PS5 UK stock - live: AO, Very and Amazon restocks could drop soon - what to know

UPDATE: The PS5 could drop at AO, Very and Amazon soon. 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 now that we are in December and edging towards Christmas. We’ve already seen restocks at Smyths Toys and Currys, with a failed restock from PlayStation Direct.

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:

• Where to buy PS5: Restock updates and how to pre-order

• 8 best PS5 accessories that will enhance your gaming experience

• 9 best PS5 games for every kind of player

• Nintendo Switch OLED review: Best version of the console yet

Check stock from UK PS5 retailers below:

• Very

• Argos

• Scan

• Game

• Smyths Toys

• PlayStation Direct

• AO

• Amazon

• ShopTo

• John Lewis & Partners

• Asda

• Currys

• Tesco

• BT

• EE

• Box.co.uk

• Studio

PS5 stock updates UK

• Who could restock the PS5 today?

• When was the last AO PS5 restock?

• When could Very restock the PS5?

• When could Amazon PS5 stock drop?

A recap of this week’s PS5 restock events

17:02 , Alex Lee

While today has been a pretty quiet one in terms of stock drops, we’ve actually had quite a few restocks this week overall.

On Tuesday, we had two restocks from Game – one in the morning and a second, smaller one in the afternoon. On Wednesday, Currys sent out its final ever batch of PS5 VIP codes for the rest of the year, and yesterday, we had an in-store restock at Smyths Toys.

Of course, we also had that failed PlayStation Direct restock yesterday, but we’re not counting that as a real drop. Next week, we should hopefully see AO, Very and Amazon. drop some consoles. Join us here on Monday for all the latest! Catch you all then.

Who could restock the PS5 today?

Thursday 2 December 2021 08:20 , Alex Lee

Gooooooood morning PS5 hunters! Is everyone ready? Because it’s going to be a good, good day for PS5 restocks!

Smyths Toys is set to have an in-store restock this morning, and PlayStation Direct has sent out a batch of exclusive invitations to a handful of lucky PSN subscribers, allowing them to buy the console – you’ll still be able to buy it if you didn’t receive one though.

We’ll be providing more details on both of these drops throughout the morning. Stick around and let’s get you a PS5.

Smyths Toys has PS5 stock in stores nationwide this morning

Thursday 2 December 2021 08:34 , Alex Lee

Some of you may have already caught wind of this bit of news from the folks over at @PS5StockAlertUK, but Smyths Toys is set to have an in-store restock this morning

If you’re not already queuing up outside your local Smyths Toys, we’d get in line immediately!

Last time there was an in-store restock, we saw queues of over 20 people. Opening times vary, so some stores might start taking pre-orders at 10am, others at 9am.

And just a reminder – Smyths Toys won’t be updating its PS5 listing page with stock availability, so your local store will say that it’s out of stock, when the console will actually be available in-store.

People successfully bag a PS5 at Smyths Toys

Thursday 2 December 2021 08:49 , Alex Lee

It seems like some Smyths Toys stores have been super generous and have opened their doors early for customers to pre-order a console.

This customer had five other people queuing up in front of them – which isn’t too many, in the grand scheme of things.

And another previous customer has offered up some intel as to how the whole process works when pre-ordering in-store at Smyths Toys.

How to secure a PS5 at PlayStation Direct this morning

Thursday 2 December 2021 09:06 , Alex Lee

If you’re not going to be able to get to a Smyths Toys store this morning, or think you’ve missed your chance in line, fret not, PlayStation Direct is also dropping the console today.

The retailer has invited some PSN users to buy the console from 9am, but others will be able to purchase it from around 10am.

Unlike other retailers, you don’t get priority access by being first in the PlayStation Direct queue. A 15-minute waiting room will open up before stock goes live. Enter it and once the doors beyond the waiting room open, 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!

Best PS5 accessories

Thursday 2 December 2021 09:21 , 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

Currys PS5 VIP passes were sent out yesterday

Thursday 2 December 2021 09:45 , Alex Lee

The tiniest batch of Currys VIP invitations went out yesterday, meaning that the well has, er... well and truly dried up at the retailer when it comes to the exclusive pass draw.

