Ireland's gamers were sent into a frenzy this afternoon after GameStop confirmed that a "limited" number of PlayStation 5 consoles would be in stock online.
But most were left devastated after they all sold out in under 45 minutes.
With demand for the high-tech console still outstripping supply, PS5s have become as rare as hen's teeth.
So it was little wonder that customers wasted no time in getting on the case – but many complained they were left waiting in the virtual "waiting room" for protracted periods.
A quota system was in operation, meaning each customer could only pick up one PS5 – stopping anyone from bulk-buying the console for friends.
Those after a PS5 were directed to a holding page, which told customers: "Thanks for visiting. Currently you're in a virtual waiting room to enter our website due to high traffic.
"Please wait until we can give you access."
Online visitors were urged resist temptation by and avoid refreshing the page – a move that would have relegated them to the back of the queue.
Selling popular products online is a risky business – and customers had decidedly mixed reviews about the website's functionality this afternoon.
Some proudly proclaimed they had quickly risen to the top of the queue and picked up the console, while others complained they'd been left waiting – one for a whopping 26 minutes.
One intrepid customer joined the queue on three devices, and was successful on the third attempt.
