Sony’s PlayStation Direct site had another queue up for PS5s Tuesday afternoon, but as expected, the console sold out quickly. Those who continue to attempt to buy from Sony’s site, keep an eye on your email in hopes of receiving an exclusive invite to buy a PS5. 

It’s not easy to find a PS5. When new ones come in, the stock of PS5 consoles quickly sell out again all without fail. The best way to get one right now is to figure out which place is likely to have them next and be ready to buy right away. We’ve assembled this guide to try to make getting a PS5 a little easier. 

Why is it so tough to find a PS5? 

Sony’s newest console is still hard to find months after launch. Contributing to the difficulty is the fact that scalpers are using bots — and the global chip shortage continues. Sony says it’s aware of the problem and is figuring out a solution. 

“We’re working as hard as we can to ameliorate that situation,” Sony Interactive Entertainment CEO Jim Ryan told Wired in May. “We see production ramping up over the summer and certainly into the second half of the year, and we would hope to see some sort of return to normality in terms of the balance between supply and demand during that period.”

Here’s a list of recent restocks, which may give you an idea of when to expect retailers to get more PS5s: 

• Target, July 9: An expected drop from Target after weeks of reports of more PS5s sent to stores. 
• Walmart, July 1: An unexpected restock came from the retail giant and sold out quickly. 
• GameStop, July 1: The video game retailer had a restock mainly consisting of bundles. 
• Best Buy, June 29: Another restock of consoles and bundles.
• Best Buy, June 24: A surprise restock lasted a bit longer and included new bundles.

• PlayStation Direct, June 23: Only those who had emails to gain early access to the store were able to score a PS5. 

How do I get a PS5 from Sony’s PlayStation Direct? 

The store with the most frequent PS5 restocks is still PlayStation Direct, where drops often take place in the afternoon and require people to queue up for a chance to buy a console. If you don’t get one at the time, it still helps to join the queue, as some patient and lucky customers may receive a priority access email directly from Sony. The company hasn’t provided all the details about these PS Direct emails, but you must sign up for Sony marketing emails and have a PS Plus subscription — and you must be logged in to your PSN account. If luck is on your side, then there’s a chance Sony will send you an invite to buy a PS5. 

When you’re in a queue, one thing to be aware of is how much time it says you have before you get to the front of the line. The shorter, the better, but it’s not a guarantee. To help your chances, once you’re in a queue, share the link with your other devices like your phone. Make sure each device uses a different IP address (such as having your phone on its mobile plan while your computer uses your home Wi-Fi). This can improve your chances, as your other device might be put into a different queue that moves at a faster pace. Even if you don’t get a PS5, as mentioned earlier, you still could get a pass to buy one on the next go-round. 

This story is regularly updated with the latest PS5 stock news.

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