Asda, AO, Very and more PS5 restock news today

Will there be any drops to round off the week? Stay tuned (The Independent)

Update: The PS5 could drop at AO today. Read on for more information.

The PS5 launched in November 2020, but supply problems and a global shortage of semiconductors have slowed production of Sony’s next-generation console to a crawl. New stock is hard to find, and when it does appear the PS5 sells out fast.

July was a mixed bag for PS5 restocks, but we did get a few healthy drops throughout the month at Very, Smyths Toys, Argos, Amazon and Game. As for August? Well, it’s been phenomenal. So far this month, 14 retailers have dropped stock and we’ve still got 11 days to go. We’ve seen everything from John Lewis & Partners, Smyths Toys and Very to Asda, Amazon, ShopTo and Argos. Here’s hoping the third week of August will carry on the momentum. On Tuesday, the BT Shop and Smyths Toys both had drops. Yesterday, Game went live with 27 different bundles.

If you’re still on the lookout for a PS5, you’ve come to the right place. Our liveblog is on hand to give you the latest insight on Playstation 5 restocks from all major UK retailers, both online and in-store, as well as providing details on rumoured releases, the latest PS5 games and accessories to snap up.

Read more:

Table of Contents

Check stock from UK PS5 retailers below:

PS5 availability updates UK

What PS5 stock drops could we see today?
Could Asda PS5 consoles drop soon?
When could AO PS5 stock drop?
Game PS5 pre-orders available in-store
How to prepare for the Amazon PS5 drop next week

When was the last Currys PC World PS5 drop?

14:50 , Alex Lee

Currys PC World used to use a PS5 VIP priority pass lottery to dish out its consoles in a fair way. If selected, you would have five days to buy the console using a unique code, with redeemers receiving a call a few weeks later. While the lottery has been closed since the start of June, those who signed up are still being sent codes every couple of weeks, so keep an eye on your inbox and you could be next. Codes were last sent out on 12 August.

The retailer last had a general sale restock of the digital edition console on 7 July – the first it has had in a very long time. Stock sold out within half an hour.

A 10th anniversary ‘Skyrim’ PS5 edition has just been announced

14:00 , Alex Lee

Can you believe it’s been 10 years since Skyrim was first released? Yeah, nor us. Well, it’s coming back. On November 11, 2021, Bethesda will launch the Skyrim 10th Anniversary Edition for next-gen consoles, including the PS5. The game will contain the full game, along with all three of its expansions – Dawnguard, Hearthfire and Dragonborn.

The game will also feature new mechanics, like one for fishing, as well as 500 pieces of Creation Club content, quests, dungeon, bosses, weapons and spells made just for the new game. Details are still pretty scant, but we’ll let you know if we hear more.

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13:10 , Alex Lee

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Need an Xbox series X?

12:20 , Alex Lee

It seems like yesterday was an all-round good day on the console drops front. Not only did we see a lengthy PS5 drop at Game, but our friends over on the Xbox series X restock blog saw drops at ShopTo and Currys PC World. If you’re still looking for an Xbox series X, we’d keep the page open. Unlike the PS5, the Xbox series X can drop suddenly and without much notice. They also go out of stock within the blink of an eye, so you’ll have to be quick if you want to bag one.

On the hunt for an Xbox? Here’s where to find one in stock today

When could Studio PS5 stock drop?

11:30 , Alex Lee

Studio did something mysterious on Wednesday. For a short period of time, it updated the console image on the PS5 listing page with a “Back in stock soon” message. This has since been removed, but it could hint that Studio has stock ready to go and is just waiting for the ideal time or date to release them. Expect a drop on 24 August between 7am and 9am. Stay tuned for more PS5 stock rumours and updates.

How to prepare for the Amazon PS5 drop next week

10:55 , Alex Lee

Amazon is one of the retailers tipped to restock the PS5 next week. Since 14 July, the PS5 has only been available to buy if you are an Amazon Prime customer. If you aren’t one already, we’d recommend signing up for a 30-day free trial. Amazon does appear to drop the PS5 disc edition console (£449.99, Amazon.co.uk) more frequently than the digital edition console (£359.99, Amazon.co.uk), but they were both available at the latest drop on 10 August.

Expect a drop sometime between 23 August and 25 August, between 8am and 10am. We’ll update you with any more info as it comes in.

Game PS5 pre-orders available in-store

10:30 , Alex Lee

If you weren’t able to buy a PS5 from Game yesterday, we’d just like to remind you that the retailer still runs a pre-order waiting list system. If you pop into your local Game, you can ask to be put on the waiting list and you’ll get a call if you’ve been allocated a PS5.

According to @PS5StockAlertUK, each store has 23 slots available for each customer to order a console. If you’re willing to wait a month for your PS5, we’d recommend popping your head in and getting added to the list. The retailer isn’t expected to have another restock this month.

Want a Nintendo Switch OLED?

10:00 , Alex Lee

While we wait for a retailer (ANY retailer!) to drop its consoles today, we’d like to draw your attention to the fact that we’ve started tracking stock of the new Nintendo Switch OLED. Pre-orders have already started at a number of retailers, but it seems like finding the console is going to be as much of a mission as it is trying to find the PS5.

At the moment, it’s sold out everywhere, but we’re constantly updating the page whenever new stock becomes available. Argos was last in stock on Monday.

How to pre-order the Nintendo Switch OLED in the UK

‘Hades’ PS5 is getting patched soon

09:36 , Alex Lee

Just a reminder for any Hades fans, The award-winning dungeon-crawler game is finally released on the PS5. The PlayStation 5 version runs at 4K at a target 60 frames per second, and it takes advantage of the dualsense controller’s haptic feedback, making it feel like your heart is literally pumping in your hands.

Buy now

While we’re excited for the release, it seems the game is crashing for some players, and a patch is coming, according to a post by the developer on Reddit. Here’s what it said in response to reports of the bug:

First off, we sincerely apologize for the technical issues you experienced with Hades on PlayStation 5. We are aware of the issue and actively investigating a solution. While we don’t have a time estimate for a patch, this is a high priority for our team.

For now, we have a work-around that should reduce the chances of running into this: After playing for longer than 3 hours or so, please close the game completely and restart it. To close the game,

– reach a valid checkpoint (pause the game to make sure you can Quit)

– press and hold the PlayStation button to return to the dashboard

– press the Options button (with the Hades icon highlighted)

– select ‘Close Game’

When could AO PS5 stock drop?

09:16 , Alex Lee

The last time AO had a PS5 restock was on 28 July, but stock only lasted 10 minutes. It usually drops between 10am and 2pm, so keep watch between those hours today. It’s the only major retailer who has not had a drop so far in August.

There’s a little trick to getting the PS5 from AO when the PS5 is live. It takes a bit of effort, but many people have seen success using it when the console is live but showing “out of stock”. Note: This will only work when the PS5 product page is live on AO, and you’ll need to be using Google Chrome. AO hides the PS5 product page from view until it’s ready to be sold.

