The Search for a PlayStation 5
The Search Begins
This past holiday season, I was lucky enough to snag not just one, but two PlayStation 5 consoles. Unlike the scum who snatch them all up to resell, I had wanted to buy one for my husband’s 40th birthday and then one for myself. My intention was just to buy one for my husband. However, after seeing how fast games loaded and struggling to keep up when playing online with him, my PS4 slowly loading Tom Clancy’s Ghost Recon Breakpoint while he was already shooting enemies. I was jealous and wanted my own.
The PS5 is still a difficult item to find and even harder to purchase when you do find one. I had joked that I never had to work so hard to give a company so much money. I waited in many virtual queue lines, followed multiple Twitter users, subscribed to GameStop’s paid rewards membership, and had a PS5 just out of reach of my virtual hands more than once. There was nothing like the feeling of having one in your online cart only to have it disappear when you went to checkout — pure frustration.
The Secret is Revealed
I knew that many people had been trying for over a year to get a PS5. I am not as patient as those understanding souls. I had voiced the idea of getting one for my husband’s 40th, and my mom, who lives with us most of the year, liked the idea and said she would chip in toward it. My mother-in-law also decided to chip in, so I just needed to get ahold of a system. I refuse to pay scalper prices, preferring to wait in anger than to pay an outrageous price to someone whose chosen path in life is to rip people off. I know there are people who will just pay it rather than deny their loved ones a gift, but I am not one of those people. And so as my husband’s birthday approached and I became more and more agitated, I finally told him what I was trying to do.
Perhaps it set his mind to rest — most husbands would wonder why their wife would quickly grab her phone when there was a notification, likely fearing an affair. Not my husband, or at least if he thought it, he never showed concern. The truth was I was getting Twitter notifications and it would ruin the surprise if he saw “PS5 restock update” across my screen. I was visibly more agitated, but after becoming so frustrated that I decided to let him in on his birthday surprise, I felt better, and now he could understand my anger. I would continue the search; I just needed a break from it.
A Special Invitation
In the middle of November, we both received an invitation from Sony for a chance to buy a PS5. On the date of the invite, I left work a little early to make sure I was home in time for my chance. My boss was mostly understanding of the ongoing battle I was fighting, and since there were enough people working, I headed home. My husband had texted me twice that day to remind me — as if I would forget the ongoing search for what felt like a mythical unicorn. I logged in to both of our PlayStation accounts on separate browsers and waited in yet another virtual queue. Finally, I was in under his gamertag, and it was sold out yet again. I was so close once more, only to meet disappointment. I sent my husband a text, ruining his day. We would have to wait longer.
I waited out the virtual queue time for my gamertag just in case, and once I was in for my account, I saw it: it was in stock. I thought surely it was an error and it would disappear at checkout but proceeded anyway. And soon I had a confirmation that the order was placed. I finally got one! I sent my husband another text. His disappointment quickly turned to confusion and excitement. He would have his PS5 in a few days and I was finally done looking.
I felt as Howard did at the end of the movie Jingle All the Way: I finally had my Turboman and the search was over. No more restock Tweets, no more virtual queues, no more disappointment.
The Second PS5
In December, I started checking now and then for restocks, wanting to get a PS5 for myself. I thought surely I couldn’t be lucky twice. I knew there was a restock happening on Walmart’s website, and even though I despise the company, I figure I would give it a shot. I signed up for Walmart+ and, to everyone’s shock, I soon had my very own PS5 on order. It was an expensive Christmas, but an exciting one.
For those who are still trying to get a new system, whether it’s a PlayStation 5, an Xbox Series X, or a Nintendo Switch: be patient. It is super frustrating, though maybe not as bad now as before Christmas. When I bought mine, I was watching the live stream of Matt Swider, the primary Twitter user I followed throughout my frustrating quest. I honestly do not think I would have got the second one if I wouldn’t have been watching his stream. I happily contributed to him afterward since he helped so much during my search.
I definitely recommend following him on Twitter if you are still looking: https://twitter.com/mattswider.
Be Aware of Scams
To those still trying to get a next-gen console: remember to never buy one from a scalper as that only reinforces that it pays to be a leech, and NEVER buy one through Twitter as they are all scams. If it sounds to good to be true, it is most definitely a scam.
Good luck in your search, and may the Force be with you!
Blog post originally published on February 5, 2022 on The Honest Gamer (site no longer online).
