PS5 UK stock - live: BT sends VIP codes and Argos could restock later this week – what to know

Who could restock the elusive console today?  (The Independent)
Who could restock the elusive console today? (The Independent)

UPDATE: The PS5 is now in stock at BT but has sold out at PlayStation Direct. It could restock at Argos, AO, Very and Amazon this week. Read on for more information.

It has now been over a year since Sony’s latest console, the PlayStation 5 (PS5), first arrived in the UK. But supply problems and a worldwide semiconductor shortage sparked by the coronavirus pandemic have caused the production of the device to slow to a crawl. New stock is still tricky to find and, when it does appear, the PS5 sells out quickly, both online and in-store.

November was an incredibly slow month for PS5 restocks, with the console only appearing at John Lewis & Partners, Game and ShopTo during the first week of the month.

The situation improved though, and we saw restocks at Very, AO, Argos, Asda, Littlewoods, PS Direct and Game. Let’s just hope the momentum continues through December as we fly towards Christmas. We’ve already seen restocks at Smyths Toys, Currys, PlayStation Direct and ShopTo.

If you’re still on the lookout for a PS5, you’ve come to the right place. Our liveblog is on hand to give you the latest insight on restocks from all major UK retailers, both online and in-store, as well as providing details on rumoured releases, plus the latest PS5 games and accessories to snap up.

Read more:

Check stock from UK PS5 retailers below:

PS5 stock updates UK

  • Who could restock the PS5 today?

  • The PS5 is now in stock at BT

  • The PS5 has sold out at PlayStation Direct

  • How do you get a PlayStation Direct exclusive invitation?

  • Sony is reportedly developing an Xbox Game Pass competitor

A goodbye from your resident PS5 stock trackers

16:50 , Alex Lee

All right folks, we’re closing up shop here on the blog for the evening and will be back online tomorrow morning to help even more of you cop a console.

But to any BT Broadband customers joining us at this late hour, there is (miraculously) still stock of the PS5 at the retailer! If you have any friends who use the company’s broadband, now is the perfect time to bug them.

If not, we’ll see you all tomorrow for some more console hunting. G’night!

Buy now from BT

Best gaming headset

16:00 , Alex Lee

Give yourself some edge while playing with a gaming headset like this Razer blackshark V2 pro (​​£177.97, LaptopsDirect.co.uk), which earned the top spot in our edit of the best wireless headsets..

“Thanks to Razer’s offering, you don’t have to spend £300+ on a wireless gaming headset to get excellent in-game sound,” our tester said. “Aimed at esports players, the headset offers superb directional audio and a superbly clear microphone ensuring your team communication is completely unimpeded.”

Give yourself the edge on multiplayer with these wireless gaming headsets

Best PS5 games

15:05 , Alex Lee

The PS5 has amassed a healthy collection of must-play exclusives over its year-long lifespan. Managed to bag a PS5 this morning? You’ll want to pick some of the best PS5 games below up.

In the bestselling Spider-Man: Miles Morales (£44.99, Currys.co.uk), Peter Parker is replaced with his awkward teenage protégé, Miles Morales. A next-generation spin-off, Spider-Man: Miles Morales refines the original’s formula,” our reviewer said. “This is a streamlined adventure with a more focused story, far less busy work and an endearingly clumsy protagonist still getting to grips with his powers.”

Meanwhile, Demon’s Souls (£57.99, Currys.co.uk) on PS5 is a showcase of what the new console is capable of. “The oppressive gothic architecture, yawning arches and festering dungeons of this cult classic look spectacular on the new hardware, while remaining faultlessly faithful to the aesthetic and vibe of the original game,” our tester said.

Managed to grab a PS5? Here are the games you need to own

Argos PS5 stock rumoured to drop this week

14:45 , Alex Lee

It seems like Argos is going to restock one last time before Christmas according to the ever reliable @PS5StockAlertUK. Argos hubs across the UK are currently receiving both disc and digital edition shipments this week.

That means a restock could take place on 10 December. This may be the easiest retailer to secure a console from this week, and most likely the last Argos restock before 25 December.

Currys VIP PS5

14:15 , Alex Lee

 (The Independent)
(The Independent)

Currys sent out a batch of VIP codes on 1 December, and rumours suggest that this is the last batch of codes the retailer will ever send out.

If you’re unfamiliar with the VIP pass code system, the retailer essentially ran a draw between March and June, offering people the chance to enter a raffle and buy a console, but it has been closed to new entrants for months now.

We predict that the retailer will make the console available again for general sale in the new year, doing away with the raffle system completely.

Sign up to the IndyBest newsletter

13:25 , Alex Lee

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Get a ‘Fifa 22' bundle for less

12:35 , Alex Lee

If you’re looking to buy the latest game in the Fifa franchise, then Currys is currently bundling the game with a midnight black dualsense controller for £10 less than usual.

‘Fifa 22’ PS5 standard plus edition with an extra dualsense controller: Was £129, now £119, Currys.co.uk

 (Currys)
(Currys)

Haven’t managed to pick up Fifa 22 on the PS5 yet? Now’s your chance! The newest entry in the Fifa franchise is here, complete with the integration of HyperMotion technology, making the beautiful game look more realistic than ever before. Plus, there’s new in-game mechanics like explosive sprint, and a new goalkeeper system. Currys is currently bundling the game with a midnight black PS5 dualsense controller for £119. All other retailers are selling this bundle for £129.

