When pre-orders for the PlayStation 5 went live, it quickly became apparent that Sony was not prepared for the onslaught of customers trying to reserve their next-gen console. Microsoft soon pointed out that the pre-order launch for the Xbox Series X and Xbox Series S was expected to go smoothly since the company intended to let buyers know ahead of time when pre-orders would be available.
Turns out, Microsoft spoke too soon. Customers have been complaining online that there are difficulties in securing preorders of the Xbox Series X and Xbox Series S at numerous retailers. GameStop attempted to implement a queue, which left customers endlessly waiting to place their preorder.
None of this should come as a surprise since both Sony and Microsoft have been building up expectations for months. Many customers, still in lockdown due to the ongoing pandemic, have been patiently waiting to get their hands on a next-gen console, not realizing that millions of others were also standing by.
“As pre-orders kick-off around the world, we’re hearing from our retail partners that demand is high,” Xbox Live director of programming Larry Hryb said on Twitter yesterday. “We’re doing all we can to make as many consoles available as possible and that the process is fair. Thanks for being patient!”
Since Hryb’s tweet, no further news has come from Xbox’s Twitter page. PlayStation has issued an apology on its Twitter page, stating, “Let’s be honest: PS5 preorders could have been a lot smoother. We truly apologize for that. Over the next few days, we will release more PS5 consoles for preorder – retailers will share more details. And more PS5s will be available through the end of the year.”
The Xbox Series X, and its digital counterpart, the Xbox Series S, will be released on November 10, while the PlayStation 5 is set to launch two days later on November 12.
Source: Polygon
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