PLAYSTATION 5 consoles could drop as soon as this week at Smyths, it is claimed.
Gamers have been busy refreshing the Smyths website after rumours of a stock drop swirled on social media- but as of afternoon on Good Friday, nothing has materialised as yet.
There were originally hopes the retailers were put out stock between 8am and 9am yesterday morning – but nothing appeared and still we wait.
It comes as Very, John Lewis, Asda, ShopTo and eBuyer are all rumoured to have PS5 drops lined up over the next week.
And Game looks likely to follow suit from April 6-8, say tipsters on social media. In fact, April looks set to be a big month for PS5 restocks.
Those following @PS5Instant have been quizzing the Twitter account after it suggested pending stock drops.
In response to multiple queries asking of “any news on the Very drop”, they replied: “first week of April”. But no definite date/hour was mentioned.
Insiders claim console availability will be “good” after a “dry spell” at the end of March.
Rumours also continue that Amazon is about to make a large drop of PS5 consoles any day now.
Follow our PS5 live blog below for the very latest news, updates and stock drop rumours…
-
PS3 OWNERS FACING HUGE TECHNICAL ISSUES
PS3 owners are facing issues downloading games now that the PS Store has been shut down.
Users have taken to social media to complain about receiving error codes 80029509 and 80029721 when they try to download their favourite games.
Thousands of gamers still use the beloved PS3 – especially those unable to get their hands on Sony’s latest console.
-
EXPLAINED: CAN YOU PLAY PS4 GAMES ON PS5?
The PlayStation 5 console is compatible with PS4 games.
The console accepts physical discs and the architecture is based on the PS4 so it will support an overwhelming majority of PS4 games, GAME reports.
Sony also confirmed some older games may actually play better on the PS5 thanks to a boosted frequency and more stable frame rate.
-
TOP RESTOCK TIPS
When PS5 stock drops, gamers will need to have their finger on the pulse.
Here are three top tips to make sure you can snag a console.
- Watch out for Twitter trends – it’s always worth keeping an eye on stock tracker accounts who can give you a heads up.
- Look for bundles – they might be more expensive but they don’t sell out as quickly as other console deals.
- Use multiple devices – make sure you’re using your phone, laptop, tablet and whatever else is available to refresh the page
-
GAMESTOP IN THE US SEES STOCK DROP
GameStop in the US will see stock drop this afternoon.
PS5 Stock Alerts claims the retailer will have both PS5 bundles and Xbox Series S Bundles available later on today.
-
WHEN DID THE PS5 LAUNCH?
Sony launched two versions of the PlayStation 5 in the US on November 12, and in the UK on November 19.
The full PS5 costs £449/$499, while a Digital Edition without a disc tray is priced at £359/$399.
They’re up against Microsoft’s Xbox Series X (£449) and Xbox Series S (£249), which hit shelves worldwide on November 10.
-
SCALPER CLAIMS TO HAVE MADE £10K
An 18-year-old scalper claims to have made £10,000 from flogging PS5 consoles, GiveMeSport reports.
The teen told Radio 1 Newsbeat that he has made around £10,000 from scalping consoles since November as prices skyrocket online.
“At the start when stock was limited, you could easily sell a PS5 for £800,” says Jake.
-
BATMAN: GOTHAM KNIGHTS RELEASE DELAYED UNTIL 2022
The release of forthcoming Batman game Gotham Knights has been pushed back to 2022.
In a statement published on social media, Warner said it was “giving the game more time to deliver the best possible experience for players”.
“Thank you to our amazing fans for your tremendous support of Gotham Knights,” it continued.
“We look forward to showcasing more of the game in the coming months.”
-
SMYTHS DROP ‘PLANNED FOR EARLY APRIL’
One stock tracker has claimed a Smyths drop could be imminent.
They wrote: “Smyths has a small drop of 2000 units planned for early April. John Lewis has pallets of #PS5 in warehouses.
“April is promising for stock, at least one major retailer will release every week! With GAME & Amazon receiving two big shipments minimum.”
-
NEW PS5 GAMES RELEASED THIS WEEK
- A Hat in Time: Seal the Deal
- A Hat in Time: Nyakuza Metro
- Acalesia
- Auto Chess
- C14 Dating
- Disco Elysium: The Final Cut
- I Saw Black Clouds
- Metal Gear Solid 6
- Mittelborg: City of Mages
- Narita Boy
- Outbuddies DX
- Outriders
- Squad Killer
- Undermine
-
PLAYSTATION STORE IS CLOSING FOR OLDER CONSOLES
Sony is closing down its PlayStation Store for the PlayStation 3, PlayStation Vita, and PlayStation Portable this summer.
It means anyone wanting to buy games for their retro systems online will have to do so before official marketplaces vanish worldwide.
Sony announced the controversial move on Monday in a post on its website.
“We are closing PlayStation Store on PlayStation 3 consoles on 2nd July 2021 and on PlayStation Vita devices on 27th August 2021,” the firm wrote.
“Additionally, the remaining purchase functionality for PSP will also retire on 2nd July 2021.”
-
WHAT IS PS PLUS?
PS Plus is a premium subscription service for PS4 gamers.
It gives you access to online multiplayer as well as exclusive discounts across the PlayStation Store.
But it also nets you two hand-picked PS4 games to download and play each month, which remain available as long as you’re a member.
-
TIPSTER GIVES PROMISING UPDATE FOR MONTH AHEAD
A PS5 stock account tracker has given a promising update for the month ahead.
