Will I be able to order (and receive) a PS5 before X-Mas?
October 22, 2020 2:52 PM Subscribe
I would like to avoid being murdered by my children. Should I try to buy a PS4 with a bunch of games instead or attempt to purchase a PS5? It seems that all pre-order options are closed at this point.
I'd just get the PS4. They're a solid system with a huge library of games already available. We use ours as a media centre just as much as we to a gaming rig, so there's still heaps of use in them after Sony stops releasing titles for the system.
Also given how long Sony published games for the PS2, I thoroughly doubt they'll abandon the PS4 fast enough to render your machine obsolete any time soon. The last PS2 game was released in 2014, 8 years after the PS3 was released. The last game for the PS3 only came out in 2018. I mean that's the window there.
posted by Jilder at 4:23 PM on October 22, 2020 [1 favorite]
Also given how long Sony published games for the PS2, I thoroughly doubt they'll abandon the PS4 fast enough to render your machine obsolete any time soon. The last PS2 game was released in 2014, 8 years after the PS3 was released. The last game for the PS3 only came out in 2018. I mean that's the window there.
posted by Jilder at 4:23 PM on October 22, 2020 [1 favorite]
@jilder is not wrong, but i think most kids that are tracking such things would be disappointed to receive a PS4 this xmas. the systems may be sold out, but you could get the kids a game (or more} plus peripherals (2nd controller) as a signal of intent, along with maybe a gamestop gift card which they could use to get the system as soon as it's available.
posted by askmehow at 5:32 PM on October 22, 2020 [6 favorites]
posted by askmehow at 5:32 PM on October 22, 2020 [6 favorites]
I would not just get the ps4. You'll have a year or two before most of the big new games aren't available for ps4. There might still be new games available but they'll mostly be like that time Grandpa got you a Stars Warriors action figure of the robot AB-CD instead of the IG-88 you asked for because it's all the same to him.
Dunno how old your kids are or what their temperaments are like or how much money a few hundred bucks is to you. If I were older than maybe 10, I'd rather open a big box with a card in that says PS5 AS SOON AS WE CAN GET ONE than a ps4 if getting that ps4 means just not getting a ps5 for years and years if ever.
posted by GCU Sweet and Full of Grace at 5:38 PM on October 22, 2020 [2 favorites]
Dunno how old your kids are or what their temperaments are like or how much money a few hundred bucks is to you. If I were older than maybe 10, I'd rather open a big box with a card in that says PS5 AS SOON AS WE CAN GET ONE than a ps4 if getting that ps4 means just not getting a ps5 for years and years if ever.
posted by GCU Sweet and Full of Grace at 5:38 PM on October 22, 2020 [2 favorites]
PS5 seems to be basically impossible, but is there any reason you couldn't get a Switch instead? They seem to be more available now than they were six months ago. Maybe a Switch Light for each kid? It is an incredible platform with a ton of super fun games.
posted by General Malaise at 5:47 PM on October 22, 2020
posted by General Malaise at 5:47 PM on October 22, 2020
As an adult I think buying a PS5 this Christmas is a bad idea. There's very little reason to own one at launch and unlikely to be many compelling reasons to own one for at least the next 12 months. That said, if you don't already own a PS4 the PS5 is a lot more compelling, since it plays virtually every PS4 game plus it will play future PS5 exclusives in the years to come.
Unfortunately we are not dealing with adults in this situation. For a kid really hoping for a PS5, a Switch would be as bad as a PS4, for the same reason GCU Sweet and Full of Grace points out. Anything other than a PS5 is basically admitting that no PS5 is likely to be forthcoming.
I think the best option is to manage expectations, and be honest as possible about the probability of opening a PS5 on Christmas. I'd keep trying to preorder/order/obtain one in the weeks to come, and as time wears on and the likelihood of getting your hands on one diminishes, let that be known and try to gage the potential interest in a PS4 or other alternative instead. I'd rather my kids go into Christmas morning knowing there won't be a PS5 (or that there will only be an IOU) than going in expecting something and coming out disappointed, even if that diminishes the Christmas Magic a little.
posted by Mr.Encyclopedia at 6:41 PM on October 22, 2020 [5 favorites]
Unfortunately we are not dealing with adults in this situation. For a kid really hoping for a PS5, a Switch would be as bad as a PS4, for the same reason GCU Sweet and Full of Grace points out. Anything other than a PS5 is basically admitting that no PS5 is likely to be forthcoming.
I think the best option is to manage expectations, and be honest as possible about the probability of opening a PS5 on Christmas. I'd keep trying to preorder/order/obtain one in the weeks to come, and as time wears on and the likelihood of getting your hands on one diminishes, let that be known and try to gage the potential interest in a PS4 or other alternative instead. I'd rather my kids go into Christmas morning knowing there won't be a PS5 (or that there will only be an IOU) than going in expecting something and coming out disappointed, even if that diminishes the Christmas Magic a little.
posted by Mr.Encyclopedia at 6:41 PM on October 22, 2020 [5 favorites]
Are your kids old enough to know and understand the differences between them, and to make in informed decision as to which one they would want?
You could present the gift as a gift card, as askmehow said, but it comes with a choice they have to make. "You can use it for a PS5, but you have to remember that it may be a while before it becomes available and have a wide variety of games. Or, if you want, we'll go to [gamestore] tomorrow and you can get a PS4 now with X number of games."
Even make it a learning experience. Remind them that the PS4 games will be playable on the PS5 so there's no investment lost there. You can buy the 4 now, then when the 5 is available, you will help them sell the console, and they can use the proceeds (plus money they have earned from doing chores or whatnot) to upgrade to the 5. That way they get the quick payoff but still have to have patience and learn work ethic to make it the best payoff.
