PS5 restock UK: Argos, Amazon, EE, and more stock news before end of year

The PlayStation 5 is one of 2020's hottest tech gadgets — but extreme demand means you'll need to act fast if you want one in time for Christmas or the end of the year.

Sony launched the PS5 to great fanfare in the U.K. on November 19, the same day as many other countries. The highly-anticipated console quickly sold out, leaving buyers scrambling to find retailers ahead of Christmas.

More stock is expected to be on the way. On the official PlayStation U.K. Twitter account, the company wrote that "demand for PS5 is unprecedented, so we wanted to confirm that more PS5 inventory will be coming to retailers before the end of the year — please stay in touch with your local retailers."

"We want to thank gamers everywhere for making the PS5 launch our biggest console launch ever," the company wrote.

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The situation has reportedly been made worse by resellers snapping up stock. Business Insider reported on one UK-based reseller group, "CrepChiefNotify," which had a total of 2,472 consoles across all its members. That's in addition to just under 1,000 pre-orders. VG247 reports that scalpers on eBay have been selling the console for £990, over double the retail price.

These resellers use automated software to purchase consoles as soon as they come back in stock. These "bots" have been blamed for crashing Walmart's website last week. Scalpers have also hit U.K. sales for the Xbox Series X, Microsoft's next-gen console that launched on November 10.

With the PS5 offering support for up to 4K resolutions, with 8K expected with a future software update, it could also be the perfect time to upgrade your television. Also, keep an eye out for ultra-fast 120 frames-per-second sets — a handful of early PS5 titles, like Call of Duty: Black Ops Cold War, support these faster refresh times that could help you get an edge in competitive showdowns.

One of the best resources for finding PS5 stock in the U.K. is with the website StockInformer. This resource tracks stock from major retailers like Amazon, Very, Ebuyer, Game, and more. The site can even send you an email alert when a retailer reports stock, or you can leave the site open to get an audio alert the moment new stock is found.

Another useful resource is PlayStation5Stock.co.uk. Although not as full-featured as StockInformer, lacking features like audio alerts, the site provides an alternative means of tracking stock in case users encounter issues with the first site.

On Twitter, the account @PS5StockAlerts has been sharing updates about when stock has become available in the U.K. and other countries. Users with the Twitter app can set up an alert on their smartphone to get notified as soon as the account makes a new post.

As U.S.-based stores like Antonline add more PS5 stock to their stores, here's what you need to know about finding PS5 stock from U.K. retailers:

BT and EE stock in the U.K.

Telecoms firm BT released PlayStation 5 stock to its broadband customers on December 3. EE, the mobile network owned by the BT Group, also offered fans the chance to add a PS5 to their pay monthly contract to split the cost, £10 ($13.40) upfront plus £40 ($53.60) per month over 11 months.

Unfortunately, less than an hour after EE publicized the stock on its Twitter page, it had sold out again.

Amazon PS5 stock in the U.K.

Amazon has started messaging customers after its launch day fiasco, where fans that ordered a PS5 instead received oddities like toys and cat food. Eurogamer reports that buyers are receiving emails offering them the chance to order a replacement device. Fans have until 11:59 p.m. on December 5 to accept.

Ebuyer PS5 stock in the U.K.

The online retailer Ebuyer has been offering home deliveries for electronics and components for over 20 years. It's an ideal place to pick up a cheap HDMI 2.1 cable to go with your PS5, which can support those higher 8K resolutions and 120 frames per second rates. Indeed, the site recommends a number of options alongside its PS5 listing.

At the time of writing, Ebuyer promises that "more stock is due soon," but also warns that "existing pre-orders are being prioritized, and is allocated on a first come first served basis."

Ebuyer lists the PS5 for £449.98 ($596.13) and the PS5 Digital Edition for £359.98 ($476.90).

Argos PS5 stock in the U.K.

Argos released new stock of the PS5 on December 3 — but fans were left frustrated that the store had not properly communicated, and others were confused about whether their order had been accepted.

A company spokesperson told The Independent:

"It’s clear customers are excited for the new PlayStation. We released a small amount of additional stock and have seen huge numbers of customers trying to place their orders with us and we have now sold out, we’re sorry for any disappointment this may cause."

Game PS5 stock in the U.K.

The high street video games store, Game, remains a household name, but the business has faced difficulties in recent times. The firm agreed to a takeover by Mike Ashley's Frasers Group for £52 million ($69 million) last year. Global Data analyst Zoe Mills told The Guardian that Game had agreed to it "begrudgingly."

At 11 a.m. on December 3, Game announced it had "limited quantities" with the option to receive delivery before Christmas. Unfortunately, just two hours later, Game announced it had all sold out.

Asda PS5 stock in the U.K.

The third-largest supermarket in Great Britain, with a market share just behind Sainsbury's, is unfortunately out of stock on its PS5 listings page.

Very PS5 stock in the U.K.

Very, the online retailer which used to operate under the "Woolworths" brand, also appears to be all sold out.

On the store's PS5 page, Very writes:

"Unfortunately we have sold out of our PS5 consoles for now. We have more stock coming so keep checking back for our next drop."

A new release of stock, it seems, could come any time.

Currys PS5 stock in the U.K.

Like the other retailers, Currys is also offering Black Friday deals this week, which amusingly it refers to as "Black Fri-yay."

It's offering discounts on deals on 4K televisions from brands like Samsung and HiSense, which could be an ideal companion when the PS5 comes back in stock.

On the store's PS5 listing page, Currys writes that it is "working tirelessly to secure more stock," advising customers to "please continue to check this page for more updates."

The site was unavailable for maintenance on Tuesday, sparking interest from PS5 fans.

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