PS5 30th Anniversary Edition Sells Out in Record Time
Everyone saw this coming, but it was still disappointing. Fans were eagerly awaiting the 30th Anniversary PlayStation 5 collection. A mix of nostalgia and cool aesthetics made it highly anticipated. Today, many stared blankly at PlayStation Direct preorder screens. They watched them sell out while waiting in confusing online queues and dealing with glitched website buttons.
PS5 Preorders Sold Out Fast
The 30th Anniversary collection went up for preorder earlier today. The limited edition PS5 Pro bundle, with only 12,300 units manufactured, wasn't the only thing that felt impossible to get. Preorders for the PS1-style PS5 slim bundle, PS Portal, and DualSense controller also disappeared almost immediately. This begs the eternal question: why doesn't Sony manufacture as many of these items as people want?
Frustrations and Confusion
Panic began overnight when anecdotes poured in from Australia and the UK. Preorders, which became available at 10:00 am local time, began to immediately disappear. Reseller listings popped up on eBay for anywhere from five to ten times the suggested retail price. As the 30th Anniversary preorder hour approached in the US, people tried to load the PlayStation Direct page early, only to be thrown into a queue with estimated wait times of over an hour.
The initial confusion was compounded by Sony's lack of clear communication. After unveiling the 30th Anniversary PS5 collection, they just said it would be available starting September 26. There was no advance notice of an official start time or even the prices. People who tried to order from PlayStation Direct were put in a waiting room to get a random spot in line. For most, this meant staring at a screen with nothing left to buy.
Why Was It So Hard?
Was it because people didn't get into the waiting room sooner? Or did they just get a bad place in the queue? There were anecdotal reports of people getting to the store only to be tossed back into the waiting room. Even once in the store, it was still confusing trying to buy stuff. Items that didn't show as sold out, like the PS1 DualSense controller, couldn't be purchased when clicking "add to cart."
- PS5 Pro Bundle
- PS1-Style PS5 Slim Bundle
- PS Portal
- DualSense Controller
Alternative Options
It seems like people who just wanted the $80 controller had more luck through retailers like Amazon, Best Buy, and GameStop. Their preorders for the PS5 controllers went up at the same time as PlayStation Direct. Those sold out quickly as well. It's possible that additional stock will be released in waves, as Sony did with the original PS5 launch. But why doesn't Sony try to sell as many of the PS1-style controllers as possible, at least for those who order in the next couple of months?
The PS1 DualSense controller is the cheapest option for fans wanting to be part of the anniversary hype. Maybe Sony was just testing the initial demand and will come back later with more stock. If not, 30th Anniversary PS5 DualSense controllers are already going for up to $200 on eBay.
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