PS5 restocks: an excellent week sparks hope for Black Friday

PS5 restocks have been on fire this week, with new units hitting the shelves at Best Buy, Target, Sony Direct, and Walmart over the past few days. We’re certainly seeing a ramp-up in activity as we get closer to official Black Friday PS5 deals, then, with plenty more stores opening up their virtual doors with the hopes of drawing shoppers to their early offers. 

Whether this activity will be sustained remains to be seen, but things are looking hopeful. We’ve seen consistent PS5 restock activity throughout the whole of November, after a few dry weeks in October. That means the floodgates may be inching open on all those boarded-up consoles in the Walmart warehouse. 

So, where should you look for a PS5 restock between now and Black Friday itself? And how will stock fare on the big day itself? 

Walmart Plus 15 day free trial

Walmart Plus (opens in new tab) is giving customers early access to both PS5 restocks and Black Friday deals this year. That means there’s plenty of value in taking the service out for a spin. The membership costs $13 a month, but you can pick up a 15 day free trial (opens in new tab) to test it out first.

Early Black Friday sales have been pushing more and more consoles onto the shelves in November, so you can bet retailers will be keen to keep their momentum going. Supply issues obviously go straight back to Sony, but all those restock-free weeks in recent months may have been getting us ready for a month of regular activity this November.

Verizon has recently announced that it will be selling consoles in the near-future, and GameStop (opens in new tab) has been suspiciously quiet of late. Given the flux of activity over the last week, it’s not unreasonable to expect more PS5 stock, either in-store on online, here next week.

Walmart (opens in new tab) itself has returned to its old reliable ways. That is, consistently offering PS5 restocks every week, but with particularly frustrating results. However, it’s worth noting that Walmart Plus (opens in new tab) members do have access to PS5 restocks at least an hour before the crowds descend. It’s difficult to snatch a console away from Walmart’s clutches when they do hit the shelves, but with so many opportunities in the last couple of weeks, we’re hopeful that early Black Friday sales will push more units into the wild.

Best Buy (opens in new tab) is also hosting regular weekly sales leading up to the year’s biggest shopping weekend, so we could see far more consoles up for grabs here as well. Plus, Amazon (opens in new tab) could drop at any moment so it’s always worth keeping a close eye out on the online giant.

PS5 restocks: the latest updates

Will there be PS5 restocks on Black Friday?

In all likelihood, yes – there will be PS5 restocks on Black Friday. However, we probably won’t see the shelves awash with Sony’s latest console. These restocks will still be the lightning fast race to checkout that we’ve all been running over the last year, which means you’ll still want to get prepared. 

Which PS5 should you buy?

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PS5 ($499.99 / £449.99) | Check at Amazon (opens in new tab)
The full-fat PS5 console is the same as the Digital Edition, with one crucial difference; that disk drive. If you’ve got a substantial PS4 collection, this is the go-to model, and the only way to keep your previous-gen titles alive. Plus, you’ll save cash on games in the long run as well.

View Deal (opens in new tab) (opens in new tab)

PS5 Digital Edition ($399.99 / £359.99) | Check at Amazon (opens in new tab)
The Digital Edition is noticeably cheaper than the main console, but still provides the same power. You are, however, sacrificing your disk drive so we’d only recommend this model to those who are simply looking to pay as little as possible upfront, because games will be more expensive here.

View Deal (opens in new tab)

How to buy a PS5: our top tips

You’ll need to be quick off the mark to pick up a PS5 this side of Black Friday, and you’ll certainly need to be speedy on the day itself. We’d recommend taking the following steps to make sure you’re fully prepared for any new stock over the next couple of weeks.

Sign in and save your payment details
When it comes down to the wire, it’s important to note that seconds can mean the difference between successfully checking out with a console in your cart and walking away with an L. Sign into your favorite retailers ahead of time, and make sure you stay signed in, saving your payment and shipping details to speed through the checkout process at crunch time. 

Consider retailer loyalty programs
Walmart has recently started providing its Walmart Plus (opens in new tab) members early access to not only its Black Friday deals, but also its PS5 restocks. The $13 monthly (though there’s currently a 15 day free trial available) subscription will see you through to PS5 restocks at least an hour before the crowds descend.

Similarly, GameStop PowerUp Rewards (opens in new tab) members can also beat the crowds with a $15 a year membership.

Follow retailers and stock trackers
Social media is often the quickest way to sniff out any restocks taking place, and get notified of new units in the wild. We’d recommend keeping an eye on the PS5 restock Twitter-sphere for speedy information. 

Check for PS5 restocks today


If you manage to secure the console, don’t forget to check out our guides on the best PS5 headsets and best TV for PS5. Equally, our PS5 SSD or best PS5 external hard drives guides may be of use if you’re looking for bonus storage.

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