When the PS5 product page is live, copy the PS5’s product ID and save it somewhere safe.
Navigate to a random item on AO’s website. Right-click on the ‘Buy now’ button on the random item and click ‘Inspect element’.
In the element inspector, replace the product’s ID with the PS5’s product ID. Click ‘Buy now’.

‘Ghost of Tsushima ‘ PS5 releases today

09:02 , Alex Lee

Just a short intermission from scanning the PS5 stock horizon to mention that the Ghost of Tsushima director’s cut releases on both the PS4 and PS5 today!

The hit open-world samurai game includes all of the content from the original game as well as a new island (Iki) to explore. Developer Sucker Punch says that means there will be new story content, characters, environments, armour, enemies, and more. You can read our news story for more details. It’s available to buy right this second. There’s only two left on Amazon at the moment.

Buy now

Could Asda PS5 consoles drop soon?

08:39 , Alex Lee

The last drop at Asda took place on 4 August at 9am and stock sold out within minutes. Some stock trackers are predicting a drop sometime next week, but we’re a little doubtful.

Before the drop in early August, the last time Asda restocked the console was all the way back on 22 June. It didn’t have a restock at all in July. There’s a chance that it could drop on the 22nd again, but as we said, we’re a little doubtful. The retailer doesn’t receive huge stock shipments, but we’ll wait and see!

What PS5 stock drops could we see today?

08:25 , Alex Lee

Happy Friday PS5 hunters and welcome to another day of PS5 stock tracking. Yesterday was a pretty great day for console drops, with Game sending PS5s out into the world not just once (in the morning), but for a second time in the afternoon as well. We even got a few of you messaging in to say that you managed to secure a PS5 with the help of the blog. We love to see it.

Could we get another drop today? AO.com is now the only major retailer who has yet to drop stock in the month of August, so we’ve got our eyes trained on the website, urging the retailer to restock the console with meditation music. As usual, we’ll be here all day bringing you the PS5 news and stock updates as and when we have them. Stay tuned!

Good night from your resident PS5 stock trackers

Thursday 19 August 2021 17:30 , Alex Lee

While we may have only seen one retailer drop today, the Game restock has actually been pretty substantial. Having lasted for nearly three hours in the morning and then coming back for a second bite this afternoon. It has now sold out (again).

Check out the Game PS5 bundles

We hope we’ve managed to help you secure a PS5 this morning or this afternoon. If not, we’d recommend giving your local Game store a ring to see if the staff can do anything to help you out with a console. Well, that’s what Game itself suggests.

If you’d rather wait for an online drop, then AO.com could be the next retailer to drop stock tomorrow morning. We’ll be back here then to bring you all the latest PS5 news and, ultimately, help secure you a PS5. For now, good night, good luck and have fun!

Game PS5 consoles back in stock

Thursday 19 August 2021 16:45 , Alex Lee

Game is back for a second round of PS5 action. These are probably cancelled orders or leftover stock, so we don’t think it’s going to last as long as the drop this morning. To recap:

The cheapest disc edition bundle includes a “Player1” T-shirt (£464.98, Game.co.uk), while the most expensive disc bundle comes with a dual sense controller and a pulse 3D gaming headset (£599.97, Game.co.uk).

Game has also listed Ratchet & Clank: Rift Apart bundles onto its website. A PS5 disc edition with a copy of Rift Apart cost £519.98 (Game.co.uk).

Check out the Game PS5 bundles

Can you get a VPN on the PS5?

Thursday 19 August 2021 16:30 , Alex Lee

While Sony doesn’t allow any VPN apps like NordVPN or ExpressVPN to be downloaded from the PlayStation Store (they’re not even allowed on the platform in general), there’s still a way to use a VPN on the PS5 if you want to stream geo-restricted content.

We’d recommend getting a VPN which allows you to set up a Smart DNS feature. It’s a service provided by a number of VPN providers, including NordVPN, to allow you to spoof your location on devices that don’t have VPN support. You can read our round-up of the best VPNs for more information.

The best VPN for every type of device

‘Fifa 22’ PS5 release date

Thursday 19 August 2021 16:00 , Alex Lee

It’s been a beautiful day filled with lots of PS5 joy, but soon your life will be filled with the beautiful game, being played on a beautiful machine. That’s right, Fifa 22 on PS5 is releasing super soon.

Last month, it was revealed that Fifa 22 would be released on 1 October, later this year. Fifa 22 integrates something called HyperMotion technology into the game, which basically combines match capture and machine learning to provide an ultra-realistic Fifa experience.

If you managed to pre-order the ultimate edition of the game before 11 August, you’ll be receiving an untradeable FUT Heroes player, giving you a head-start on making a solid team.

You can read more about what’s coming to Fifa 22 and how to pre-order it in our article below:

Fifa 22 now has a release date: Find out when it’s all kicking off

Need an Xbox series X?

Thursday 19 August 2021 15:15 , Alex Lee

Want an Xbox as well as a PS5? Sadly, it’s not as easy to secure as Sony’s next-gen console. But lucky for you, we’re standing at attention over on our Xbox series X stock liveblog, providing you with the latest restock news and updates as and when they happen. Head on over to our page for more, and maybe you’ll not only have secured a PS5 today, but you could be getting an Xbox series X as well.

On the hunt for an Xbox? Here’s where to find one in stock today

When was the last EE PS5 drop?

Thursday 19 August 2021 14:30 , Alex Lee

EE had restocked the PS5 every single day of the week in the first week of August, and then again in the second week, with the latest drop happening on 9 August at 9am. Only EE customers are able to buy a PS5 from the retailer, with eligible customers needing to be on a 12-month or longer contract.

The network provider only sells the PS5 disc edition console (£40 a month for 11 months), but you can also get a PS5 disc edition bundle with an additional dual sense controller (£45 a month for 11 months). We haven’t seen the retailer drop stock at all this week, however.

Best PS5 games: ‘Spider-Man: Miles Morales’

Thursday 19 August 2021 13:45 , Alex Lee

Congrats to anyone who managed to buy the PS5 at Game this morning. With the console now on its way, you’re probably going to want to buy some games to go with your new machine. We’ve got a round-up of the best PS5 games for you to peruse.

In the bestselling Spider-Man: Miles Morales game (£44.99, Currys.co.uk), Peter Parker is replaced with his awkward teenage protégé, Miles Morales. A next-generation spin-off, Spider-Man: Miles Morales refines the original’s formula,” our reviewer said. “This is a streamlined adventure with a more focused story, far less busy work and an endearingly clumsy protagonist still getting to grips with his powers.”

Meanwhile, Demon’s Souls (£57.99, Currys.co.uk) on PS5 is a showcase of what the new console is capable of. “The oppressive gothic architecture, yawning arches and festering dungeons of this cult classic look spectacular on the new hardware, while remaining faultlessly faithful to the aesthetic and vibe of the original game,” our tester said.

Managed to grab a PS5? Here are the games you need to own

Bagged the PS5 pulse 3D wireless headset bundle?

