It's been nine months since the PlayStation 5 finally landed in the UK - but demand remains at an all-time-high, with all eyes on the internet as retailers prepare to drop new stock.
Eager gamers flocked to buy the console in November 2020 at it hit global shelves, with retailers selling out in record time.
Supply problems and a global shortage of semiconductors saw production grind to a halt in the aftermath of launch day, with delays continuing a year on.
For those who still haven't managed to get their hands on the new console, there's good news, as rumours suggest several retailers could be restocking from Tuesday.
On the high street, Argos has the PS5 back in stock from £449.99 while bidders can pick up the console from £520 upwards on bidding sites Stockx.com and eBay.
Last week, Smyths Toys had a real-world drop, and was allocating PS5 consoles to anyone who came in and pre-ordered in-store. If you managed to pop in and get one, the @PS5StockAlertUK Twitter account says that your order should be fulfilled sometime between August 12 and August 17.
Insiders have also teased an Amazon and Game drop this week. We’re also expecting EE to come back in stock today, as it has done for the past six weekdays.
Figures from Sony, the manufacturer of Playstation 5, show more than 10million consoles have exchanged hands worldwide since entering the market last year.
Experts of the gaming giant have predicted another surge ahead of Christmas as the gift-buying bonanza begins.
Analysis carried out by TechRadar suggests that US and UK retailers will see a surge in the number of shoppers looking to buy Sony's next-gen machine this autumn.
Rising demand will be compounded by the arrival of Black Friday and Cyber Monday in November.
"In two months' time, it's going to become much harder when parents wake up to the fact that they need this console to fulfill their child's Christmas wish list," TechRadar said.
"Even if Sony were to ramp up the supply of PS5 Disc and PS5 Digital consoles, demand will skyrocket right before Black Friday and Cyber Monday."
The PS5, the successor to the PS4 and PS4 Pro, is available in two distinct versions.
There’s the pricey PS5 – the classic, and the digital edition, which is cheaper but with no disc tray.
Both consoles are going head-to-head with Microsoft’s next-gen consoles, the Xbox Series X and Xbox Series S.
Meanwhile, Sony says it’s also working on a new virtual reality headset designed for the PlayStation 5 – and it could be out as early as next year.
The Japanese tech titan has already teased some of the PSVR 2’s specs and capabilities, but is keeping the exact release date a closely guarded secret.
Games available on PS5 include Marvel’s Spider-Man: Miles Morales, Cyberpunk 2077, NBA 2K21, Godfall and more.
PlayStation have teased upcoming PS5 games like God of War: Ragnarok and Horizon Forbidden West in the coming months.
Have you got any PS5 stockist tips to share? Let us know in the comments below
PlayStation 5 stock availability - where can I check for updates?
These are the retailers to watch for up to the minute stock levels.
