Walmart PS5 restock might be the biggest disaster yet

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PS5 restocks are actually getting worse

PS5
(Image credit: Phil Barker/Future Publishing via Getty Images)

PS5 restocks rarely run smoothly. When you have more customers desperate to buy than consoles available, not to mention an army of scalper bots attempting to snap up stock as well, it’s understandable that things don’t always go well. But the latest Walmart restock really was a disaster. 

Thursday (May 20) saw both Sony Direct and Walmart restock the hugely in-demand PS5. While Sony’s own restocks had issues, including a virtual queue that led to zero stock, Walmart’s was arguable the most disastrous restock of the year so far with thousands facing endless website crashes, error messages and ultimately coming away empty-handed. 

Walmart’s latest PS5 restock was rolling out in two waves, one of the standard PS5 and one of the Digital Edition of the console. This is a fairly common practice for console restocks, with competing retailers like Target typically doing the same. The restock of the standard PS5 especially descending into a mess as almost all the customers trying to buy the console ran into significant issues. 

Angry shoppers took to Twitter to vent their frustrations, and polls conducted by some of the larger stock tracking accounts showed how widespread the problem was. As noted above PS5 restocks are a tricky beast for retailers to handle, but more than six months into the game Walmart really should have done better here.

To make matters even worse, a third-party seller attempting to scalp the PS5 for $1,099 (its retail price is $499) appeared on the site at the same time as the restock took place. While it’s important to note this listing wasn’t from Walmart itself, it was a pretty terrible look when thousands failed to get a console at MSRP to then offer them a console at more than double its usual price.  

Many had assumed that PS5 restock problems would have improved by now, but if anything the console is harder to buy than ever. Sony has made some waves about supply catching up with demand soon, but the company has also suggested that the current stock shortage will last until 2022. Which is pretty confusing. If you’ve not yet managed to get a next-gen console, maybe it’s time to just embrace it? 

However, if you’ve not given up hope just yet, and are still looking to secure a PS5 then make sure to study our top tips on buying the console for some crucial buying advice that will tip the odds in your favor. Also bookmark our PS5 restock guide, as it contains the latest stock information as we get it. 

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Rory Mellon
Rory Mellon
Senior Entertainment Editor (UK)

Rory is a Senior Entertainment Editor at Tom’s Guide based in the UK. He covers a wide range of topics but with a particular focus on gaming and streaming. When he’s not reviewing the latest games, searching for hidden gems on Netflix, or writing hot takes on new gaming hardware, TV shows and movies, he can be found attending music festivals and getting far too emotionally invested in his favorite football team.