Thursday 19 August 2021 13:00 , Alex Lee

When faced with all those PS5 bundle options, it’s a little hard to do some research. In a moment of panic, you might have just clicked on a random bundle and realised you were buying one with a pulse 3D wireless headset. Don’t worry though, you made a great choice. The pulse headset features in our round-up of the best PS5 accessories.

“There’s no shortage of gaming headset options out there but the PlayStation 5 pulse 3D wireless headset is a little bit special,” our reviewer said. “Made with certain PlayStation 5 games in mind, its 3D audio means you can feel fully immersed in the experience, feeling like things are truly happening all around you. It’s a distinctive way of doing things that stands out more so than conventional headsets, even if not all games fully take advantage of it just yet.”

8 best PS5 accessories that will enhance your gaming experience

Game PS5 bundles sell out after three hours

Thursday 19 August 2021 12:49 , Alex Lee

After nearly three hours, the PS5 disc edition and the PS5 digital edition consoles have now sold out at Game. We’ve come to expect nice, lengthy drops from the retailer in recent months, and today’s one did not disappoint. We hope you managed to bag a console this morning. If not, we’ve got more drops potentially coming up tomorrow, and definitely next week. Stay tuned for all the latest!

PS5 digital vs disc

Thursday 19 August 2021 12:15 , Alex Lee

If you’ve found yourself sitting and staring at Game’s PS5 bundles page, unsure about whether to go for the disc edition console or the digital edition console, we’re here to help you out. While there isn’t a wide selection to choose from anymore on Game’s site – most have now been snapped up, here’s the difference between the two machines.

Really, the only difference between the two is that there’s no disc drive in the digital edition of the console. This is why it’s cheaper. That said, it’s often more difficult to secure than the disc edition exactly for the same reason.

Games are downloaded from the PlayStation Store and ownership is tied to your PlayStation Network account. Unfortunately, because there’s no disc drive, you won’t be able to play any physical games you might own. The disc edition of the PlayStation 5 costs £449.99, while the digital edition, without the disc drive, is cheaper and costs £359.99. They have both sold out at Game.

Can you play PS4 games on PS5?

Thursday 19 August 2021 11:35 , Alex Lee

As the Game PS5 drop trundles on, you might be wondering whether it’s possible to play your PS4 games on the PS5. Here’s the good news – you sure can! Once you get your console, you’ll be able to download any games you bought through the PlayStation store on your PS4 and play them on the PS5.

If you’ve bought the disc edition of the PS5, you’ll also be able to insert your PS4 discs into the PS5 and play them that way, too. Obviously, because there’s no physical disc slot on the digital edition of the console, you won’t be able to play your PS4 discs on it.

Does PS5 come with a controller?

Thursday 19 August 2021 11:05 , Alex Lee

If you’re looking at that PS5 bundle you’ve just bought with a healthy dose of scepticism, wondering whether you should have picked one with a dualsense controller, don’t fret! The PS5 does indeed come with one controller out of the box. If you want to play with more than one person, however, then you’ll need to buy an additional dualsense.

Sony recently released dualsense controllers in two new colourways – midnight black and cosmic red. Check them out below.

How to get your hands on these lush new PS5 dualsense controller colours

Gamers celebrate bagging a PS5 at Game

Thursday 19 August 2021 10:45 , Alex Lee

Want a masterclass in securing a PS5 at Game? This gamer has it sorted, securing themselves a standalone PS5 without having to queue. How? Just by having the link copied into their clipboard and then simply pasting it in as soon as the alerts went live. We salute you, good friend.

And just a quick PSA to say that Game doesn’t take the money out of your account until the console is shipped, so don’t worry if you’ve got the confirmation email but your bank account is still topped up.

Keep queueing if you’re still there. The PS5 is still in stock.

Buy the PS5 at Game now

Game PS5 pre-orders are still available in-store

Thursday 19 August 2021 10:30 , Alex Lee

That queue just looks like it’s getting longer by the second, doesn’t it? If you’re struggling to buy a PS5 from Game right now, we’d just like to remind you that Game still has a PS5 waiting list in all of its stores. You can walk in, ask to buy a PS5, and get yourself added to a reserve waiting list. Once stock becomes available, you’ll be contacted by the retailer to purchase the console.

There are a rumoured 23 PlayStation 5 consoles reserved each month, exclusively for in-store waiting list customers. Though hopefully you’ll be securing one today – stay in that queue!

Check out the Game PS5 bundles

Game PS5 stock is now live

Thursday 19 August 2021 09:56 , Alex Lee

The PS5 is now in stock at Game. Good luck everyone!

The cheapest disc edition bundle comes with a “Player1” T-shirt (£464.98, Game.co.uk). The most expensive disc bundle comes with a dual sense controller and a pulse 3D gaming headset (£599.97, Game.co.uk).

Other highlights include a PS5 disc edition bundle that includes a copy of Marvel’s Spider-Man: Miles Morales and an additional dual sense controller (£594.96, Game.co.uk) and the same PS5 bundle, except with Demon’s Souls (£594.96, Game.co.uk).

Buy now

When could Studio PS5 stock drop?

Thursday 19 August 2021 09:43 , Alex Lee

While we’ve all got our eyes trained on the Game website, let’s not sleep on Studio. Yesterday, the retailer updated its PlayStation landing page and put the PS5 back online. While it didn’t go live with any consoles, it did give us a little “Back in stock soon” message. The retailer may have removed the console again, though, because we can’t find it anywhere on the site.

There’s a chance that it could drop on 24 August between 7am and 9am. There was a slim chance that it could drop today, but it’s usual time frame has sadly passed.

What time could Game PS5 bundles drop this morning?

Thursday 19 August 2021 09:15 , Alex Lee

Although Game was kind enough to give us a heads up about the drop this morning, it hasn’t given us a time to aim for. Luckily for you, we’ve been tracking restocks for a while now, and have noticed some patterns emerge. The retailer usually drops stock sometime between 9am and 11am, so we’d stay vigilant right about now. Stock could drop at any moment. The last drop happened at 10am on the dot, so we’re leaning towards that crystal hour. We’ll alert you as soon as the scent of a live PlayStation 5 wafts up into our nostrils.

Check out the Game PS5 bundles

Can you skip the Game PS5 queue?

Thursday 19 August 2021 08:59 , Alex Lee

There’s usually no getting around this one, unfortunately. Unless you’re the first to hit the “Buy” button, you’ll most likely have to queue up to buy a console from Game. Our top tip is not to refresh the page while you’re waiting, or you’ll have to queue up again from the back.

During the last drop, however, we did spot a handful of bundles which had no queues at all. If we spot any of these, we’ll highlight them to you. These bundles are obviously the obscure ones we were talking about below.

