• Hey, guest user. Hope you're enjoying NeoGAF! Have you considered registering for an account? Come join us and add your take to the daily discourse.

I don't understand how to get a PS5 legitimately.

The last 2 days, I've had alerts on my phone set up for various stores selling PS5s. I've seen alerts for Target, Gamestop, and Amazon.

In one I got into digital line and got nothing. Another was just sold out 2 seconds in. And on another I added to cart but it was gone before I could actually check out (which was a matter of seconds)

They sell out almost immediately.

How are people legitimately getting one without resorting to scalper prices?
What kind of alerts did you set up? directely from the stores? I got mine using a twitter alert account where they usually tweet alerts from plenty of stores. They are probably faster and will give you all tricks with the specific store to actually get one.

By the way even using a "pro" twitter account it wasn't easy. I had to try like 10 times to put the PS5 in my basket.
 
Last edited:

Thaedolus

Gold Member
Check local stores that aren’t big retailers. We’ve got a local grocery chain that has an electronics department that gets a couple every few weeks, my buddy called them every shipment day for months and let me know when they got some in and luckily I was driving to work and could take a quick detour to get it. Otherwise sign up for notifications for that guy on Twitter that does updates and be patient. Or pay some premium to a scalper. They’re out there
 

IntentionalPun

Ask me about my wife's perfect butthole
Is an illegitimate PS5 a bastard?

SmQlzyo.png

VDMtW6H.png
 

leo-j

Member
Follow warior64 on Twitter and the moment u get the alert purchase it. You have to do it the moment you get the notification.
 

Gamerguy84

Member
Jake Randall, Matt Swider, PS5 stock alert, all on Twitter.

Other than that Hot Stock alerts but your already doing that.

Have all your info saved on apps to these digital storefronts and CC info. Keep trying.

There were several drops today but I didn't try for one, I've already got both mine and 4 more for family and friends so I'm done trying. You'll get one.
 

SCB3

Member
Its times like these I'm glad I live in a Small town in the North of England, literally pre ordered and bought both consoles no issues

GPU's though, I hope my 1060 6gb lasts a while longer
 

tommib

Member
I got mine back in February through an iPhone app called PS5 stock. Something like that. At the second notification of stock in Portugal I clicked the link that took me to a retail store website where I had all my data logged in. Easy peasy. Yes, I know I was very lucky.
 

kingwingin

Member
If I didn't get one at launch I would have just paid a scalper. My time and energy is worth more than a few hundred bucks
 

ZywyPL

Banned
People don't want to support scalpers

I get that paying over 1k instead of 499 MSRP is a no-go, but a year has passed and many scalpers realized they aren't selling their consoles anytime soon unless dropping the price, so nowadays you can easily get the console for 600-650$. I mean, what choice do you have? Pay that 100-150 extra or wait another year or two (which will be halfway through the gen already) hoping you'll finally be able to grab one for 499.
 

Aenima

Member
1. Dont be american
2. Walk into any store and buy one

Followed this and got 3 of 'em so far.
Lol, where do u live? Cuz im not american and you dont find any PS5 in any store shelve here. And when they get new shipments they get sold out in minutes.

I got lucky at release day, just waited for midnight, opened 3 sites, 1 of them crashed, so made an order in one of the sites, 10 minutes later it was aleady sold out everywhere and has been challenging to get one.
 
Last edited:

bargeparty

Member
I get that paying over 1k instead of 499 MSRP is a no-go, but a year has passed and many scalpers realized they aren't selling their consoles anytime soon unless dropping the price, so nowadays you can easily get the console for 600-650$. I mean, what choice do you have? Pay that 100-150 extra or wait another year or two (which will be halfway through the gen already) hoping you'll finally be able to grab one for 499.

I'd rather not have one then give a scalper any amount over msrp. Just as I reckon others feel the same way (judging by the discords I was in).

It's more of a matter of principal. You're enabling those scum by giving them any amount of money.

Fuck 'em. It's just a console, people can and are waiting for legit purchases.
 
I don’t know how i did it, i managed to get orders in for the series x and ps5, and got them both on release day, delivered in the morning.
 

Silvawuff

Member
I followed several restockers (https://twitter.com/LordOfRestocks is a good one) on Twitter and enabled robust notifications on my phone -- make it blow up when there's a drop so there's a higher chance you'll notice. I made an account (and made sure I was logged in) with every major retailer they cover, and made sure my CC info was on autofill. Copped one (off Best Buy of all places) after a week or so of paying attention. Mornings are a good time to check since competition will typically be lower then.

If you manage to cart one, don't mess around. Check out immediately. It's frustrating, but a great console. Well worth the effort. Good luck!
 
