There may be good news for Sony players out there. While the PlayStation 5’s refueling situation in February looked dire with Sony admitting that it was producing less on consoles, relief may be on its way – or at least that’s what it looks like this week.
The PS5 has appeared online quite frequently in the first half of February, which is a good change of pace amid scarcity. It’s still a matter of blinking and you lose, but even some of the most unreliable retailers arrived with updates this month. Does that mean the rush is getting better? Probably not, but that means you are more likely to get a system. Here are all the retailers to watch and how to track them.
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Octoshop, Popfindr and more tools to find PS5 consoles
Let’s get started right away: Finding a PS5 is not an easy task. Most sites do not advertise refueling beforehand, making it an absolute struggle to find one. You can alleviate some of this pain by using online tracking that will help you stay up to date on PS5 console replacement. For example, OctoShop is a Google Chrome extension that will notify you as soon as replacements are available. Just set up notifications on the sites of your choice and let the magic happen.
There are also PopFindr, a particularly useful tool for those who want to see if the console is in stock at the local store. If you don’t want to set up your own tracking, we recommend following Twitter accounts as @ PS5StockAlerts, @SpielTimes, and @ Wario64 this will tweet whenever new consoles are available from a reseller. This article will also have links to the websites of all retailers from which you want to obtain a PS5, so you may want to bookmark some pages.
Target
Target is the absolute star of new console refills. The retailer has been more consistent than most in 2021 with frequent replenishments. Most recently, PS5 appeared on Tuesday, February 16, around 8:00 am Eastern. Granted, the console was only available for pickup at the store, so it was totally dependent on the stock of the local Target itself.
Considering all of this, Target is a good store to check if you are okay with waking up early or feel comfortable going to a physical location to pick you up. To track inventory in the store, use PopFindr. If you are trying to get one online, you will need to rely on the tools mentioned and the PS5 hub page from Target.
PlayStation Direct
One of the most reliable places to get a PS5 is directly from Sony, although there is a problem. The website uses a somewhat strange queuing system. Go to the PS5 or PS5 Digital Edition pages of PS Direct when a refuel occurs will put you in line and you will only have one chance to get a console if it’s still in stock when you get ahead. You will need a lot of patience to make this work.
That said, Sony replenishes its system frequently. The console last appeared on Friday, February 12 and Saturday, February 13. In general, Sony tends to put its systems in the late afternoon, around 17:00. This means that you may have to compete with a lot of people leaving your shift at the same time, but it is admittedly one of the most convenient refueling times you could ask for.
Amazon
Amazon is one of the most difficult online retailers to obtain systems because it does not announce inventories in advance. In fact, it is rare that Amazon actually replenishes consoles. Fortunately, the retailer appears to be back in the game. The most recent refueling took place on Tuesday, February 16, at exactly the same time as Target’s refueling at 8 am. In general, when a retailer refills, you always want to check a few others to see if there is a coordinated wave going on.
If Amazon replenishes PS5 consoles again this month, you’ll want OctoShop or another tool to notify you. If you just want to get lucky (trust us, you won’t), you can also update the PS5 and PS5 Digital Edition store pages.
Walmart
Walmart had an exciting replenishment for PS5 consoles on February 4 at around 4:45 pm Eastern time, but it is not known when they will replenish the system next. The site has been consistent with console updates, often even announcing the time in advance. Considering that target and Amazon just placed some new shares, Walmart is probably right behind.
Since Walmart is so popular, you will have a lot of competition the next time you try to get a console from them. It’s a good idea to keep an eye on the pages of Walmart’s PS5 and PS5 Digital Edtion Store, but you may want to follow the retailer on social media as well for warnings about alerts.
GameStop
GameStop was long overdue for an inventory update towards 2021 and finally had one on February 9 at 11 am Eastern time. The game retailer is especially the one to keep an eye on because it tends to wave consoles. If you miss the first notification, keep your eyes open for more. GameStop can also provide a good way to get packages with extra games or controllers included if you want to grow. Pay attention to the retailer’s PS5 and PS5 Digital Edition store pages, as well as any packages they may publish.
Best buy
Best buy? More like Least Buy, right? The retailer has not replenished the PS5 since January 21, lagging behind most other major retailers. This means that a refueling may be imminent, but it is certainly not reliable at the moment.
Still, this remarkable tech retailer is a pretty obvious place to get a PS5, works well with tools like OctoShop, and is expected to be replenished soon. If this happens, you want to access the store’s PS5 and PS5 Digital Edition pages.
Antonline
Antonline is a smaller online retailer that tends to place large console packages relatively frequently. Its last PS5 refueling took place on Friday, February 12th and featured a large package with an extra controller and a PS Plus subscription included. The site tends to have new consoles every week, so you’ll definitely want to keep an eye out if you don’t mind spending a little more upfront. Check here for your PS5 landing hub, which also includes all the accessories you need.