By Refresh
If you’re unlucky, avoid resellers
Both before and after any potential restocks, there’s reason to be cautious of going the reseller route on something like a PS5 Pro or any of the 30th Anniversary Collection. We are always huge advocates of avoiding resellers and scalpers; here’s a little bit of advice from Hardware Writer Dashiell Wood about why you should avoid them:
“If you miss out on a PS5 Pro pre-order or 30th Anniversary PS5 Slim at the usual retailers, it might be tempting to pick one up via a sketchy reseller on websites like eBay. My suggestion would be to avoid doing this at all costs though, as there is just too much that can go wrong.
Firstly, you’re very unlikely to find a reseller selling the console at its retail price which means that you’re paying over the odds for the same product as everyone else. Doing this also incentivizes resellers to continue buying up stock using unscrupulous methods like bots, making the pre-order situation worse for everyone going forward.
There’s also no guarantee that your chosen reseller will honor their word. You don’t even know if they actually have a pre-order to hand or whether you’re going to be left short-changed come release day.
You miss out on the customer service provided by most big stores, too. If you buy a PS5 Pro or PS5 Slim Anniversary Edition from a reseller and it starts to malfunction down the line, you’re most likely going to end up on your own. Platforms like eBay also routinely take action against these resellers, dishing out bans, so you might be left with no way to contact them if that happens.”
What’s in the 30th Anniversary PS5 Slim Bundle?
If you’re hoping to secure one a coveted 30th Anniversary PS5 Slim Bundle, then you might want a quick reminder of everything included in it. Here’s a quick rundown of everything that you will get in the box.
Right off the bat, you have the Limited Edition PS5 Digital Edition console. This is a PS5 Slim in a special grey colorway based on the original PlayStation. It’s covered in cute details, like a classic colorful PlayStation logo and seems like real a treat for long-time fans of the brand.
As a Digital Edition variant, this version of the console does not feature a disc drive. A Limited Edition Console Cover for Disc Drive is packed in at least, so you can keep a matching grey aesthetic if you opt to add one at a later date. It does come alongside a Limited Edition Vertical Stand though, which is a solid bonus.
You also get a Limited Edition DualSense Wireless Controller. As you might expect, this is based on the iconic old PlayStation controller, with classic colored buttons and sleek grey look. It comes with a special USB-C cable, modelled after the chunky looking ones found on older consoles.
That’s not everything though. Some small extras are also in the package such as 4 PlayStation Shapes cable ties, a PlayStation sticker, a Limited Edition PlayStation poster, and a PlayStation paperclip.
A free paperclip? We’re sold.
Don’t forget to buy your disc drive!
Hardware Writer Dashiell Wood has this advice for those gearing up to pre-order a PS5 Pro:
“If you have a large physical game collection, definitely don’t forget to pick up the compatible disc drive in the pre-order rush. They’re available for $79.99 in the US or £99.99 in the UK, which might seem like a lot but could easily work out cheaper than buying many of your physical titles again digitally.
It’s a real shame that the PS5 Pro does not come bundled with a disc reader, especially given its high price tag, but I’m glad that there’s at least this option for those of us who prefer this old-school way to play.
I’m expecting stock of the disc drive to waver throughout the day as the PS5 Pro pre-orders come in and demand ramps up, so I would recommend picking one up soon if you get the chance.”
PS5 Pro unavailable at PS Direct in the US
Bad news for any early US shoppers as the PS5 Pro is now showing as “Currently Unavailable” at PS Direct in the region. This is going to be a bit of a pain if you were hoping to lock in a pre-order before they roll out to other retailers later on October 10, but is hopefully only a temporary setback.
Based on what we’ve seen over the last few days, we wouldn’t be too surprised if stock is replenished fairly soon. Stock of related accessories, like the Vertical Stand and Disc Drive seems to be holding strong for now.
If you’re still hoping to pick up a PS5 Pro from PS Direct rather than any other retailer, we would highly recommend keeping both the store page and this tab open and checking back periodically for the latest updates.
Things are looking a lot better over in the UK though, where the PS5 Pro is still readily up for pre-order from PS Direct for £699.99.
Remember the prices
It’s always worth remembering the basic stuff, like the prices right from the off. We say this as a general reminder but also so you know to be immediately wary of any strange-looking or irregular prices.
A regular PS5 Pro pre-order costs $699.99 or £699.99 in the US and UK respectively. A 30th Anniversary PS5 Slim bundle pre-order will set you back $499.99 in the US or £433.99 in the UK.
The only caveat to the PS5 Pro is that we don’t know if retailers will have the license – or the plan – to offer bundles of a higher cost that will also throw in stuff like the disc drive or vertical stand.
On the 30th Anniversary PS5 Slim, if you’re seeing a price above $499.99 / £433.99 then raise that eyebrow and take just a moment to interrogate it.
Early predictions: what can we expect at the big retailers?
Now that Sony will be opening up regular PS5 Pro pre-orders and 30th Anniversary PS5 Slim pre-orders to other retailers, we can expect a flurry of action at the go-to places – on both sides of the Atlantic.
We’ve even got some retailer listing pages live and ready at the likes of Amazon, Best Buy, Walmart, and the EE Store in the UK (slightly strangely) for both the regular Pro and the Anniversary PS5 Slim so we know where to point you and some important details on what to expect. We can interrogate these pages individually, and offer advice on maximizing your chances of getting the console you want.
It’s worth noting at this early stage that we don’t know exactly when all pre-orders for both will begin tomorrow at all retailers. For example, could UK retailers go live at midnight tonight? Maybe! We’ll be doing our best to cater for such an event. However, we do know a bit more about US retailers and times so we’ll be sure to cover that in this live blog to furnish you with the details you need.
So why are we getting prepared so early for this phase of pre-orders?
Well, as well as having the opportunity to place a regular PS5 Pro pre-order at your retailer of choice – exclusive to PlayStation Direct as they have been so far – there’s also another 30th Anniversary pre-order to look out for in the shape of the PS5 Slim Digital Edition bundle. While the PS5 Pro bundle took all the headlines last time, this PS5 Slim model, and its wider availability, will draw a lot of attention and demand.
We’re expecting that demand to manifest in some volatile stock levels and fierce competition: after all, it’s worth remembering that all of the current 30th Anniversary Collection hardware and accessories are totally sold out at PlayStation Direct (US and UK) and at any other retailers who had stock of the DualSense controller briefly.
As a result, if you’re eyeing up the PS5 Slim 30th Anniversary pre-order to get in on that retro PlayStation hardware action, then tomorrow is going to be an important day for you.
Hello! Welcome, pull up a chair, get comfortable, and settle in for our live coverage of the next phase of PS5 Pro pre-order and PS5 30th Anniversary Collection pre-order festivities.
We’re getting into position nice and early this time around and hope some extra preparation will help us, and you, navigate the action when it kicks in as the clock ticks over to October 10.
I’ll be covering retailer information for both regular PS5 Pro pre-orders, and the PS5 Slim 30th Anniversary console, as well as what we can expect, hope for, and prepare for in advance of pre-orders kicking off once again. Let’s get into it.
