Games By James Plafke Nov. 17, 2013 4:55 pm
In the very first minute of this brand new day, Sony released the PlayStation 4, ushering in a new generation of video games (sorry, Wii U). If you were on the fence about purchasing a PS4 at launch due to the lack of compelling software that tends to plague console launches, but then suddenly reversed your decision and now you don’t know where to get one, never fear, for stock is still available at normal, easily accessible locations, though it is dwindling throughout the day.
[h=3]Walmart[/h] Update 11/17/2013:*It has been a few days since launch, and stock is now low or sold out at Walmarts, you should definitely call ahead.
Walmart appears to be the big winner of the PS4 stock lottery, as the chain reported a plethora of PS4s across its outlets. As of this writing, Walmart is your best bet. You can’t order them online, but every zip code we checked — New Jersey, South Florida, and so on — had them in stock on throughout the day at launch. This is also the only major chain that appears to have the standalone PS4. So, if you don’t want to spend around $500 or more for a PS4-and-games bundle, Walmart is the place you should check first. Unfortunately, you’ll have to actually go to a Walmart, so if you live in major cities that do not have one, like New York, you’ll have to venture out into the unknown.
Check your product availability store locator before you make the trip.
[h=3]Toys R Us[/h] Update 11/17/2013: The toy chain appears to be sold out of PS4s in major locations, but there is the possibility that lesser-trafficked stores still have some units in stock. Call ahead before you make the trip.
If not Walmart, then Toys R Us is your next best bet. We have received reports (friends that get to not be at work as early as us!) that you were able to walk into Toys R Us stores and pick up a console. Of course, the bigger your city, the less of a chance stock will be available due to the rush of customers.
[h=3]Best Buy[/h] Best Buy is a more likely target for gamers trying to get a new console, but using the product availability locator, you were able to see certain stores had plenty of stock throughout launch day. Be warned, though, the only product locator that appeared on the Best Buy website on launch day is for the Call of Duty and Killzone bundles. The*CoD bundle comes with an extra DualShock 4, and is around $70 more. This means that if you’re looking for a standalone PS4, you definitely want to call ahead and see if the bundle locator includes the standalone systems. If you don’t mind buying an extra DualShock 4 or an FPS, these bundles will do just fine.
You should hurry with Best Buy, though, as stores have mostly run out of stock at this point. It was happening slowly earlier in the morning of launch day, but throughout the day the stock has been dwindling at a faster pace. Big locations were out of stock almost immediately. The Times Square location in New York, for instance, ran out of stock at the time of writing, and the Atlantic Center location in Brooklyn (a major transportation hub and where the NBA’s Brooklyn Nets play) seems to have immediately sold out upon release.
On launch day morning, you were able to order online from Target, but that option has already come and gone. So, in summary, if you want a PS4 right now and didn’t pre-order one, it appears you’ll have to put on clothes, venture out into the harsh daylight, and walk into a Walmart, Toys R Us, or Best Buy — but you should call ahead because stock has been sitting on shelves since launch, and people have been trickling into locations to pick the console up.
Now read:*Should you buy a PS4 at launch?
[Image credit: Justin Ouellette]
More...
[h=3]Walmart[/h] Update 11/17/2013:*It has been a few days since launch, and stock is now low or sold out at Walmarts, you should definitely call ahead.
Walmart appears to be the big winner of the PS4 stock lottery, as the chain reported a plethora of PS4s across its outlets. As of this writing, Walmart is your best bet. You can’t order them online, but every zip code we checked — New Jersey, South Florida, and so on — had them in stock on throughout the day at launch. This is also the only major chain that appears to have the standalone PS4. So, if you don’t want to spend around $500 or more for a PS4-and-games bundle, Walmart is the place you should check first. Unfortunately, you’ll have to actually go to a Walmart, so if you live in major cities that do not have one, like New York, you’ll have to venture out into the unknown.
Check your product availability store locator before you make the trip.
[h=3]Toys R Us[/h] Update 11/17/2013: The toy chain appears to be sold out of PS4s in major locations, but there is the possibility that lesser-trafficked stores still have some units in stock. Call ahead before you make the trip.
If not Walmart, then Toys R Us is your next best bet. We have received reports (friends that get to not be at work as early as us!) that you were able to walk into Toys R Us stores and pick up a console. Of course, the bigger your city, the less of a chance stock will be available due to the rush of customers.
[h=3]Best Buy[/h] Best Buy is a more likely target for gamers trying to get a new console, but using the product availability locator, you were able to see certain stores had plenty of stock throughout launch day. Be warned, though, the only product locator that appeared on the Best Buy website on launch day is for the Call of Duty and Killzone bundles. The*CoD bundle comes with an extra DualShock 4, and is around $70 more. This means that if you’re looking for a standalone PS4, you definitely want to call ahead and see if the bundle locator includes the standalone systems. If you don’t mind buying an extra DualShock 4 or an FPS, these bundles will do just fine.
You should hurry with Best Buy, though, as stores have mostly run out of stock at this point. It was happening slowly earlier in the morning of launch day, but throughout the day the stock has been dwindling at a faster pace. Big locations were out of stock almost immediately. The Times Square location in New York, for instance, ran out of stock at the time of writing, and the Atlantic Center location in Brooklyn (a major transportation hub and where the NBA’s Brooklyn Nets play) seems to have immediately sold out upon release.
On launch day morning, you were able to order online from Target, but that option has already come and gone. So, in summary, if you want a PS4 right now and didn’t pre-order one, it appears you’ll have to put on clothes, venture out into the harsh daylight, and walk into a Walmart, Toys R Us, or Best Buy — but you should call ahead because stock has been sitting on shelves since launch, and people have been trickling into locations to pick the console up.
Now read:*Should you buy a PS4 at launch?
[Image credit: Justin Ouellette]
More...