PS5 Instant wrote on Twitter: “Smyths has a small drop of 2,000 units planned for early April. John Lewis has pallets of #PS5 in warehouses.
“April is promising for stock, at least one major retailer will release every week!
“With GAME & Amazon receiving two big shipments minimum.”
-
CRACKING LINEUP OF FREE PS PLUS GAMES THIS MONTH
There are some cracking free games included in April’s PS Plus lineup.
Gamers will be able to download PS4 classic Oddworld Soulstorm and exclusive game Days Gone.
The new PS Plus collection also has classics like Uncharted 4: A Thief’s End and God of War which can be played for no extra charge.
-
TAKE STOCK
These are the times you should be checking retailers’ websites for stock, according to PS5 Instant.
- Amazon 8-9am early week
- Very 9-11am
- John Lewis 4-7am
- Tesco – uncollected orders
- ASDA 9-1pm
- EE via emails
-
HANDY TIP: DODGE PS5 SPOILERS
Your PS5 has a setting that helps to protect you from spoilerific content sent by your friends.
When activated, a pop-up will warn you if it thinks you’re about to see something in a game you haven’t finished yet.
It’s a handy tool if your friends have a habit of sending you screenshots or clips from games before you’ve completed them.
To activate the setting, head to Home > Settings > Saved Data and Game/App Settings > Spoiler Warnings.
-
EBUYER STOCK ON THE WAY
One eagle-eyed tracker has spotted that Ebuyer may have PS5 stock dropping soon.
They wrote on Twitter: “I’ve just spotted that Ebuyer have now added a price to the Mortal Kombat PS5 bundle which was previously Coming Soon.
“Stay vigilant.”
-
JOHN LEWIS WARNS OF ‘SUPPLY ISSUES’
John Lewis has warned of “supply issues” in a statement on their website.
On the PS5 page, the retailer’s message reads: ““Some items are currently unavailable due to global supply issues.”
It comes after huge supply chain issues were caused by the Evergreen cargo ship, which became stuck in the Suez Canal for over a week.
-
GAMERS SLAM SHOP IN IRELAND THAT OWES CUSTOMERS CONSOLES
Furious gamers have slammed a shop in Ireland that owes thousands over unfulfilled orders of PS5 consoles.
Innovate in Ennis, Co Clare advertised the new Playstation last October and then again November for pre-sale ahead of Christmas on social media.
But nearly four months on from the last advert, customers have been told that the orders have been cancelled by shop owner Umar Anwar.
Read our full exclusive story here.
-
BATMAN: GOTHAM KNIGHTS RELEASE DELAYED UNTIL 2022
The release of forthcoming Batman game Gotham Knights has been pushed back to 2022.
In a statement published on social media, Warner said it was “giving the game more time to deliver the best possible experience for players”.
“Thank you to our amazing fans for your tremendous support of Gotham Knights,” it continued.
“We look forward to showcasing more of the game in the coming months.”
-
GAME & AMAZON TO RECEIVE ‘TWO BIG PS5 SHIPMENTS’
April is looking “promising for stock” reports PS5 UK Stock Instant Updates.
The Twitter account said on March 31 that it’s expecting “at least one major retailer will release every week” during this month.
As a bonus for gamers waiting to get their hands on a PS5, “Game and Amazon are receiving two big shipments minimum,” they add.
Of course these comments cannot be confirmed as yet!
-
LEVEL UP
Sony will reportedly open up its new console to internal memory upgrades in the coming months.
The PS5’s 825GB memory drive leaves players with 667GB of usable space on which to store games and other files – and that fills up pretty fast.
According to Bloomberg, a firmware update released by Sony this summer will add support for additional internal drives.
-
APRIL ‘PROMISING FOR STOCK’ SAYS RESTOCK ACCOUNT – BUT EASTER BANK HOLIDAY TO BE DRY ON CONSOLE DROPS
A PS5 restock alerts account on Twitter has assured gamers desperately trying to get hold of a console that “April is promising for stock”.
The account, @PS5CentralNews, claims “at least one major retailer will release every week”.
With the bank holiday weekend looming, it is unlikely there will be any drops until next Tuesday at the earliest now.
But we will of course keep you up-to-date with any stock releases!
-
SONY BOSS SAYS PS5 CONSOLES FROM JULY ONWARDS
Sony has given hope for anyone who hasn’t been able to bag a PlayStation 5 yet, with PlayStation president Jim Ryan admitting more PS5 stock is on the way.
Speaking to the Financial Times, Ryan admitted that stock levels would climb steadily month-on-month, and from July onwards, it will be much easier to get a PS5.
“It will get better every month throughout 2021,” Ryan explained.
“The pace of the improvement in the supply chain will gather through the course of the year.
“So by the time we get to the second half of [2021], you’re going to be seeing really decent numbers indeed.”
-
PS5 CHIP MAKERS STILL STRUGGLING TO KEEP PACE WITH DEMAND
The PS5 shortage could get worse as chip-makers struggle to meet demand, warn industry insiders.
Sony’s PlayStation 5 has been largely out of stock since November – and might not be widely available until July.
Much of this is being blamed on a global “crisis” in the computer chip world.
Demand for chips is through the roof, and suppliers can’t keep pace.
Prices of chips are rising as a result, and major manufacturers like Apple and Samsung are being prioritised.
-
PLAYSTATION RELEASES APRIL PS PLUS GAMES
The latest PlayStation Plus games have been released today.
These are Oddworld Soulstorm, Days Gone and Zombie Army.
