Walmart taking PS5, Xbox Series X online orders at launch

Walmart’s website will offer the PlayStation 5 on the console’s Nov. 12 launch date, at four different times that day. The Xbox Series X will be on sale through the retailer’s website on Nov. 10, beginning at noon EST that day.

The big-box retailer is currently saying that both models of the PS5 — standard and Digital Edition — will be on sale at 12, 3, 6, or 9 p.m. EST on Nov. 12, the console’s release date in North America and Japan. Likewise, the Xbox Series X and digital-only Series S will both be available for purchase on Nov. 10.

Walmart’s announcement follows news earlier on Thursday from Sony that PS5 units will only be sold online for launch, with the company characterizing that decision as a public safety measure amid the raging coronavirus pandemic.

“No units will be available in-store for purchase on launch day,” Sony said. “Be safe, stay home, and place your order online.”

All of the next-gen consoles have been difficult to secure since since Sony and Microsoft kicked off pre-orders in mid-September. Major retailers quickly sold out of their stock on a messy first day of PS5 sales, drawing an apology from Sony; the situation on the Xbox side wasn’t much better, even though Microsoft had done a better job preparing customers for pre-order timing.

At the same time, Bloomberg reported that Sony would make significantly fewer PS5s than it did for the PlayStation 4 in its 2013 launch cycle, attributing the cut to supply chain problems delivering the unit’s motherboard. Sony called Bloomberg’s report false.