PS5 consoles are rumoured to drop in most UK retailers next week after this week was branded the “bleakest restock week since February”.
John Lewis, Currys and GAME are all expected to be lined up for restocks as soon as Tuesday.
It comes after gamers were left disappointed when rumours of a Smyths restock swirling on social media throughout this week came to no avail.
@Ps5Instant said: “Expecting GAME (9-10am) & Argos (1-4am) 8th to 14th April.”
This has been backed up by another PS5 restock alerts account on Twitter, which has assured gamers desperately trying to get hold of the elusive console that “April is promising for stock”.
The account, @PS5CentralNews, claims “at least one major retailer will release every week”.
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…
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PS5 SHORTAGE COULD GET WORSE
The PS5 shortage could get worse as chip-makers struggle to meet demand.
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.
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ARGOS ‘WORKING HARD’ TO RESTOCK
Argos has tried to allay concerns, saying it is “working hard” to replenish stock of the elusive PS5 console.
Gamers have been urged to keep an eye on the website for updates as a drop looms.
We will keep you updated!
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APRIL ‘PROMISING FOR STOCK’
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!
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EASY WAY TO GET TO HOME SCREEN
There’s a quick and easy way to get straight to your PlayStation’s home screen.
While pressing the PlayStation button opens the control centre, holding it down takes you to the console’s dashboard.
Hold the button for about five seconds to activate the shortcut.
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WHY NOT DONATE YOUR OLD CONSOLE?
If you’ve been lucky enough to get your hands on a PS5, you may have an old console you don’t need.
Why not donate it to Get Well Gamers, a charity which takes devices and games to hospitals, hospices and other healthcare settings where youngsters are being cared for.
Its website reads: “Video games are an effective and proven pain management tool, providing much-needed entertainment for young people during long hospital stays or in circumstances in which recreational activities can be beneficial.”
To find out more, click here
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FIT MORE GAMES ON YOUR CONSOLE
If your PS5 is already starting to get full, don’t panic – it’s possible to expand the console’s storage.
After all, even though your PS5 has an 825GB SSD, only 667GB of that is actually usable.
Plug in an external hard drive or solid-state drive via USB to immediately boost your storage while the unit is connected to the PS5.
The catch is that you can’t play PS5 games using this method, as the storage won’t be fast enough.
However, you can play PS4 games stored on the drive – freeing up space on your PS5 for native games.
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STOCK DROPS EXPECTED SOON AFTER EASTER
A PS5 restock alert account on Twitter believes most retailers will drop stock soon after Easter.
This week was the first week in two months only one drop took place.
@PS5StockAlertUK tweeted: “Retailers either stacked up on stock, or they had logistical issues due to Evergreen.”
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PS PLUS GAMES FOR APRIL OUT NOW
There are three games up for grabs with PS Plus this month – the first being Oddworld: Soulstorm, which is only available for PS5 owners.
Legendary Oddworld hero Abe is back again in a game that follows directly on from 2014’s New ‘N’ Tasty. Once again you’re working to liberate your fellow Mudokons with platforming and puzzle-solving galore.
The second freebie is available on PS4, and it’s Days Gone.
It’s a survival horror game set in the Pacific Northwest, where you’re living in the aftermath of a global pandemic. Great…
And if that wasn’t enough, you can also claim Zombie Army 4: Dead War.
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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.
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HOW TO TURN OFF AUTOMATIC TROPHY CLIPS
By default, your PS5 records a 15-second clip every time you unlock a trophy.
While this can be a handy way to document your game progression, it also quickly eats into your hard drive space.
To deactivate automatic trophy clips, head to Settings > Captures and Broadcasts > Trophies.
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SAVE CONTROLER BATTERY
You can also hold the PlayStation button for other shortcuts.
Pressing it down for about 10 seconds switches off your controller manually.
This is a quick and easy way to save battery if you’re stepping away from your console for a while.
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GAME OVER AS STORE CLOSING FOR PS3
Buying games for your favourite old PlayStation consoles is about to get a lot harder.
That’s because 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 in a post on its website.
It read: “We are closing PlayStation Store on PlayStation 3 consoles on 2nd July 2021 and on PlayStation Vita devices on 27th August 2021. Additionally, the remaining purchase functionality for PSP will also retire on 2nd July 2021.”
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STOCK DROPS LIKELY NEXT WEEK
Restock tipsters on Twitter believe the next stock drops won’t realistically be until next week now as it is Easter weekend.
The earliest retailers are likely to restock is Tuesday – but still keep your eyes peeled!
We will keep you updated!
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HOW TO DODGE SPOILERS ON PS5
Your PS5 has a setting that helps to protect you from spoilerific content sent by your mates.
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.
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HOW MUCH DOES A PS5 COST?
The PS5 launch fell on November 12, but not everywhere.
That date only stood for the US, Japan, Canada, Mexico, Australia, New Zealand and South Korea.
UK gamers had to wait until November 19 to order one of the consoles.
The PS5 proper costs £449.99/$499.99, while the digital edition comes in at £359/$399.
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PRAEY FOR GODS RELEASE ‘IN LATE APRIL’
Praey for the Gods is aiming for release on PS5 and PS4 in late April.
It was announced in October last year with a 2021 launch, but nothing has yet been released.
The developers issued an update on their Kickstarter page which said it should launch in late April.
The update read: “The game is content complete, through certification on PS4/PS5/Xbox One as of this week. Woo!
“As for launch, we want to spend a little more time polishing to make sure it’s ready but it’s definitely close. Based on what’s left to do, we’re estimating for a mid/end April window and we’ll keep you posted on that.”
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MUCH EASIER TO GET PS5 FROM JULY, SAYS PLAYSTATION BOSS
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.”
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STOCK DROPS LOOMING
It’s Easter Sunday so realistically we probably won’t see any drops today.
After bank holiday Monday tomorrow, however, a few major retailers are tipped to release stock as early as Tuesday – including Smyths, John Lewis, Currys and Game.
We will keep you up-to-date throughout the day of the latest PS5 news, rumours, and potential drops!
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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”.
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!
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PS5 CONSOLE STILL ‘NEARLY IMPOSSIBLE’ TO BUY
Getting your hands on a PS5 is still “nearly impossible” even though the console was released months ago.
A report by Business Insider says the consoles are still being swept up by resellers, some are using bots to beat their human rivals.
Resale websites like StockX are charging $730 (£530), just shy of a 50 per cent mark up on the retail price.
The global microchip shortage and the ongoing global pandemic are both impacting Sony’s ability to produce more PS5s.
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TOP TIPS FOR BAGGING PS5 RESTOCKS
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
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PLAYSTATION RELEASE APRIL’S PS PLUS GAMES
The latest PlayStation Plus games have been released.
These are Oddworld Soulstorm, Days Gone and Zombie Army.
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STOCK DROPS LIKELY NEXT WEEK
Restock tipsters on Twitter believe the next stock drops won’t realistically be until next week now as it is Easter weekend.
But gamers shouldn’t completely dismiss the idea of a drop today – as Smyths could restock today.
We will keep you updated!
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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.
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SMYTHS DROPPING ON MONDAY?
PS5 UK Stock has rumoured this.
It says: “Smyths has a small drop of 2000 units planned for early April,” reads a stock tweet. “John Lewis has pallets of PS5 in warehouses.”
