Sony effectively surprise-launched pre-orders for the console. They were supposed to be available on September 17th, but many retailers started pre-orders soon after the PS5 showcase event ended — many gamers were caught unprepared and missed out on a system. Gizmodo also noted that individual retailers had their own headaches, with Amazon warning customers that they might not get their PS5 units on launch day. We’ve also seen reports of retailers cancelling orders.

Microsoft appears to organized a more coordinated campaign, with Xbox Series X and S pre-orders starting on September 22nd at a specific time (11AM Eastern) and stores honoring that schedule.

This is a problem console makers want to have, to some degree — it makes clear that PS5 demand is high. Still, it’s not the greatest start to sales for one of Sony’s most important products.