Check out the Game PS5 bundles

Tips for the Game PS5 bundles drop this morning

Thursday 19 August 2021 08:45 , Alex Lee

We’ve got a few tips for securing a console at Game when consoles drop in the next two hours:

Log out of your Game account if you have one. The retailer likes to throw up some errors if you’re signed in for some reason, so it’s better to check out as a guest.
Pick one of the more obscure bundles. Caps and T-shirts for the win. The standalone consoles are going to fly off the shelves, but the weird ones won’t.
Don’t hit the “Buy now” button underneath different bundles too many times consecutively. We know how tempting it is, but you’ll be locked out from the site and have to wait 60 seconds before being allowed to add the console to your basket again.

Check out the Game PS5 bundles

What Game PS5 bundles are going to drop this morning?

Thursday 19 August 2021 08:25 , Alex Lee

We keep banging on about this, but Game has the largest number of PS5 bundles out of all the retailers. There are 27 listed on its site right now. You’ll only be able to buy them once stock goes live in the next couple of hours. A few highlights are below:

Game has also listed Ratchet & Clank: Rift Apart bundles onto its website. A PS5 disc edition with a copy of Rift Apart cost £519.98 (Game.co.uk).

Check out the Game PS5 bundles

Game PS5 consoles are dropping in the next two hours

Thursday 19 August 2021 08:10 , Alex Lee

Gooooooood morning PS5 hunters and what a glorious morning it is! In the next couple of hours, Game is going to drop 27 different disc and digital edition PS5 bundles onto its website. As usual, there will be a queuing system employed. As soon as the stock drops, we’ll let you know. Stay calm, grab your hot chocolate and get ready to secure yourself a PlayStation 5!

The retailer has kindly noted that if you aren’t able to secure a console at this drop, you can always contact your local Game. It still runs that pre-order waiting list system in-store, so if you don’t mind waiting a few weeks for your PS5 to be allocated to you, ring you local Game and get yourself added to the list. We’ll be bringing you all the tips and hints prior to the console’s drop. Stay tuned!

Game PS5 bundles are dropping tomorrow morning

Wednesday 18 August 2021 17:00 , Alex Lee

It’s been a dreadfully quiet day for restocks, but we’ve finally got word from Game about it’s next drop, and the retailer is one million per cent dropping its PS5 bundles tomorrow morning. Just like the previous drop, Game has announced its restock well in advance, giving us all time to prepare our bodies and do some finger press-ups ahead of the drop.

Expect stock to go live sometime between 9am and 11am. The latest July restock took place at 10am on the dot, but the retailer hasn’t given us a time to aim for this time round . We’ll be back here tomorrow though, bright and early to bring you news of the drop as soon as it happens. For now, good night, good luck and have fun.

News on ‘Cyberpunk 2077’ PS5

Wednesday 18 August 2021 16:30 , Alex Lee

Cyberpunk 2077 was supposed to be one of the best games of 2020. But when it came out, it was just a hot mess. Technical issues plagued the game, and it didn’t play well on the PS4, leading to it being taken off Sony’s PlayStation Store altogether. The game returned to the store in June and in early July Adam KiciÅski, the CD Project Red CEO, said that the game had reached a satisfactory level in terms of stability.

In a recent financial earnings call, KiciÅski said that a PS5 version of the game is still going to be reissued this year, hopefully in the second half of 2021. Let’s hope it’s not as dreadful as the PS4 version. You can buy the PS4 game for £27.37 (Amazon.co.uk) if you dare…

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Wednesday 18 August 2021 16:00 , Alex Lee

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Will Amazon have a PS5 drop this week?

Wednesday 18 August 2021 15:10 , Alex Lee

We’d love to say yes, but an Amazon drop is extremely unlikely to happen this week. Amazon last had a restock of the disc edition and digital edition consoles on 10 August and stock sold out within an hour.

On 14 July, Amazon made the console exclusively available to Prime members for the first time. Since then, the console has only been available at the retail juggernaut if you’re a Prime member. There’s a chance that the console could drop at Amazon next week, so we’d recommend signing up for a 30-day free trial if you aren’t already a Prime member.

The retailer usually releases the PS5 disc edition before the PS5 digital edition, so be aware if you see one go live before the other.

Why is there a PS5 shortage?

Wednesday 18 August 2021 14:20 , Alex Lee

While it’s getting easier to get your hands on a PS5 console, loads of people still haven’t secured one. If you’re wondering why it’s so hard, we’ve got some answers. And surprise, surprise, it’s because of Covid-19.

Not only did the pandemic see production lines shut down and manufacturing slow to a snail’s pace due to social-distancing measures, it also saw people stay at home. By November, the banana bread had all been baked and the Joe Wicks PE mania had come to an end, and all people wanted to do was sit in their pants and play games on Sony’s new console. Demand was through the roof at the same time that every part of the world suffered a shortage in semiconductors, delaying the production of consumer electronics even further.

Now we’ve just got a massive backlog and the semiconductor shortage is still in full effect. For more on the PS5 stock shortage, have a read of our explainer below.

This is why it’s so hard to buy a PS5 right now

Need an Xbox series X?

Wednesday 18 August 2021 13:30 , Alex Lee

Fed up of trying to get a PS5? Yeah, today has been disappointingly quiet. But spare a thought for those on the hunt for an Xbox series X console. Like Sony, Microsoft is also experiencing restock problems. The Series X situation started to improve in June, but it seems like everything has dried up in July and August.

Finding a retailer with Xbox stock isn’t the easiest task, so to help give you a fighting chance, we’re tracking Xbox series X stock live. As we do here in PS5 land, we’ll be bringing you all the Xbox stock updates as and when they happen. Follow along for all the juiciest news, rumours and stock updates live below.

On the hunt for an Xbox? Here’s where to find one in stock today

Where is the Tesco PS5 drop?

Wednesday 18 August 2021 12:40 , Alex Lee

As the day trundles on, we’re slowly losing hope that Game and Very could drop their consoles today. There’s still a small flame lit in the heart of AO, though, but it is threatening to burn out by 2pm if the console doesn’t drop. Do you know whose flame has been completely extinguished, though? Tesco’s. There’s no flame anymore, it’s just a pile of old ash.

Tesco last had a restock on 15 March – over five months ago. It’s been so long that PS5 stock trackers have stopped predicting Tesco drops altogether, since they never materialise.

The last rumoured date for a Tesco drop was 2 June, with stock trackers claiming that it received a shipment in late May. Bring back the flame, Tesco, bring it back.

When is a SCUF PS5 controller coming out?

Wednesday 18 August 2021 11:50 , Alex Lee

For those of you looking longingly over at your old Scuf PlayStation 4 controller, you shouldn’t have to look too much longer. Corsair-owned Scuf has confirmed that a Scuf-made PS5 controller is in the works, although it hasn’t revealed when exactly it could be coming out.

If you’re unfamiliar with Scuf, it’s one of the biggest third-party controller brands in the world. In a financial earnings call, Corsair CEO Andy Paul said: “We’re obviously working as fast as we can to get out [our] PS5 controller,” adding that he hopes Scuf will be one of the earliest to do so.