That all depends on the age of your kids though.
posted by SquidLips at 6:50 PM on October 22, 2020 [1 favorite]
You could present the gift as a gift card, as askmehow said, but it comes with a choice they have to make. "You can use it for a PS5, but you have to remember that it may be a while before it becomes available and have a wide variety of games. Or, if you want, we'll go to [gamestore] tomorrow and you can get a PS4 now with X number of games."
Even make it a learning experience. Remind them that the PS4 games will be playable on the PS5 so there's no investment lost there. You can buy the 4 now, then when the 5 is available, you will help them sell the console, and they can use the proceeds (plus money they have earned from doing chores or whatnot) to upgrade to the 5. That way they get the quick payoff but still have to have patience and learn work ethic to make it the best payoff.
That all depends on the age of your kids though.
posted by SquidLips at 6:50 PM on October 22, 2020 [1 favorite]
I would strongly recommend against getting a PS4 unless you do the following:
1. Get a PS4 with an extra controller and a bunch of games to tide them over for the holidays
2. Have the money set aside (perhaps in the form of gift vouchers) for a PS5 so you can buy one as soon as it is available (first quarter of 2021, would be my guess), and make sure your kids know this is happening
3. ???
4. The reverse of profit!
As you can see this is an incredibly wasteful manoeuvre and I personally would not do it. I was lucky enough to get in a pre-order for a Series X and am apparently "on the shortlist for the November release" but I'm not holding my breath. I wanted something to play Cyberpunk 2077 on over Christmas but I doubt it's going to happen.
I guess you could just set the PS4 up on Christmas Eve (or before whenever it is you open your presents) and have turning on the TV and having a game already running be the "present" but, ehh.
This all sounds nightmarish. Good luck.
posted by turbid dahlia at 7:12 PM on October 22, 2020 [1 favorite]
1. Get a PS4 with an extra controller and a bunch of games to tide them over for the holidays
2. Have the money set aside (perhaps in the form of gift vouchers) for a PS5 so you can buy one as soon as it is available (first quarter of 2021, would be my guess), and make sure your kids know this is happening
3. ???
4. The reverse of profit!
As you can see this is an incredibly wasteful manoeuvre and I personally would not do it. I was lucky enough to get in a pre-order for a Series X and am apparently "on the shortlist for the November release" but I'm not holding my breath. I wanted something to play Cyberpunk 2077 on over Christmas but I doubt it's going to happen.
I guess you could just set the PS4 up on Christmas Eve (or before whenever it is you open your presents) and have turning on the TV and having a game already running be the "present" but, ehh.
This all sounds nightmarish. Good luck.
posted by turbid dahlia at 7:12 PM on October 22, 2020 [1 favorite]
If you were buying for yourself I'd say get the PS4, there's no good reason to get a PS5 yet as all the big games will also be on PS4 for a while.
But since it's kids, I would say like the others, pre-order if you can and give them the promise of a PS5 as soon as it's available. I think they'll understand, and as a consolation prize you can (for example) also say they can pick out a game to buy each right now as a sort of down payment.
It sort of depends on your kids, but getting a PS4 with a few games (they'll transfer to the new console) AND a promise to upgrade to PS5 ASAP (a post-it covering the 4 with a 5 might work) could be a more expensive cover-all-bases option. You'll be able to trade in the PS4 for maybe $150 towards a PS5 so it won't be a total loss.
posted by BlackLeotardFront at 11:45 AM on October 23, 2020
But since it's kids, I would say like the others, pre-order if you can and give them the promise of a PS5 as soon as it's available. I think they'll understand, and as a consolation prize you can (for example) also say they can pick out a game to buy each right now as a sort of down payment.
It sort of depends on your kids, but getting a PS4 with a few games (they'll transfer to the new console) AND a promise to upgrade to PS5 ASAP (a post-it covering the 4 with a 5 might work) could be a more expensive cover-all-bases option. You'll be able to trade in the PS4 for maybe $150 towards a PS5 so it won't be a total loss.
posted by BlackLeotardFront at 11:45 AM on October 23, 2020
OMG, it's a pandemic! Fuck Christmas, get them a PS4, like STAT!. (And since it's not for xmas, go ahead and pick up a used one from Craigslist.) Get them $(most desired game/s) for actual Christmas. When the PS5 becomes available, get it and resell the PS4 on Craigslist.. and you'll prob be able to get the same price, so it'll be like a free rental in the end.
Also, if they're old enough, I recommend Diablo3 as prob the best co-op multiplayer (ie they can play together at the same time) game out there (it's gory, but from a distance not close-up (top-down view) and like D&D monsters, not people)
posted by sexyrobot at 2:56 AM on October 26, 2020
Also, if they're old enough, I recommend Diablo3 as prob the best co-op multiplayer (ie they can play together at the same time) game out there (it's gory, but from a distance not close-up (top-down view) and like D&D monsters, not people)
posted by sexyrobot at 2:56 AM on October 26, 2020
This thread is closed to new comments.
That said, I wouldn't want to buy a PS4 this close to the release of the PS5. Once the PS5 is out, the PS4 will start aging quickly. Some upcoming, amazing new games will only be released for the PS5 and over time, there will be fewer and fewer new titles that have PS4 versions. While PS4 games will work on the PS5, the reverse won't always be true. You'll have to replace/upgrade the PS4 a lot sooner than the PS5 if your kids care about playing new games at all.
I think it's a tough call. You'll have to decide based on what your kids are like and how you feel about upgrading sooner rather than later.
posted by Kutsuwamushi at 4:01 PM on October 22, 2020 [1 favorite]