If you don’t know what we’re talking about. Currys ran a PS5 priority pass draw between March and June, where people could submit their email into a draw to buy a PS5, and Currys would randomly pick out names. The retailer has been getting through all the entrants since June and now – we think – there are no more people left.

What does this mean? It could mean the return of general sale restocks in the new year. We’ll let you know more as the details roll in.

How much is a PS5?

Thursday 2 December 2021 10:05 , Alex Lee

It depends on which console we’re talking about. The all-digital PS5 edition costs £359.99, while the disc edition PS5 costs £449.99.

There’s no real difference when it comes to specs – as seen with the Xbox series S and Xbox series X – just one is only able to play games bought from the PlayStation Store because it lacks a disc drive.

The PS5 has likely sold out at Smyths Toys

Thursday 2 December 2021 10:13 , Alex Lee

While we can’t check in-store stock levels at Smyths Toys, the PS5 is now probably sold out at your local store. We can’t guarantee that though, so if you’re nearby, there’s no harm in having a wander in and asking at the counter.

Well done to anyone who secured a console. PlayStation Direct should be dropping next.

The PS5 is in stock at PlayStation Direct now

Thursday 2 December 2021 10:19 , 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

PlayStation Direct is trolling us

Thursday 2 December 2021 10:35 , Alex Lee

So, we all just got through the waiting room and the PlayStation Direct store sent us to an out of stock page. Thanks for trolling us, Sony.

We’ll keep an eye on the PlayStation Direct page and alert you if the queue comes back online or stock miraculously appears. Sony has probably just fluffed up the drop.

No one has been able to buy the PS5 from PS Direct after the queue ended

Thursday 2 December 2021 10:51 , Alex Lee

It seems like we’re not alone, and no one managed to bag the console this morning, despite us all waiting in the queue for half an hour.

The queue may have already been set up to go live at a certain time, even if the consoles had sold out during the exclusive invitation period. This is all speculation though and it might come back into stock soon. Keep watch.

PSN invitees couldn’t secure the console from PlayStation Direct either

Thursday 2 December 2021 11:21 , Alex Lee

If you didn’t get an invitation to buy a PS5 from PlayStation Direct this morning, don’t feel hard done by. It seems like even those who did get one failed to secure the console from the website.

Overall, it’s just been a bit of a messy drop from the PlayStation Direct store – if you can even call it a drop at all. Anyway, keep your eyes on the blog and we’ll bring you the latest restock news as we get it.

Looking for Fifa 22 on the PS5?

Thursday 2 December 2021 12:11 , 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

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

Sony apologises for PS Direct gaffe

Thursday 2 December 2021 12:43 , Alex Lee

Sony has just sent out an email to all those who had received an invitation to buy a PS5 this morning, apologising for the technical difficulties experienced with the drop.

Don’t worry though, you’ll be sent another invitation if you were one of the lucky PSN users to get an invite this morning. Hopefully Sony sorts the issue out quickly and we get another restock tomorrow.

At least we have some confirmation that we weren’t all doing something wrong.

Looking for the Nintendo Switch OLED?

Thursday 2 December 2021 13:01 , Alex Lee

While it might be disgustingly difficult to bag a PS5 – we’re looking at you PlayStation Direct –, there’s a new console which is significantly easier to secure – the Nintendo Switch OLED.

If you want to ensure you get a new console before Christmas, head over to our Switch OLED restock guide, where we’ve rounded up all the retailers that currently have the console in stock online.

The Nintendo Switch OLED is in stock at Amazon, Very, Currys and more

When could Asda PS5 stock drop next?

Thursday 2 December 2021 14:41 , Alex Lee

Asda didn’t restock the console at all throughout the Black Friday bonanza, but it did have a drop on 9 November. We’re not expecting another drop today, but it could restock one last time before Christmas – potentially next week.

There’s no real restock pattern for Asda. It has dropped every day of the week except for Friday, but it always drops before 9am. We’ll let you know if we get anym ore info.

Can you play PS4 games on PS5?

