Following the chaotic commencement of PlayStation 5 pre-orders, Microsoft has reiterated that it will let the world know exactly what time pre-orders go live for the Xbox Series X and Xbox Series S.
Xbox’s Tweet, which arrived following the trouble surrounding PS5 pre-orders, reminded all of the September 22 pre-order date and the worldwide launch in 36 countries on November 10, and included a reassurance that Xbox will “let you know the exact time pre-orders start for you soon.”
This story began after Sony held its PlayStation 5 Showcase event and finally revealed the price and release date for the PS5. While it featured such games as Final Fantasy XVI, a God of War sequel, and Hogwarts Legacy, the presentation made no mention of pre-orders.
Interestingly enough, the first we heard of PlayStation 5 pre-orders came after the show via Geoff Keighley, who said “per Sony, #PlayStation5 pre-orders will be available starting TOMORROW at select retailers.”
A few minutes later, PlayStation confirmed Keighley’s Tweet, but gave no further information as to when the pre-orders would go live.
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While many were expecting nothing to happen until tomorrow, pre-orders seemingly went live on Walmart. This was no mistake, as Walmart then Tweeted out “make you wait to get the new #PlayStation5? Nah, that’s not like us. Go on, preorder it NOW!”
This sent the internet ablaze with many attempting to secure a PlayStation 5 on launch day. GameStop and Target pre-orders then went live, followed by Best Buy and Amazon. Speaking from personal experience, I attempted to secure a PS5 from Best Buy for OVER TWO HOURS before it was claimed to be sold out. In all honesty, the experience of trial and error felt akin to what I imagine a Bloodborne 2 would be like on PS5, well… without the hard-fought victory at the end.
To make matters even more confusing, PlayStation sent out e-mails to those who signed up for a chance to pre-order a PS5 directly from Sony. Its unclear why certain people were chosen over others, as all PlayStation said was that its selection would be “based on previous interests and PlayStation activities.”
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As of writing, PlayStation has yet to comment on tonight’s events, but it does go against its previous comments that promised PS5 pre-orders would not be a surprise.
Hopefully, we will hear more of a set plan for PlayStation 5 pre-orders in the coming hours, and we will keep our ‘where to pre-order PS5 guide’ up-to-date with all you need to know to secure your new console!
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Adam Bankhurst is a news writer for IGN. You can follow him on Twitter @AdamBankhurst and on Twitch.
Source: IGN.com Xbox Responds to PS5 Chaos with Promise of Exact Pre-Order Times for Series X