Yesterday, the company announced a new Scuf Instinct controller for the Xbox series X and Xbox series S, so hopefully we’ll get a PS5 one very soon.

For now, why not have a look at our round-up of the best PS5 accessories?

8 best PS5 accessories that will enhance your gaming experience

Best sales on PS5 games

Wednesday 18 August 2021 11:10 , Alex Lee

Do you love a deal? Course ya love a deal. While we haven’t found a deal on the PS5 – we’re still trying to find the PS5, for starters – we have recently launched a live second-by-second deals tracker. From Monday to Friday, we’ll be hunting down the best deals on the most sought after products and bringing them to you live.

This morning, we’ve rounded up a few of our favourite games in PlayStation’s summer sale. Head over to the best sales page and we’ll tell all.

Deals of the day: Currys, Amazon and Tui – follow the best sales live

PS5 price

Wednesday 18 August 2021 10:40 , Alex Lee

While we wait for the first retailer to drop stock this morning, let’s have a recap of the PS5’s price, shall we? The PS5 disc edition costs £449.99, while the PS5 digital edition is cheaper at £349.99. The standard PS5 is the exact same price as the new Xbox series X – conveniently also out of stock at most retailers. But the Xbox series S (the all-digital edition of the Xbox series X) is cheaper than the PS5 digital edition, costing just £249. If you want more information on the differences, you can read our comparison of the Xbox series x and PS5 here.

A number of retailers, including BT and Game (tipped to drop next), have started bundling the console with other accessories and games. It inflates the price a little, but also deters those pesky scalpers from hoovering up the stock before you can get it yourself.

What Game PS5 bundles are there?

Wednesday 18 August 2021 10:15 , Alex Lee

The last time we checked, Game had the largest number of PS5 bundles out of all the retailers. There are 27 listed on its site right now, but you can’t buy them just yet. It’s one of those browse but don’t touch dealios.

At the start of June, Game listed new Ratchet & Clank: Rift Apart bundles onto its website. A PS5 disc edition with a copy of Rift Apart cost £519.98 (Game.co.uk).

Check out the Game PS5 bundles here

When will Smyths Toys PS5 stock drop?

Wednesday 18 August 2021 09:45 , Alex Lee

Smyths Toys had an unusually early drop yesterday morning, kicking things off at about 8:15am. The consoles sold out within around 20 minutes.

The retailer was tipped for a drop this week, but we were slightly surprised at the timing of the restock, considering it doesn’t usually drop stock until 9am at the earliest.

If you didn’t know, Smyths began taking new in-store pre-orders on 4 August, and was said to be receiving those shipments on 17 August. The drop yesterday may have been the leftover stock from that shipment.

Could Asda PS5 consoles drop today?

Wednesday 18 August 2021 09:27 , Alex Lee

There’s a slim chance that Asda could drop its haul of consoles this morning, according to @PS5StockAlertUK. The last drop at Asda took place on 4 August and stock sold out within minutes. Before that, Asda had gone well over a month before restocking the console.

Drops usually take place between 8am and 9am, but we’ve seen it drop as late as 10am before. Asda isn’t the easiest retailer to secure a console from, however, but we do have one tip. Chiefly, try adding it to your wish list before adding it to your basket – sometimes it’s the only way to check out. More updates to follow.

When will there be a Game PS5 drop?

Wednesday 18 August 2021 09:04 , Alex Lee

We know that Game’s almost certainly going to drop sometime this week. The question (which we hope will be answered in the next…two hours and a half) is when. Last week, the retailer updated its PS5 bundles page with new release dates of 27 August. Game always releases stock roughly a week and a half before the stated date, so it should be arriving imminently if we’re lucky.

The @PS5StockAlertUK console tracker thinks that the drop is most likely going to appear tomorrow morning, but we’d be prepared for it to drop today, too.

‘Ratchet & Clank: Rift Apart’ PS5 review

Wednesday 18 August 2021 08:49 , Alex Lee

A number of PS5 bundles come packaged with the new Ratchet & Clank game. Game (the retailer) began listing new Ratchet & Clank bundles at the start of June, and the bundle – along with 26 others – is rumoured to drop today. When stock goes live, you’ll be able to buy the PS5 disc edition console with a copy of Rift Apart for £519.98 (Game.co.uk).

In our review of the game, our writer noted that “Rift Apart has charm to burn, in its character design, lively combat mechanics, and explorable levels that feel large without seeming maze-like”, and added that “this is one of the best looks yet at what the new console generation has to offer”.

Ratchet & Clank: Rift Apart is a flagship blockbuster for the PS5 era – review

BT Shop PS5s sell out – here’s how to get a code

Wednesday 18 August 2021 08:30 , Alex Lee

About 10 minutes after we posted our PS5 code here on the blog yesterday afternoon, the console sold out at the BT Shop. Hopefully one of you were able to redeem the code and buy the console before it went out of stock. If you want to be in with a chance of getting a code the next time there’s a drop, make sure to register your interest and you could be next to receive that glorious, glorious email.

Didn’t get a console from BT? Watch this space – three drops could take place this morning.

What PS5 restocks could we see today?

Wednesday 18 August 2021 08:15 , Alex Lee

Gooood morning console campers and welcome to another day of PS5 stock sniffing. Yesterday was a pretty great day for restocks with both BT and Smyths Toys having a drop. The question now is… will today be even better? Wednesdays are historically good days for restocks, so we’re certainly hopeful.

Game, AO and Very could all drop the PS5 this morning. We’ll be here all day bringing you the restock updates as they happen. As soon as a retailer drops, we’ll provide the links you need to buy the console.

We’re giving away our BT PS5 code as a final treat

Tuesday 17 August 2021 17:00 , Alex Lee

No fighting now, but as a final treat – we’re going to give away our BT PS5 code to one of you loyal readers who are still hanging around here on the blog. It’s going to be first come first serve, so good luck! There’s only one bundle left, and it’s the PS5 disc edition console with a pulse 3D wireless headset and a charging station for £623.97.

If you manage to redeem it and buy the console, drop us a DM on Twitter or send us an email – we’d love to hear from you. If the code has already been used by the time you’ve seen this post or clicked the below link, don’t fret. We’ll be back here tomorrow morning for some more stock tracking action. We’ve got our eyes firmly set on Game, Very and AO.

Now, without further ado…

The code is: W9HFQ3ZJ8

Buy the PS5 now from BT using the above code

PS5 vs Xbox series X

Tuesday 17 August 2021 16:45 , Alex Lee

Stuck on which console to choose? With the stock situation being so dire, you’ve probably had a long time to think about which console you’d prefer to buy. The Independent’s technology editor, Andrew Griffin, weighed in with his comparative review of both consoles. He said: “The differences between the Xbox Series X and Series S are significant: the S is a little smaller, but with less power, so that some games will run with slightly less performance.“

Both consoles offer a host of improvements on their predecessors: new designs, vastly improved performance, and some though not many new games.”To find out his verdict, read his PS5 vs Xbox series X article below.

PS5 vs Xbox series X: Which console is better?