Last edited:
There's some luck involved but if you really want it, it's not too difficult to get. I was able to buy 2 in the space of a month. Got mine from very and got a relative one from amazon. Stock in UK isn't so bad for ps5. Xbox series x supply is terrible though.
 

bitbydeath

Gold Member
We have this thing in Australia called “Pre-orders”. When you “Pre-Order” you go on a list and are able to purchase one after those above you whom also “Pre-Ordered” purchase theirs.

It’s pretty advanced stuff… apparently
 

IDKFA

I am Become Bilbo Baggins
I managed to get one in December thanks to GAF. Somebody posted a thread that Sony UK were open to an online queue to their store for a PS5 drop.

I clicked on the link and was number eight thousand and something in the queue. I was going to bail, but had nothing better to do so waited to see what would happen. Luckily, lots of people droped out and I was able to enter the store and nab one.
 
You and me both!!! Been trying for over a year.

AND A BIG F U To all the "I GOT MINE ITS EASY" assholes who flex like its some simple shit. Maybe if you spend your life building bots or on websites 24x7 , but not to people who work and just go off alerts. Go to get one in the shopping cart and hit "checkout" only to be told time and again "no longer in stock.." Then why the f did you put it in my shopping cart. Don't these stores like amazon and walmart take it out of inventory electronically before selling?
How can they put in my cart if they don't actually have it. ITs bullshit!!!!

Also they really need to get like EVGA and have a queue. Where you sign up, pay and wait. I got a 3060ti that way. Took 8 months but i at least got it stress free.
Sony gives random emails but the last one i got they gave it on a sunday night and i had 8 hours to get it. I didn't see the email until i was done work on monday and by that time too late. Who doesn't give 24 hours at least..wtf...

Meanwhile, I was able to get a switch oled 5 days before xmas on amazon, with no hassell. I got it and delvered xmas eve. Loving my new switch upgrade. SMT5 and dying light look amazing on the screen (gf got me those for xmas).

So yeah getting a ps5 sucks and I will keep bitching about it until sony does something to stop scalpers , bots and shitty greedy stores from not caring.


Oh wtf is up with gamestop, bestbuy,, walmart having a $200 premium membership where those people get first dibs... You know who has those accounts rich scalpers. ..F them!
We get it. They hurt you. If you get this angry over a video game console. Id suggest finding a new hobby. Or buy a easy available ps5 on ebay for $800. Sure its a lot of money. But you put in alot of effort into writing these posts. . I think the extra $300 is worth all the frustration and pain youve experienced trying to get a ps5 for $500.

If $300 is too much. Save up $50 a month for 6 months. You'll have the ps5 before you know it.
 

MrTentakel

Member
The last 2 days, I've had alerts on my phone set up for various stores selling PS5s. I've seen alerts for Target, Gamestop, and Amazon.

...

How are people legitimately getting one without resorting to scalper prices?
Well, you tried for two whole days, what else could you do?
 

truth411

Member
The last 2 days, I've had alerts on my phone set up for various stores selling PS5s. I've seen alerts for Target, Gamestop, and Amazon.

In one I got into digital line and got nothing. Another was just sold out 2 seconds in. And on another I added to cart but it was gone before I could actually check out (which was a matter of seconds)

They sell out almost immediately.

How are people legitimately getting one without resorting to scalper prices?
I got my Nephews a PS5 for Christmas through walmart plus. Its only $13 a month and not that many people have it, so the likelihood of getting one is very high. Got it on the first try.
 

DavidGzz

Member
If it makes you feel better, neither console is that great at the moment. You aren't missing anything. Mine are collecting dust.
 

Monokrom

Member
I pre-ordered 1½ year before release and got it day 1. Was a bit foreseeing and sure I wanted a PS5. Also 2 days and you're giving up? Common.
 

jakinov

Member
The last 2 days, I've had alerts on my phone set up for various stores selling PS5s. I've seen alerts for Target, Gamestop, and Amazon.

In one I got into digital line and got nothing. Another was just sold out 2 seconds in. And on another I added to cart but it was gone before I could actually check out (which was a matter of seconds)

They sell out almost immediately.

How are people legitimately getting one without resorting to scalper prices?
They are jumping on bigger batches than you or are faster. No garuntee that you get alerts at the right time either. There's a lot of people who are in your shoes trying to snatch a copy and a limited number of stock; what makes you think you are going to have any better chance thant he thousands of other people trying. Some sites also have tricks for adding the items to your carts before it's available. Some don't rely on the alerts. Some people use their own bots.
 
