Sony's PlayStation 5 to be online-order only as UAE stores sell out

Retailers in the UAE have already sold out on pre-orders and aren't sure if they will get in more stock

Sony has announced its PlayStation 5 will only be available to purchase online when it releases. Courtesy Sony

It's one of the most highly-anticipated gaming console releases of the year, but Sony's PlayStation 5 won't be available for in-store purchase.

It will release on November 12 in the US (or November 19 depending on the region) but will only be available to purchase online at that date because of the coronavirus pandemic.

“In the interest of keeping our gamers, retailers, and staff safe amidst Covid-19, today we are confirming that all day-of launch sales will be conducted through the online stores of our retail partners,” the company writes. “Please don’t plan on camping out or lining up at your local retailer on launch day in hopes of finding a PS5 console for purchase. Be safe, stay home, and place your order online.”

However, it might be harder to come across one in the UAE. Most retailers such as Virgin Megastore, Geekay and Jumbo Electronics are already sold out when it comes to pre-ordering and they aren't sure if they will obtain any more in stock the day the console releases.

Those who were lucky enough to get in a pre-order will likely see their new PlayStation 5 shipped to their homes from November 19 onwards.

Sony’s next iteration of the popular video game console – with its custom eight-core processor and graphics engine – is the most powerful yet.

But there will actually be two versions of the console: one with a disc drive, and one without. And while the sculpted design is largely the same, the one without a disc drive, dubbed the Digital Edition, will have a slimmer base and start from Dh1,679 while the other PlayStation 5 starts from Dh2,099.

Many PS4 games will be compatible with the PS5 which many gamers will find useful as well. Expected titles for the console include: Astro's Playroom (which comes pre-packed on every PS5), Demon's Souls, Destruction AllStars, Devil May Cry 5 Special Edition, Sackboy: A Big Adventure, and Marvel's Spider-Man: Miles Morales.

However, for those who are desperate to get their hands on a new gaming console, Microsoft’s Xbox Series X (Dh2,099) and Xbox Series S (Dh1,249) will also be launching in November as well and is still available for pre-order in stores around the UAE.

Scroll below to see how Sony's PlayStation video game console has evolved over the years:

The Sony PlayStation video game console was first released in 1994. This is a Japanese SCPH-1000, which was the very first model of PlayStation commercially released. Wikipedia Commons

A Sony PlayStation 2, released in the year 2000. It is here shown with 8MB memory card and DualShock 2 controller. Wikipedia Commons

The Sony PlayStation 3 (PS3) video game console, first released in 2006 as the successor to the PlayStation 2. This model is the CECHA01, one of the first two models released. It features a 60GB hard drive, hardware-based backwards compatibility with PS2 games and flash memory card readers. Wikipedia Commons

The Sony PlayStation 3 (PS3) video game console, shown with DualShock 3 controller. This is a seventh generation console first released in 2006 as the successor to the PlayStation 2. This model is the 'Slim', model 2001A, the first revision of the PlayStation 3 hardware that was made much lighter and smaller than the previous version. Wikipedia Commons

A silver PSP-3000, the third-generation model of the PlayStation Portable portable game console, released in 2008. Wikipedia Commons

The PSP Go, an alternate model of the PlayStation Portable system from Sony. Released in 2009, it was a UMD-less version of the PSP, relying on digital-only versions of games. It has 16GB of internal storage and can be expanded with a proprietary memory card. Wikipedia Commons

The PSP Go, an alternate model of the PlayStation Portable system from Sony. Released in 2009, it was a UMD-less version of the PSP, relying on digital-only versions of games. It has 16GB of internal storage and can be expanded with a proprietary memory card. Wikipedia Commons

A North American Sony PSP-1000 handheld video game console. This was released in 2009.

The Sony Xperia Play phone, shown close. Released in 2011, this Android phone featured a slide-out section with traditional game controls, similar to a Sony PSP Go. It was able to play PlayStation Mobile games, which includes ports of original PlayStation games, PSP games and some original titles. Wikipedia Commons

The Sony Xperia Play phone, shown opened. Released in 2011, this Android phone featured a slide-out section with traditional game controls, similar to a Sony PSP Go. It was able to play PlayStation Mobile games, which includes ports of original PlayStation games, PSP games and some original titles. Wikipedia Commons

The PlayStation Move controller. A motion-sensing controller for the PlayStation 3 and PlayStation 4, needs to be used in conjunction with the PS Eye or PS4 Camera. Wikipedia Commons

The PlayStation 4 Pro video game console. Produced by Sony and launched worldwide in November 2016, the Pro is an enhanced model of the original PlayStation 4 that offers extra capabilities through an upgraded GPU, faster RAM and a CPU with a higher clock speed. Wikipedia Commons

The Sony PlayStation 5 Digital Edition console and DualSense controller. The PS5 came out in November 2020. Photo: Sony Interactive Entertainment