Update: Nov. 26: Since publication, most retailers have sold out of PS5s. Major Canadian sellers are starting to announce when they will restock the console or if it will be available for Black Friday deals (Walmart, for example, promises to have new stock next week, but not for Nov. 27 or Cyber Monday). Check store links, as well as stock checkers, regularly to stay up-to-date.
At long last, Sony’s PlayStation 5 (PS5) has arrived. Canadian parents looking to buy the latest generation of video game consoles on launch day will need to hurry: Retailers across the country are clearing shelves of PS5s so fast that people are getting online shopping cart errors and longer-than-expected shipping times.
To make your life easier, we’ve collected a list of where to buy the PS5 in Canada, from major retailers. And we’ve thrown in some shopping tips. As of publication (and only hours after initial release), many report they are sold out. Check back often, as stores will release units as they replenish their wares. Good luck!
Price: $629.99 for the PS5, $499.99 for the Digital Edition.
Where: Online only, according to their social media.
Note: Best Buy Canada recommends following their Twitter account BBY Canada Gamers for stock updates.
Price: $629.96 for the PS5, $499.96 for the Digital Edition.
Where: Online only.
Games Radar reports that Wal-Mart will be updating its stock sporadically throughout the day, from noon EST onwards. Based on U.S. re-stock times, some on Twitter speculate 3 PM, 6 PM, and 9 PM EST will be when more PS5s will be available, however this hasn’t been verified.
Price: $629.99 for the PS5, $499.99 for the Digital Edition.
Where: Online only.
Price: $629.99 for the PS5, $499.99 for the Digital Edition; the retailer’s front page limits visitors from seeing product pages, in an effort to tame traffic. To score a copy, keep the website page open.
Where: Online, in-store for pre-orders.
Price: $629.99 for the PS5. The company isn’t offering the Digital Edition yet, but the product’s pre-release page has it listed for $499.99.
Where: In-store and online.
Price: $899.99 for the PS5 bundle, which includes two controllers, two games, and a month-long trial of PlayStation Plus.
Where: Appears to be an online exclusive, as product price includes shipping.
Price: Check retailer’s PS5 waiting room page regularly for price and availability.
Where: Online, in-store for pre-orders.
Price: $629.99 for the PS5, $499.99 for the Digital Edition.
Where: Online only.
Price: Check website for price and availability; the site is temporarily banning visitors in an effort to slow traffic.
Where: Online only.
New to launch buying? Follow these shopping tips
Use a stock checker: Websites like Now In Stock will refresh automatically with stock refills. These are useful tools, as they’ll often show all buying options — such as game and console bundles — that would be a hassle to refresh otherwise.
Follow forums for latest intel: One way to keep a pulse check on stock patterns is by following social-media conversations: check Twitter keywords like “PS5 Canada,” accounts like GYX Deals (formerly PS5Sales), Reddit threads, Canada-based technology websites like Mobile Syrup, and other popular forums to hear the latest chatter on expected restock times and known delays.
Hedge your bets: If a retailer has a waiting room instead of a product page, some shoppers have found success by staying in multiple rooms through different browsers.
Be mindful of shipping delays: Canada Post was recently trending on Twitter, due to Canadians venting their frustrations over wait times.
Make sure you’re buying the right edition: There are two PS5 consoles available at two different price-points.
The Digital Edition PS5 is more affordable, less bulky, and can play the same games, but lacks a disc drive for playing physical copies according to Laptop Magazine. The standard PS5 can play Blu-Ray discs and has 4K video support.
Try your luck: If the shopping experience is too stressful, you can try winning a PS5. Burger King Canada is hosting a contest inviting customers to upload receipts of their meals as entries for a console.
Be cautious when buying from a non-verified independent seller: While some mark-up is expected for the hot-ticket item on eBay or Facebook Marketplace, don’t shell out anything outrageous; the PS5 isn’t a limited edition item and will be around for years to come.
And always double-check if the seller is real ... or a Twitter parody account.
Also on HuffPost: