PlayStation Strikes Back

Product+portrait+of+the+PlayStation+4+on+Amazon.com

Sony

Product portrait of the PlayStation 4 on Amazon.com

Retailers earlier this year told the media that the XBOX ONE and PlayStation 4 are sold out until 2014, without a specified date. If you were a consumer that was left out of the pre-order window, Amazon Canada is able to bring you good news.

After rapidly selling out of pre-orders, retailers across North America have struggled to secure pallets of consoles. Amazon.com continued to accept pre-orders longer than any retailer until they switched to an email notification list, exhausting their allocation. Gamestop executives stated that over 2.2 million people are on their mailing list for Playstation 4 and XBOX ONE availability.

Industry estimates have totaled nearly 3 million PlayStation 4 units to be sold by the end of the 2014 year. With that high number, Sony backed the estimates and even assured to work on the shortcomings of the PlayStation 3 release. When the PlayStation 3 debuted in 2006, part shortages caused delays on shipments from factories, causing a huge hiccup in the smooth roll-out of the PlayStation 3. Microsoft has even pushed backed the release of the XBOX ONE, for certain countries, to build up a steady stock.

Estimates by firms also reported that the console would not be available until 2014 for North America, which is inherently true. What reports have not suggested is an estimated date when the console would arrive back on store shelves. Luckily, Amazon Canada has begun offering the “PlayStation 4 New Years’ Edition”, which is the exact same model as the Launch Day edition.

According to Amazon Canada, the item was listed as ‘available for pre-order’ and will be shipped out on January 15th. For the shoppers who missed out this year that don’t wish to pay more through third parties, or brave midnight release lines, this comes as a relief for a definite release date.

The European arms of Amazon have continued to accept pre-orders, but created a notice after August to all its customers. According to Amazon.co.uk, “orders placed from August 7 up to and including November 13 will receive their consoles before Christmas.” While customers whose “orders placed from November 14 will receive their consoles after Christmas.”

Currently, no other retailer in the United States have given any restocking estimates and only point to camping outside select outlets in hopes of purchasing a PlayStation 4 or XBOX ONE. While holiday shoppers and desperate consumers are able to take this route, details have been hush-hush and unspecific. Depending on the retailer, select stores have not been listed nor the amount of units available on hand.

Originally on I.G.N. but the writer, Alexander Littaua, allowed for publication on the Stinger.