With less than a month to go before launch, the PlayStation 5 is already shaping up to be the most hotly anticipated item of the Holiday 2020 season. Pre-orders for Sony's next-gen console have already sold out at all major retailers, and it's been a while since any restocks occurred. For people who haven't pre-ordered a PS5 yet but still want one, it's unclear if restocks will happen again before release day.

Pre-orders for the PS5 have been unusually hard to find ever since they sold out. Some of this may be because the PS5 is just so popular, but it is still disappointing to fans. The first twelve hours of pre-orders for the PlayStation 5 beat out the entire first 12-week sales of the PS4. That's pretty impressive, but it also means finding a PS5 before release day isn't going to be easy for those players who weren't sitting by their computers when the PlayStation 5 initially went on sale.

Related: PS5 FAQ - All Your PlayStation 5 Questions Answered

For many people in the video game industry, pre-ordering the PlayStation 5 on the first night the console was available was a memorable experience - and not necessarily for good reasons. PS5 pre-orders were incredibly chaotic, with online retailers going live with their own pre-orders early and multiple sites crashing due to traffic overload. After the initial PS5 pre-order fiasco, some online retailers received restocks in the following weeks. Now, with only a few short weeks left before launch, there haven't been pre-order restocks for the PlayStation 5 for some time.

When PS5 Pre-Orders Might Happen Again

PS5 Noise Better Than PS4

It's unclear if PS5 pre-orders will happen again before the console launches. Even so, it is possible some retailers will get a few before release day. As retailers begin getting their PlayStation 5s from the manufacturer, they may have a small surplus of consoles, which would lead to them opening pre-orders again temporarily. However, based on previous reports that Sony hasn't changed PS5 production output despite the incredible demand, this scenario seems unlikely.

While PS5 pre-orders may not happen before the PlayStation 5 officially launches, some retailers may have consoles in-stock that day. Anyone interested in getting a PS5 should keep an eye out or check with retailers beforehand. Many online retailers have an option to be emailed notifications when (and if) the PS5 comes back in stock, so consumers should take advantage of that as well.

[UPDATE 05/11/2020: Sony has recently announced launch day PS5 purchases will ONLY be available online, with no in-store option available.]

With rumored PS5 production cutbacks and the hype surrounding pre-orders, it doesn't look like the craziness surrounding the PlayStation 5 will end anytime soon. Hopefully, Sony's next-gen console will come back in stock for people who want to purchase one and haven't gotten to yet. For now, though, it seems increasingly unlikely as we near launch day.

Next: PS5 Size & Weight Compared To Xbox Series X