Best PS5 games

Tuesday 17 August 2021 16:10 , Alex Lee

There are a number of games available exclusively to those who own one of the coveted PlayStation consoles. One of those is Astro’s Playroom (free, Playstation.com), which was our top pick in our round-up of the best PS5 games.

“A love letter to a 27-year legacy, Astro’s Playroom serves as both an introduction to the features of the PS5’s tactile new DualSense controller, as well as an old-school, full-featured and inventive platformer in its own right,” noted our writer.

The best thing of all is it comes pre-installed on your device and it’s free. Win!

Managed to grab a PS5? Here are the games you need to own

Best laptops 2021

Tuesday 17 August 2021 15:20 , Alex Lee

We know, we know, the PS5 is really tricky to secure. But do you know which gamers are laughing in glee at us console gamers? PC gamers, of course. If you want to join in on the PC gaming fun, why not take a look at our round-up of the best laptops?

The Dell XPS 15 is our pick for the best gaming laptop, with our reviewer saying that it’s a showcase of everything the manufacturer can reasonably pack into a single machine without the entire thing melting into a hot puddle of silicon and plastic. “The Dell XPS 15 is one of the best Windows laptops you can buy, and pairs a minimalist, no-fuss design with top-level functionality and performance,” they added.

Have a read of our best laptops guide below for more of our favourites.

The ultimate guide to the best laptops of 2021

Need an Xbox series X?

Tuesday 17 August 2021 14:30 , Alex Lee

Fed up of trying to get a PS5? We know, all those queues and waiting rooms can be a little bit draining. We’re looking at you, BT. But spare a thought for those on the hunt for an Xbox series X console. Microsoft is also experiencing restock problems. The Series X situation started to improve in June, but it seems like the well has dried up in both July and August.

Finding a retailer with Xbox stock isn’t the easiest task, so to help give you a fighting chance, we’re tracking Xbox series X stock live. As we do here in PS5 land, we bring you all the Xbox stock updates as and when they happen. Follow along for all the juiciest news, rumours and stock updates.

On the hunt for an Xbox? Here’s where to find one in stock today

Sign up to the IndyBest newsletter

Tuesday 17 August 2021 13:40 , Alex Lee

Want more shopping insights? Do us a favour and sign up to the IndyBest newsletter to access the best deals and round-ups of the week’s must-have products chosen by IndyBest experts. Dropping into your inbox every Friday morning, the handy digest features items from our tried and tested reviews by pros in the field – helping you make the most informed choice with your hard-earned cash.

Get the IndyBest newsletter and access to all of The Independent’s other newsletters now. You won’t regret it.

IndyBest newsletter – Sign up for your essential weekly shopping guide

Could Game, AO and Very drop the PS5 today?

Tuesday 17 August 2021 12:50 , Alex Lee

We hate to be the bearer of bad news – we’re all about the vibes here on the PS5 blog – but looking at the time, it’s probably unlikely that Game or Very are going to drop any consoles today. The latest we’ve seen either of them drop stock is about half 11.

AO could still drop stock, however, but those chances are waning too. We’ve seen AO drops happen at 2pm on occasion – they are rare, though. Keep your tabs open on our blog and on the retailers pages above, we’ll still be here all afternoon feeding you the info you need.

BT is still in stock, by the way. And yep, you still need a code.

Buy now from BT

PS5 charging station

Tuesday 17 August 2021 12:00 , Alex Lee

Managed to bag a console from BT or Smyths Toys this morning? You get one PS5 dualsense controller with every purchase, so we’d recommend getting yourselves a charging station to juice it up when you’re not busy playing Demon’s Souls.

The Sony PlayStation 5 dualsense charging station (£24.99, Currys.co.uk) isn’t the most exciting of accessories to own, but if you regularly need to recharge your controllers and you’re keen on a neat looking living space, it’s our pick for one of the best PS5 accessories. “While there are unofficial solutions out there, it’s this official docking station that looks the best,” our reviewer said. “Simply slot one or two controllers in and the charging station soon recharges them up to full while keeping them out of your way and looking good under your TV.”

Buy now

8 best PS5 accessories that will enhance your gaming experience

Could Very PS5 consoles drop next?

Tuesday 17 August 2021 11:15 , Alex Lee

We’ve already been pretty spoilt for drops this morning, with both Smyths Toys and BT dropping stock, but could Very be the next to join the club? The retailer had a drop in the first week of August, but it only released one bundle, instead of the three or four that it usually has up for grabs. More stock could drop sometime between now and Thursday. Keep an eye on the blog and we’ll let you know as soon as the drop happens.

We’ve seen restocks at Very last up to three hours in the past, so it’s definitely one to watch. We’d advise you to create an account though. The sign-up process takes a ridiculous amount of time to complete, and could hold you up when you’re trying to check out.

How to get a BT PS5 code

Tuesday 17 August 2021 10:13 , Alex Lee

Need a BT PS5 code? We’d recommend registering your interest now. Whenever BT releases more stock, the retailer will send you a unique code by email, giving you priority access to buy the console. The retailer has had three drops so far this month, so we’re expecting another one to come next week, too.

Thankfully, you don’t need to be a BT Broadband customer to buy the PS5.

Register your interest now

Buy the PS5 now if you have a BT code

BT PS5 stock is now live

Tuesday 17 August 2021 09:46 , Alex Lee

The PS5 is now in stock at the BT Shop for the third time this month! We’ve just been sent a code here at the IndyBest.

As usual, you’ll only be able to buy the console if you registered your interest prior to the drop and have been sent an email with a unique code. Check your inbox and junk mail now. You might be one of the lucky ones. There are more than 50 available according to the BT Shop’s website.

Buy now

Game PS5 pre-orders could start soon

Tuesday 17 August 2021 09:33 , Alex Lee

We’ve had a look at AO now, but what about Game? Pre-orders were actually supposed to go live last week, but due to a reported shipment delay, the drop has been pushed back to this week. It’s one of the retailers we have our eye on this morning.

The last time we checked, Game had the largest number of PS5 bundles out of all the retailers. The cheapest disc edition bundle came with a “Player1” T-shirt (£464.98, Game.co.uk). The most expensive disc bundle came with a dual sense controller and a pulse 3D gaming headset (£599.97, Game.co.uk).

At the start of June, Game listed new Ratchet & Clank: Rift Apart bundles onto its website. A PS5 disc edition with a copy of Rift Apart cost £519.98 (Game.co.uk).

Check out Game’s PS5 bundles page

AO PS5 stock could drop today

Tuesday 17 August 2021 09:15 , Alex Lee

With that brief intermission over and done with, we’re back to scanning the skies to see if we can spot any PS5s dropping from the clouds. And we think we can see a little AO sign just popping its head out of that cumulus cloud juuuust about now.

The last time AO had a PS5 restock was on 28 July, but stock only lasted 10 minutes. It’s not the easiest retailer to secure a console from, however, with people having to amend the site’s code to get it into their basket.