Buy now

Need an Xbox series X?

11:45 , Alex Lee

Weren’t able to cop the PS5? The Xbox series X is currently in stock at Game now, via the All Access subscription system.

The console has been in stock since 3 December. For more details on how to get the console through the All Access programme, have a read of our Xbox series X restock liveblog.

Looking for the Xbox series X? Here’s where you can find one in stock

The PS5 has sold out at PlayStation Direct

10:58 , Alex Lee

Whew, that went quick. The PS5 has now sold out at PlayStation Direct, but it is still in stock at BT if you have an access code.

As a reminder, you can only get an access code if you are a BT Broadband customer, so maybe ask a pal if they can lend you their code through the BT portal.

Buy now from BT

PS Direct PS5 queue is now live

10:34 , Alex Lee

The PlayStation Direct queue is now live. What’s everyone’s estimated wait time? Ours is more than an hour... We hope that some of you got a better queue position than us.

Good luck, and remember to have your PSN credentials and card details at hand so that you can quickly buy the console when you get through the queue.

There are no digital edition consoles available this time round, so you’ll need to cough up extra for the disc edition.

Buy now from PlayStation Direct

The PS5 is in stock at PS Direct

10:07 , Alex Lee

The PS5 is now in stock at PlayStation Direct. There is a waiting room at the moment, so you’ve still got time to get in there before the buying gets started.

Luckily, it’s not first come first serve like a lot of other retailers. You get given a random unique ID once the countdown ends, meaning you don’t know what position in the queue you’ll be in when the consoles drop. Take that, scalpers!

Make sure to have your PSN credentials at hand or you won’t be able to buy the console.

Buy now from PlayStation Direct

The PS5 is now in stock at BT

09:51 , Alex Lee

The PS5 is now in stock at BT!

As usual, you’ll need an access code to buy the console. If you’re a BT Broadband customer, this can be retrieved via this link. The retailer sells a range of different bundles, but it seems like the only one available right now is the disc edition console with a dualsense controller and a PS Plus 12-month subscription for £558.98.

Buy the PS5 from BT

How does the PlayStation Direct PS5 drop work?

09:44 , Alex Lee

Unlike other retailers, you don’t get priority access by being the first person to click the link to go to the PlayStation Direct page. A waiting room opens up before stock goes live.

After the timer finishes ticking down in the waiting room, you’ll be given a random position in the actual queue to buy the console, so scalping bots won’t have the upper-hand here. Win!

BT PS5 stock is also set to go live this morning

09:39 , Alex Lee

 (The Independent)
(The Independent)

BT is also set to drop stock of the PS5 this morning, with BT Broadband customers getting priority access to buy the console.

You will need an access code, but if you have a BT TV or BT Sports subscription, you should be able to get one via this link. If you managed to secure an access code from a previous drop, then this should also work. We’ll let you know once stock goes live.

Best PS5 accessory bundles

09:29 , Alex Lee

When the PlayStation Direct store opens up for orders, you’ll be able to have your pick from a bunch of different bundle options with various different PS5 accessories.

These include everything from extra controllers to media remotes to pulse 3D wireless headsets. Best part? They all appear on our round-up of the best PS5 accessories, which you can read below.

8 best PS5 accessories that will enhance your gaming experience

Should you buy a PS5 from CeX?

09:14 , Alex Lee

 (iStock/The Independent)
(iStock/The Independent)

Ah CeX, the butt of playground jokes and childhood second-hand game nostalgia. While we think fondly of CeX, we’d think twice about buying a PS5 from the retailer.

You might make a small profit selling your PS5 to CeX – who buys it for £475, but you’ll certainly lose a lot of money if you actually want to purchase the console.

CeX is currently selling the PS5 for £695 – that’s more than some of the most expensive bundles at Game. Our suggestion? Stick to the major retailers and get a new PS5 with a bundle for the same price.

Sony is reportedly developing an Xbox Game Pass competitor

08:59 , Alex Lee

In other news this morning, a Bloombergreport suggests that Sony is gearing up to launch its own version of Xbox’s Game Pass, codenamed Spartacus.

According to the report, Sony will merge PlayStation Plus and PlayStation Now – the cloud gaming service – but keep the PS Plus branding, and the most expensive tier would give gamers access to PS1, PS2, PS3, and PSP games. It’s something to look forward to for sure, especially for fans of those retro Tomb Raider games.

How do you get a PlayStation Direct exclusive invitation?

08:44 , Alex Lee

So, some lucky PSN users should be buying the console right about now, but how do they get an invitation from PlayStation Direct? Well, apparently it’s random. There’s no way to ensure that you get an invitation besides making sure your email notifications are turned on in your PSN settings.

We have seen reports of people being invited to buy the console even though they’ve already got a PS5, but we assume it’s related to activity on the PlayStation Network – playing games on the PS4 or similar.

Once those invited to buy the console this morning have finished purchasing their PS5 , PlayStation Direct will open it up to the general public.

PS5 stock tracking begins

08:29 , Alex Lee

Gooooood morning PS5 hunters and welcome to another week of PS5 stock tracking action! Our mission? Help you bag a console before Christmas.

Yesterday, ShopTo had one of its traditional Sunday restocks, with stock hanging around for quite a while. Today, the PS5 is set to drop at PlayStation Direct, after those who have been exclusively invited to buy a console from the store have bought theirs. Follow along with our stock updates and we’ll tell you how to bag one.