tell them whether they will receive the console in time for launch.

The retailer ran a system which essentially let customers pre-pre-order a PS5 console by registering their interest prior to pre-orders going live.

Once PS5 pre-orders officially launched on September 17, customers were given a short window to confirm if they wanted to keep their pre-order.

And the retailer has now started informing customers whether it will be able to deliver their console in time for launch.

UPDATE: Ireland’s GameStop chain has contacted some PS5 pre-order customers to tell them not to expect their consoles to arrive before 2021.

ORIGINAL STORY CONTINUES: “We have received the allocation details from Sony and, unfortunately, we regret to inform you that we will not be able to fulfil your pre-order on day one/release date,” reads a ShopTo email sent to a VGC staff member on Monday.

If you ordered a console from ShopTo and have yet to receive an update via email, it might be worth checking the status of the pre-order section of your ShopTo account as these are also being updated.

ShopTo asks customers not expecting to receive their console in time for launch to keep their pre-order with the retailer in case other customers cancel their pre-orders or Sony makes additional launch day stock available.

“Also we would like to know if you would be happy to swap your pre-order for a digital console, if they become available and as you are in the queue, you will have the priority,” its email adds.

Multiple retailers sold out of PS5 pre-orders just hours after launch details were announced on September 16, despite Sony telling fans that pre-sales for the console would begin the following day.

PlayStation subsequently apologised for the troubled PS5 pre-order launch and promised to release more consoles to retailers imminently.

Selected retailers opened a second wave of PS5 pre-orders on September 25 which also sold out quickly.

Amazon has also warned some PS5 pre-order customers that they may not receive their console on the day of release.

Further reading

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Daniel Ahmad, senior analyst at Niko Partners, told VGC he expects supply issues for both PlayStation 5 and Xbox Series X this year.

“While production is ramping up and component scarcity is less of an issue than before, we believe that logistics issues will be a barrier for both platform holders to overcome this holiday, with the impact from Covid-19 leading to long shipping times and shortages on store shelves during the launch period.

“We expect Sony and Microsoft to utilise air shipments, which will cost more, to meet demand this year.”