The PS5 is Really Hard to Get

 Months ahead of launch, I constantly remind myself that I don't have to get the PS5 this year. Yet, like many others, I wanted one so bad! With games on launch also releasing on the previous generation consoles, I could wait until stocks become more abundant. But I didn't. 

Having to celebrate a birthday on January usually means I get one gift for both Christmas and my name day. Adding to that, celebrating a wedding anniversary two days before Christmas, means my gift from my spouse is usually a 3-in-1er. 

My wife isn't really into surprises. If she wants to get me a gift, she asks me firsts before diving into a purchase, especially for something above a certain price point. With the buzz around the PS5, she could only really think of one gift for me. Who was I to say no? 

She told me that I had to just buy it around Christmas time so that "I could open something" on the day. Okay, no problem. Launch day came and went, and I didn't at all preorder or neither did I try to. But as weeks passed by, it was looking very unlikely stocks would magically be available by Christmas day. 

As I explained my predicament to my supplier, she told me to do whatever I could. From then on, I would linger on twitter following stock alerts, in the hopes of acquiring one for myself. 

Walmart would tweet availability at a certain time, and like most, I would try and fail to get one. There was the once, it had shown 1 to be picked up, but was too far to get to. And I decided against it. 

Other stores like Target would suddenly have stock, but like Walmart would be out by the time I get there. Some online-only stores would have some, but then their website would crash from the volume of users trying to get their hands on one.

PS Direct then would have a first come, first serve queue. When the line starts, the twitterers tweet to their followers, and the wait time gets longer and longer. When you get to the site, and if it says your wait time is over an hour, then you're probably better off closing the tab, locking your phone, and crying in the corner. 

Things were looking bleak, and I was ready to accept the fact, like many, that I would not be getting the coveted PS5 this year. But as I was scrolling my twitter feed, one of the stock alerts tweeted the link, 0s ago. 

I quickly press the link and follow it to the PS Direct website. You're estimated wait time is 10 seconds.. 20 seconds.. 1 minute.. 10 minutes.. 40 minutes.. 1 hour.. 

I've been through this process enough times to know the unlikelihood of me getting the new system, but hopes were high. This was the first time I had come on queue with the numbers starting so low. 

With the website slowly opening its store to the people waiting on the queue (around a good 30 minutes after it started), I was one of the lucky few welcomed in. The race against time has begun, trigger happy scalpers usually finish off available stock with scripts and whatnots. I had to act quick if I was to get the PS5. 

PS Direct asks users who are lucky enough, to log-in or create an account before they make a purchase. Luckily, I had one. I clicked on the PS5 page. Add to cart. Checkout. 

Another hurdle, I had to input my card and delivery details. An inconvenience I didn't think I had to go through since I thought I already had that saved having an account in the system. The clock was running out. Tick. Tock. 

I typed fast, making error after error. But alas, I finished all the necessary steps, get to the last page, and clicked on one last button. 

Your order has been successfully placed. 

After weeks of trying and failing, I'm one of the lucky few (thousands) to own and play on the newest and greatest generation consoles. The PlayStation 5 is mine!

This thing is heavy

With the PS5 in hand, my list of games to be played grows bigger and bigger, especially with the PS+ collection.

Watch for my reviews soon!