There’s a chance that AO could drop from 10am onward, so it’s worth having a little practice. You’ll need Google Chrome.

When the PS5 product page is live, copy the PS5’s product ID and save it somewhere safe.
Navigate to a random item on AO’s website. Right-click on the ‘Buy now’ button on the random item and click ‘Inspect element’.
In the element inspector, replace the product’s ID with the PS5’s product ID. Click ‘Buy now’.

‘Ghost of Tsushima’ PS5 upgrade is coming

Tuesday 17 August 2021 09:00 , Alex Lee

Let’s take a quick breather before the next drop to bring you some Ghost of Tsushima news. Ahead of the director’s cut release later this week, the hit samurai game has been delisted from the PlayStation Network Store, hinting that you won’t be able to buy the PS4 game digitally going forward.

Worse is the contentious news we received in July about the upgrade. Unlike most PS5 upgrades, which are given for free if you own the PS4 game, Tsushima fans are going to have to cough up if they want the director’s cut version. The upgrade costs £15.99 (Playstation.com).

Smyths Toys PS5 consoles sell out

Tuesday 17 August 2021 08:33 , Alex Lee

We told you it would go quick! The PS5 is now sold out at Smyths Toys. It probably didn’t help that it was available only for home delivery, rather than in-store collection. Lazy bums like us wouldn’t have to venture out into the real world and talk to a human being to secure a console. We hope you managed to get one. If not, more drops are ahead of us.

Game, AO and Very could be the next retailers to drop this morning. More updates to follow. Stick around!

Smyths Toys PS5 stock is now live

Tuesday 17 August 2021 08:15 , Alex Lee

And there we have it. Our first drop of the morning! The PS5 is now in stock at Smyths Toys. Both the digital and disc edition consoles are available for home delivery. Smyths Toys stock always gets snapped up quickly, so we’d jump on it as soon as possible. The digital edition console costs £359.99 (Smythstoys.com) and the disc edition console costs £449.99 (Smythstoys.com).

Buy the digital edition console

Buy the disc edition console

What PS5 stock could drop today?

Tuesday 17 August 2021 08:09 , Alex Lee

Goooood morning PS5 hunters and welcome to another day of console stock sniffing. Yesterday was a pretty quiet one for PS5 restocks, with ShopTo being the only retailer to have the console available – and that was just because it had a stray bundle straggler hanging on from Sunday afternoon. Today though? Today, we could see drops of epic proportions*.

Game, AO, Smyths Toys and Very could all drop consoles today. We’ll take you through each and every drop as they happen. Keep your mouses pointed on this page for all the latest updates.

*Don’t @ us if we get diddly squat.

A recap of today’s PS5 restock events

Monday 16 August 2021 17:06 , Alex Lee

And that’s it for another day of stock sniffing. We’re putting away the monocular for the rest of the night. How did today go? Eh, it could have been better, with very few consoles to be smelt.. We did get a whiff of a really pungent smelling PS5 bundle costing £639.85 from ShopTo, however (which is all sold out now, by the way).

We’ve got far higher hopes for Tuesday, though, with four retailers tipped to drop stock. We’ll be back here again tomorrow, bright and early, for some more stock tracking action. You won’t want to miss it!

Sign up to the IndyBest newsletter

Monday 16 August 2021 16:35 , Alex Lee

Want more shopping insights? Why not sign up to the IndyBest newsletter to access the best deals and round-ups of the week’s must-have products chosen by IndyBest experts. Dropping into your inbox every Friday morning, the handy digest features items from our tried and tested reviews by pros in the field – helping you make the most informed choice with your hard-earned cash.

Get the IndyBest newsletter and access to all of The Independent’s other newsletters now. You won’t regret it.

IndyBest newsletter – Sign up for your essential weekly shopping guide

When will Very have another PS5 restock?

Monday 16 August 2021 16:00 , Alex Lee

It’s been a disgracefully quiet day for restocks so far – the complete opposite to what we had at the start of August. Maybe that was to be expected, though, with all retailers probably getting through their stock supply early in the month. Still, Very might be the fifth retailer (after BT, EE, Smyths Toys and ShopTo) to have a second drop this month.

The last time Very had a PS5 restock was on 4 August, with stock going live at around 11am. There was only one bundle available, however, so hopefully we’ll see another more substantial drop this time round. Stock tipsters are suggesting that Very could drop sometime between 17 and 19 August. Keep your eyes peeled.

Currys PS5 VIP codes were sent out last week

Monday 16 August 2021 15:15 , Alex Lee

If you didn’t hear the news, Currys sent out more VIP pass codes for you to redeem. The codes were sent out on Thursday at around 9am. Codes have to be redeemed within a week of receiving an email – that’s actually a lot longer than the window of opportunity given by the folks at Currys previously. In the old system, you only had three days to redeem a code before they would self-detonate.

If you aren’t aware, Currys used to run a VIP pass draw, which allowed people to register for a PS5 lottery. Lucky shoppers would randomly receive a code to buy a PlayStation 5, but it closed in early June to new entrants. It is still getting through those who put their name into the draw. Check your inbox and junk folder, you may be one of the chosen ones!

There’s still one PS5 bundle available at ShopTo

Monday 16 August 2021 14:55 , Alex Lee

Got a spare £639.85 lying around? ShopTo still has a PS5 disc edition bundle with an additional midnight black dualsense controller, a copy of Resident Evil Village and a copy of Ratchet & Clank (Shopto.net) in stock. But is it worth the money? Let’s get out the trusty calculator.

The disc edition console costs £449.99 when bought on its own
The midnight black dualsense controller costs £59.99 (Amazon.co.uk)

That’s £509.98 altogether.

Ratchet & Clank: Rift Apart is currently on sale at Amazon for £53.49 (Amazon.co.uk)
Resident Evil Village is on sale at Amazon for £44.99 (Amazon.co.uk)

That’s £98.48. Add those two together and you get £608.46. You’re essentially paying an extra £31.36 for two extra games. But seeing as its the only retailer who has the console in stock at the moment, we wouldn’t blame you if you bit the bullet and decided to buy the bundle anyway. Most people are opting not to, however…

Why is the PS5 digital edition so hard to find?

Monday 16 August 2021 13:05 , Alex Lee

If you’ve been following our stock updates for a while, you’ve probably noticed that the PS5 disc edition console is far easier to buy than the digital edition, with the digital console usually selling out in minutes. That’s despite the digital edition console (anecdotally) seeming to be the more popular machine.

It’s been this way ever since the console was first released back in November. When Eurogamer spoke to sources at various retailers before the console launched, it was told that retailers had been allocated around 25 per cent digital edition consoles and 75 per cent disc edition consoles.

We don’t know if the situation has changed since then, but we still see fewer digital edition consoles dropping than disc edition consoles. Retailers themselves might also prefer to order in the disc edition console over digital – they cost more (£449.99) for one, and they can bundle it with physical games to charge a premium.

Sony has recently developed a new, lighter digital edition console, however, so when they’re rolled out to stores, we should hopefully see the levels of digital stock increase.

