PS5 Restock Expected Later This Week In US, UK, & Ireland

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Retailers in the United States, the UK, and Ireland reportedly expect to receive PlayStation 5 restocks later this week on January 7. Both Microsoft's and Sony's recently released consoles have proven difficult to purchase in stores and online, but it seems supply for the newest PlayStation hardware is especially difficult to come by.

PS5 even proved tough to procure in the weeks leading up to its November 2020 arrival, thanks in large part to a preorder debacle spurred on by miscommunication and limited stock. Of course, the global pandemic exacerbated matters. And launch day wasn't any better; those without preorders were told ahead of time that in-store purchases wouldn't be possible. In addition, attempting to secure orders online seemed nothing short of a crapshoot, compounded by scalpers who have since raked in millions on the resale market.

Those who have, thus far, missed out on purchasing a PlayStation 5 may soon be in luck. According to Twitter user PS5 Stock Central, stock should become available this week in the United States, the UK, and Ireland. A subsequent tweet from the account claims retailers in the aforementioned regions are expecting to receive stock by January 7. If the restock fails to arrive at the stated time, another week could pass before shipments are in.

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Here's to hoping this means more fans will soon be able to get their hands on the hardware. Either way, Sony has a tall task ahead of it this year. Reports claim the console has already moved upwards of four million units worldwide, while others indicate that Sony expects to ship at least 18 million units to retailers by year's end. Whether such high expectations can be achieved is anyone's guess, but these numbers suggest a potential sales trajectory more impressive than that of the PS4's record-breaking success.

Not all of the PS5's sales-related news is positive, though, especially not from Sony's point of view. As of now, the new hardware has yet to move the needle in Sony's home country of Japan. According to a report from GamesIndustry.biz Japan Edition, the pace of PS5 sales in the region make it Sony's worst-selling home console in Japan to date. In the event this slow start doesn't pick up momentum, it's possible PS5's sales in Japan will only reach half of what the PS4 managed to accomplish in its life-cycle.