The PlayStation 5 is nearing its first month of release, but the console continues selling out online and at major retailers. Some shoppers have tried to get the PS5 directly from Sony, but have been disappointed by having to wait in a queue. While waiting in a queue online can be frustrating, there's actually a pretty good reason for this.
The PS5 has proven to be incredibly popular, selling out of pre-orders quickly and then equally as fast since launch. With Black Friday and Cyber Monday shopping in full swing, there are still plenty of people out on the hunt for Sony's newest console. Shopping for a PlayStation 5 console online is one of the safest ways to buy a PS5, which is why a lot of potential buyers have flocked to PlayStation Direct recently to try to buy one.
However, some prospective early adopters were a little frustrated by Sony's queue system. Instead of being able to purchase a PS5 console instantly, they had to wait in lines - sometimes for a great length of time - in hopes of buying one. In some cases, they'd find the console sold out after waiting in line, which only added to the frustration. While it's not an ideal situation, Sony has a good reason for using queues.
Why Sony Uses Queues For The PlayStation 5
The queues are a result of high demand (and site traffic) for the PS5. As seen in the photo above, the message comes with a display of a queue bar, where progress is tracked in yellow. In order to combat high volumes of traffic, the queue system is put into place to prevent site crashes and other problems that come with high numbers of shoppers all trying to get on the same webpage at once. And at a time when many people are using bots to find and purchase PS5 stock, queues are often a way to keep certain bots from reaching the site.
For those who end up in the queue for PS5, it's important to remember not to refresh the page, since that will lose the place in line. Although online queues can be frustrating, especially when wait times are either estimated or nonexistent, it's there for preventative measures. Ideally, this means the site won't crash and PS5 orders will run more smoothly for shoppers.
Although problems with PS5 pre-orders and post-launch restocks persist, Sony should get more inventory soon. For anyone trying to order a PlayStation 5 directly from Sony, it's best to remain patient and stay in the queue. Without the queue, the site would likely crash completely because of the high volume of traffic.