New version of the PS5 appears – and it is inexplicably lighter

We adore the PS5 controller

Monday 16 August 2021 12:15 , Alex Lee

The new dualsense controller is arguably our favourite thing about Sony’s next-gen console. When you get your hands on the machine, you’ll already find one controller in the box, but to play with others on the sofa, you really need another one.

“Besides looking and feeling good, it also has some useful features such as haptic feedback, which is a form of far superior vibration, and a set of trigger buttons that are much more responsive and tactile than previous PlayStation controllers,” our writer said in our round-up of the best PS5 accessories. “It’s the natural next step for a PlayStation controller and it’s arguably the best thing about the console. A second one is an essential addition for everyone but the most antisocial player.”

The company recently released some new colourways, and we’re big fans of the cosmic red version.

How to get your hands on these lush new PS5 dualsense controller colours

Looking for an Xbox series X?

Monday 16 August 2021 11:35 , Alex Lee

It’s almost been a year since the PS5 was first released in the UK, yet we’re all still here, trying desperately to buy the console. We’re not alone, though. Not to gloat or anything, but we’ve had around 20 drops this month, while our friends over on the Xbox series X restock blog have received less than five.

If you’re hunting down both consoles, we’d recommend keeping both pages open as retailers can drop stock unexpectedly and without much notice. We’ll let you know as soon as a drop of either console happens.

On the hunt for an Xbox? Here’s where to find one in stock today

Upcoming PS5 game releases to look out for

Monday 16 August 2021 10:55 , Alex Lee

For those of you who managed to secure a PS5 at one of the seven (!!) restocks last week and are wanting to find out what new games are releasing in the next few days, we’ve got all the goss for you to chomp on.

The standout release this week is the enhanced director’s cut version of the hit open-world samurai game Ghost of Tsushima, which drops on 20 August. You can pre-order the game for £69.99 (Amazon.co.uk). Other releases this week, including PS4 to PS5 upgrades, are listed below:

How much does the PS5 cost?

Monday 16 August 2021 10:25 , Alex Lee

The PS5 disc edition costs £449.99, while the PS5 digital edition is cheaper at £349.99. The standard PS5 is the exact same price as the new Xbox series X – conveniently also out of stock at most retailers. But the Xbox series S (the all-digital edition of the Xbox series X) is cheaper than the PS5 digital edition, costing just £249, and it’s always in stock. The series S is far less powerful than the PS5 digital edition, mind. If you want more information on the differences, you can read our comparison of the Xbox series X and PS5 here.

A number of retailers, including Game – which is due to have a restock this week – also sells a bunch of bundles with the PS5. This obviously increases the price of the console, but also does a great job at turning away scalpers.

ShopTo PS5 stock dropped yesterday afternoon

Monday 16 August 2021 09:55 , Alex Lee

ShopTo is pretty much the only retailer who likes to drop stock on a Sunday. Yesterday afternoon, it dropped a PS5 disc edition console (£449.85, Shopto.net) as well as a couple of bundles.

The bundles included a PS5 console with an additional midnight black dualsense controller, a copy of Resident Evil Village and a copy of Ratchet & Clank (£639.85, Shopto.net) and another bundle with a pulse 3D wireless headset, a copy of Resident Evil Village and a copy of Returnal (£639.85, Shopto.net). As expected, the standalone disc edition consoles went in a flash, but the bundles stuck around for a little while longer.

If you’re interested in reading more about the pulse 3D wireless headset or the dualsense controller, take a look at our round-up of the best PS5 accessories below.

8 best PS5 accessories that will enhance your gaming experience

‘Fifa 22’ PS5 release date

Monday 16 August 2021 09:32 , Alex Lee

While we wait for the PS5 to drop this morning, did you know that Fifa 22 on PS5 is releasing very soon? Last month, EA announced that Fifa 22 will be released on 1 October, later this year. Fifa 22 integrates something called HyperMotion technology into the game, which basically combines match capture and machine learning to provide an ultra-realistic Fifa experience.

If you pre-ordered the ultimate edition of the game before 11 August, you’ll be receiving an untradeable FUT Heroes player, giving you early birds a head-start on making a solid team.

We’ve got a round-up of all the new features and gameplay in our Fifa 22 explainer below:

Fifa 22 now has a release date: Find out when it’s all kicking off

Is an Asda PS5 stock drop due soon?

Monday 16 August 2021 09:07 , Alex Lee

The last drop at Asda took place on 4 August and stock sold out within minutes. There was nearly a two-month gap between the August drop and the one before it, but the PS5 stock tipsters are suggesting that another drop could be happening this week. We’re a little doubtful ourselves, but when it comes to restocks, we’re always happy to be proven wrong.

Drops usually take place between 8am and 9am, and they rarely last long. We’ll let you know if we get any more details, however.

When could AO PS5 consoles drop?

Monday 16 August 2021 08:51 , Alex Lee

AO is another retailer predicted to have a restock this week. It’s the only other large retailer, besides Game and Tesco, who has yet to drop stock in August so far. It’s also one of the most frustrating retailers to buy stock from.

Unlike with most retailers, where all you have to do is click a nice oblong-shaped “add to basket” button and maybe add it to your wish list for faster check out, AO makes you jump through a number of hoops to bag a console. These are the exact steps you need to follow when stock goes live. Note: You’ll need to be using Google Chrome on a laptop or desktop computer.

When the PS5 product page is live, copy the PS5’s product ID and save it somewhere safe.
Navigate to a random item on AO’s website. Right-click on the ‘Buy now’ button on the random item and click ‘Inspect element’.
In the element inspector, replace the product’s ID with the PS5’s product ID. Click ‘Buy now’.

The retailer could drop stock any time from Tuesday onwards. We’ll be waiting and watching.

Game PS5 stock is expected to drop this week

Monday 16 August 2021 08:32 , Alex Lee

Game has the highest chance of dropping this week. At the end of July, the retailer updated its PS5 bundles page with new release dates of 20 August. Unfortunately, it bumped into a few shipment delays and was forced to push the release date back to 27 August. Game almost always drops stock a week and a half before its scheduled drop date, so expect some new consoles to become available either tomorrow or Wednesday.

The last time there was a drop, Game gave us all a heads up on its Twitter page before dropping stock at 10am. Hopefully it will do something similar this week, too.

PS5 availability in the UK this week

Monday 16 August 2021 08:15 , Alex Lee

Goooood morning PS5 hunters and welcome to another week of PlayStation 5 stock tracking action. If you weren’t around last week, you’d have missed us going absolutely bananas because of the sheer number of console drops we had. We saw restocks at Amazon, ShopTo, Argos, Scan, BT, Currys PC World and EE. Will this week prove to be just as good?

Game, AO, Smyths Toys and Very are all predicted to have drops this week, with ShopTo already having dropped a new round of bundles and standalone consoles on Sunday. As usual, we’ll be bringing you all the live updates as and when they happen, so stay tuned!