Thursday 2 December 2021 16:21 , Alex Lee

You sure can! All the PS4 games you’ve been stacking up over the years will play on your disc edition PS5 just fine, but if you’ve got a PS5 digital edition console, you’ll only be able to play PS4 games bought from the PlayStation Store.

Why? Well, that’s the tradeoff with buying a digital edition console. There’s physically no disc slot for you to put any of your PS4 games into.

A recap of today’s restock events

Thursday 2 December 2021 17:00 , Alex Lee

All righty folks! We’re wrapping up here on the blog for today, but we hope some of you managed to secure a console from Smyths Toys this morning – we know no one did from PlayStation Direct.

We’ll be back here tomorrow for some more PS5 stock tracking fun, where we’ll be watching AO, and yes, PlayStation Direct (again) very closely. Join us tomorrow and we’ll help bag you a PS5 before Christmas.

Who could restock the PS5 today?

08:15 , Alex Lee

Gooood morning PS5 hunters and happy Friday! After a pretty decent day yesterday in terms of PS5 stock drops – especially for those of you up early enough to bag the PS5 from Smyths Toys.

Who could restock today? We’ve still got our eye on AO for a restock, plus drops at Very and Amazon could be taking place soon. Stay tuned for all the details!

When was the last AO PS5 restock?

08:45 , Alex Lee

AO last restocked the PS5 on Tuesday 9 November, so it’s been a hot minute since the retailer last dropped a batch of consoles. AO isn’t the easiest retailer to secure stock from, however, with all shoppers having to perform some coding wizardry on the Google Chrome browser, just to get the thing into their basket.

During the last drop, the folks running the @PS5StockAlertUK Twitter account spotted a new (and easier) hack to get the console into their basket. Have a read of their tweet below. If the console doesn’t drop this week, expect one final drop next week before Christmas.

When could Very restock the PS5?

09:15 , Alex Lee

Like AO, Very also hasn’t had a restock in a while. The retailer last dropped the console onTuesday 9 November, While we don’t expect a drop today, we’re predicting that one will take place Tuesday next week. The retailer pretty much always drops consoles on a Tuesday morning, with three to four week intervals between each drop.

Over the past few months, Very has become one of our favourite PS5 stockists, with drops lasting well over the two – and sometime even three – hour mark. It’s one to watch for sure.

Looking for an Xbox series X?

09:45 , Alex Lee

The PS5 isn’t the only console which is ridiculously difficult to secure. If you’re on the hunt for Microsoft’s Xbox series X, chances are you’re on an even trickier mission to bag the console than us PS5 hunters.

Luckily for you, we’re putting together all the news, rumours on Xbox drops over on our Xbox series X restock liveblog. So if you’re trying to cop a console before Christmas, head on over. We’ll sort you out.

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

What happened with PlayStation Direct yesterday?

10:15 , Alex Lee

If you weren’t around yesterday, thank your lucky stars. You missed a super messy restock at PlayStation Direct. The retailer sent out exclusive invitations to lucky PSN users, inviting them to buy a console.

Except, when they clicked on the link in their email at the time of the event, there were no consoles available to buy. Then the retailer opened up the waiting room for general sale, and even that didn’t work – leading to an out of stock page once people had finished queuing up.

PlayStation Direct apologised to those who had received an invitation, saying that they would get another invitation once the technical difficulties had been fixed.

Sign up to the IndyBest newsletter

10:45 , Alex Lee

A lot of you are probably already signed up to the IndyBest newsletter. If you are, we hope we helped you bag a decent deal over Black Friday.

If you aren’t, don’t dilly-dally. Every Friday, we condense together all the best deals and round-ups of the week’s must-have products, chosen by IndyBest experts. To get involved, sign up to the IndyBest newsletter now. You can also access all of The Independent’s other newsletters as well, including news, sport and tech.

IndyBest newsletter - Sign up for your essential weekly shopping guide

When could Amazon PS5 stock drop?

11:20 , Alex Lee

It used to be really easy to trace and predict restocks at Amazon, with drops taking place every two weeks like clockwork. But since September, drops at the retailer have been getting fewer and farther between. It last had a drop on 17 November, with one before that taking place on 27 October.