I got my PS5 on launch day. I feel sorry for everyone who now has go deal with bots and scalpers.
Its amazing to think this far into this and supply is still like this considering my Gamestop had pre orders up in store for days its how I bought my first one
 

MrA

Member
ps5s seems to be down to 750 usd for disk and xsx down to 650usd on ebay, so if stock stays okish it won't be long before scalpers are out of the picture, and they should be available, you'll still need to be fairly vigilante and buy when given the chance, but that's a world away from the current bot battling
 

Spaceman292

Banned
Be willing to buy an over priced bundle. Stand alone consoles are what the bots target.
This. I could buy one right now but it would cost twice as much, come with two games I don't want as well as an extra controller and some dumb t shirt and baseball cap. I'd rather wait.
 

sazzy

Member
(Australia)

Pure combination of luck, my work schedule and Twitter.

Signed up to stock alerts on Twitter run by a local dude. Missed many, many of them since I work night shifts and most alerts would come in during day time.

One morning though, I was having breakfast after a shift and got an alert at 8am for EBgames taking preorders in store only at 9am. It was a Wednesday morning, I was the first one there. Got it 2 weeks later.
 
It’s been easy enough for me, but still not easy.

But now every one of these companies has this “exclusive to prime” or “exclusive to paid member” bs so it’s even harder to get without that kind of account.
 

lh032

I cry about Xbox and hate PlayStation.
Why the hurry though?
Console manufacturers will keep releasing their games on old gen for quite a while
60fps, alot of cross gen games is going to run amazingly on next gen console and runs at 30fps on last gen console.

Its more than just visuals, performance are very important.
 
I’m just hoping for a redesign when it comes readily available. I feel it’ll come quickly for the ps5
Not with the chip shortage going on. Any ps5 pros or slim models will be delayed. They've already redesigned the ps5 to reduce cost with the most obviously sign being the smaller heatsink.
 

Miyazaki’s Slave

Gold Member
If you do not want to go through the process of managing auto cart and script editing you can give yourself a bit of a leg up:

Download Telegram on your phone.

On your phone go to nowinstock.net

Find the product you want to get then on the left side of the page click on the “telegram” link. It will open it in your Telegram app and you can follow the product group.

When stock becomes available you will get a notification on your device.

Better than nothing…
 

kyliethicc

Member
The last 2 days, I've had alerts on my phone set up for various stores selling PS5s. I've seen alerts for Target, Gamestop, and Amazon.

In one I got into digital line and got nothing. Another was just sold out 2 seconds in. And on another I added to cart but it was gone before I could actually check out (which was a matter of seconds)

They sell out almost immediately.

How are people legitimately getting one without resorting to scalper prices?
I haven't been able to get one either.

Frankly I've given up even trying for a while.

Sony should just let people reserve a console and wait til its ready, so fuck em.
 

Celcius

°Temp. member
I was fortunate to get mine online at Target. I preordered the system 2 months before it came out and had it day one.
 

Smether

Member
I've started to notice Series X prices on resale going down here in the US, with some units selling for not much more than retail. Worth considering picking it up and milking some Gamepass until a PS5 falls in your lap? May not even take a loss when you go to resell it.

Noting the PS5 has kept resale prices at least $150-$200 over MSRP, it isn't that hard to justify the added cost when you factor in the work you will need to do to get one "legitimately." We all know the situation with the Pandemic and chip shortages is not changing within 12 months. There is a reason so many people are caving and prices are holding strong.

Not to mention a $700+ PS5 is the imminent reality. How could Sony executives not see people paying double over MSRP all over the world and not want to take a crack at a more expensive SKU? I don't see how Sony doesn't do an easier to manufacture or more expensive PS5 in 2023.
 
In Melbourne the only way to get a PS5 (or accessories like the Halo Elite controller) is to look on Facebook marketplace and buy new stock from a rich foreign student that seem to own the ‘buy out all the local stock and flip at an increased rate’ market that is ruining the ability to legitimately purchase one from an actual store.....

I even went to buy my son a Master Chief helmet that is an EB Games exclusive and they are sold out with them now listed on amazon and marketplace for three times the price. Maddening.
 

Fare thee well

Neophyte
It actually is bots. People will say it isn't but it is scripted bots and programs. Whoever writes the faster ones gets in the door. How do I know this? I tried it out of curiousity from a reddit post. It indeed worked, just sadly at 6am when I wasn't awake 😄. You don't stand a chance in hell of getting to a digital shopping cart without one unless you are absurdly lucky.

I really wish they were all just fairly distributed in stores. It's how all my friends and I eventually got our gpus, and the only way I can see this working.
 
Last edited:

Meicyn

Gold Member
Did you sign up with Sony to possibly get an invite for their store?

This is how I got mine. My best friend got a similar invite two weeks after I did.

Never had a single moment of luck with any other method between Twitter, Discord, apps, or anything else.
 
Top Bottom