The retailer almost always drops on a Wednesday though, so we’d definitely keep an eye on 8 December for a final restock before Christmas.

Amazon drops are made exclusive to Prime customers, so if you want to bag one, you need to be a Prime subscriber. Thankfully, the retailer does offer up a 30-day free trial, however, so you can always cancel after you’ve bagged the console.

John Lewis PS5 stock rumoured to drop before Christmas

12:10 , Alex Lee

If Very is a dark horse, then John Lewis & Partners is a golden unicorn. Drops at the retailer happen roughly once every six weeks. The retailer last had a restock on Wednesday 3 November, and the drop only lasted one minute.

Whispers in the stock tracking community suggest that this was a cancelled orders drop. If true, that means John Lewis & Partners hasn’t had an *actual* restock since 19 October. Again, that one only lasted about five minutes.

The retailer was predicted to restock on 26 November, but this was cancelled internally – probably because it forgot that it was Black Friday. It is now rumoured to restock on 21 December, just before Christmas. Will the drop happen before then? Let’s hope so, or the console might not arrive in time for Christmas.

When will you be able to pick up your PS5 from Smyths Toys?

13:00 , Alex Lee

Well done to anyone who managed to bag a PS5 from Smyths Toys in-store yesterday morning. From the looks of things, you may be the very last group of gamers to bag the console before Christmas at Smyths, and potentially even the last cohort to buy it in 2021, you lucky thang.

Looking at Twitter, it seems as though you’ll be able to collect your console between 12-14 December. Your local store will have given you all the information, but you should receive a text message, letting you know that it’s time to collect your PS5. Enjoy!

13:50 , Alex Lee

Needing some accessories in preparation for the day you get your PS5 console? Check out Sony’s Playstation 5 pulse 3D wireless headset (£89.99, Argos.co.uk), which landed a spot in our review of the best PS5 accessories.

Our tester said: “There’s no shortage of gaming headset options out there but the PlayStation 5 pulse 3D wireless headset is a little bit special. Made with certain PlayStation 5 games in mind, its 3D audio means you can feel fully immersed in the experience, feeling like things are truly happening all around you. “It’s a distinctive way of doing things that stands out more so than conventional headsets, even if not all games fully take advantage of it just yet. It can help you gain an advantage in certain titles too, which is always useful.

“It uses a wireless adapter to connect to your console rather than Bluetooth which is a minor irritant, and you’ll need to remember to recharge it, but it sounds fantastic and it’s comfy to wear even after a number of hours of playing.”

Buy now

8 best PS5 accessories that will enhance your gaming experience

The Scuf PS5 controller launches next week

14:40 , Alex Lee

This is almost as exciting as a PS5 drop – almost. The Scuf PS5 controller is finally coming out, and there will be three different models. There’s the Scuf reflex, Scuf reflex pro and the Scuf reflex FPS.

Each of the controllers will feature removable back control paddles, which can be configured on the go, and they all work with Sony’s dualsense technology – so you’ll still feel the game in your hands. The controllers will go on sale on 7 December.

Best PS5 games

15:30 , Alex Lee

There are a number of games available exclusively to those who own one of the coveted PlayStation consoles. One of those is Astro’s Playroom (free, Playstation.com), which was in fact the best game in our review of PS5 games.

“A love letter to a 27-year legacy, Astro’s Playroom serves as both an introduction to the features of the PS5’s tactile new DualSense controller, as well as an old-school, full-featured and inventive platformer in its own right,” noted our writer.

The best thing of all is it comes pre-installed on your device and it’s free. Win.

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

PS5 VR news

16:20 , Alex Lee

We sadly didn’t get a sneak peek at the PS5 VR during Sony’s PlayStation Showcase in September, nor at PlayStation State of Play in October, but that was to be expected.

It did get shown off at a secret developers summit in August, however, so at least we know it’s an actual real thing that exists in the world.

During the event, Sony revealed new controllers that will allegedly be able to tell where a user’s hands are, and how far away they are placed from the buttons. It also detailed the way it would release games for the next-gen headset.

You can read more about the PS5 VR headset leaks below:

PS5’s virtual reality headset has been secretly shown off, report claims