Where to buy the 30th Anniversary PS5 Slim: live updates as we wait for stock

The 30th Anniversary PS5 Slim will take to wider retailers' shelves tomorrow, but we already know this will be a mad dash to checkout. While not as limited in its release as the PS5 Pro bundle last month, this is still a hot ticket item and if my experience covering the PS5 launch has taught me anything it's that stock is never guaranteed.

I was there when the original console launched all those years ago, wading through websites on the hunt for early pre-order stock. That means I know a thing or two about securing hard-to-find gadgets (I'm pretty sure I was one of the first to actually get their PS5 pre-order over the line when they unexpectedly went live early following the system's reveal). I'm sharing all that experience with you right here, rounding up the retailers you should hit first and what to do if stock seems to have dried up.

• Check stock at Amazon

We've still got a day to wait before official 30th Anniversary PS5 Slim pre-orders take over the shelves, so it's time to get prepped. I'm already seeing some retailers mobilizing over the last few hours, so things are gearing up to be busy. Stay in touch today for all the rumblings and keep following tomorrow as I bring you all the 30th Anniversary stock as soon as it hits the shelves. If you're after the full collection of accessories, I'm also rounding up the full PlayStation 30th Anniversary Collection pre-order selection as well.

Check 30th Anniversary PS5 Slim stock in the US

Amazon | Check stock
Amazon doesn't have a listing page for the 30th Anniversary PS5 Slim live just yet, but it was one of the first retailers to offer the limited edition DualSense earlier in the month. I'd check in regularly here, though it's a solid option to keep in the back pocket - Amazon typically receives a healthy supply.
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Best Buy | Listing page now live
Best Buy updated its storefront today to include a listing page for the PS5 Slim special edition. That's certainly a good sign, but it's worth noting that you'll need to be signed into an account to purchase when the time comes.
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Walmart | Listing page now live
Walmart also has a listing page live for the PS5 Slim, with early access granted to Walmart Plus members. These subscribers will have access to the Slim from 10am ET tomorrow, so it's time to bookmark.
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PS Direct | Check stock
Like with other accessories, PS Direct will likely keep its 30th Anniversary Edition on the same page as the standard model. There's no option to toggle between different colorways at the moment, but once other retailers launch their own stock that might well change.
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GameStop | Check stock
GameStop is making no mention of the 30th Anniversary PS5 Slim on its site right now, but was an early player when it came to last month's DualSense pre-orders. This is certainly one to keep in the back pocket.
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Check 30th Anniversary PS5 Slim stock in the UK

PlayStation Direct | Check stock
PlayStation Direct lists its variants on the same page as the standard PS5 console, so this should be your bookmark heading into tomorrow's potential stock drops.
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Amazon | Check stock
There's no listing page live for the special edition PS5 Slim at Amazon yet, but considering the size of this retailer's typical inventory it should be a regular check tomorrow.

Very | Check stock
Very moves fast, and often holds onto its stock fairly well. That means it should be one of the first retailers you check when stock lands tomorrow.

Argos | Check Stock
Argos has a trick up its sleeve; it sorts its stock by postcode. That means you might have a better shot at securing your console here if your local shop has enough tucked away.
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Currys | Check stock
Currys tends to be a little slower on the uptake, but could yield some results if other stores have already run out of stock by the time you get to them.
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Well hello there! I'm signing on to get you prepped for all of tomorrow's 30th Anniversary PS5 Slim pre-orders while we've still got a good few hours to wait. That means I'll be going through each retailer you should be keeping tabs on over the next 24 hours and bringing you any new updates as they emerge. That means you can sit tight and let me do the digital running around.

Let's start with where we find ourselves right now

Sony launched its own PS5 30th Anniversary pre-orders on September 16 but everything barring the DualSense controller was exclusive to the brand's own site. Tomorrow's stock drop will be wider retailers' (think Best Buy, Amazon, Walmart etc.) first chance to launch their own listings. Right now, everything is sold out at the official PS Direct store and these gadgets sold fast. Tomorrow could be your last big chance to grab a retro colorway.

About Walmart

Walmart was one of the very first retailers to launch their own listing pages for the PS5 Slim 30th Anniversary Edition, so naturally I'm excited about this store. However, it's worth noting that you'll need to be a Walmart Plus member to have access to this drop, with the doors opening to subscribers from 10am ET tomorrow.

Walmart Plus is a paid membership coming in at $98 per year , but if you're concerned about losing out on stock it's worth the jump. You're also getting free delivery on a range of products, exclusive access to early deals, Paramount Plus, and discounts on Burger King.

There is a 30 day free trial available but be warned, this will not grant you access to early PS5 30th Anniversary pre-orders. The site states that "Walmart Plus paid members can pre-order" so there's no getting around that fee.

This play is one I've seen before. It's a mirror image of how Walmart handled the original PS5 stock drama.

But what about Best Buy?

Best Buy also has a listing page live on its site, and it doesn't look like you need to be a paid member of anything. That means things are going to be even more competitive here, though, with stock potentially selling out much faster. The retailer has also just updated their listing to remind customers that they'll need to be signed into their Best Buy accounts to purchase, so it's well worth doing this today and making sure you select the 'always signed in' option to avoid any slow downs tomorrow.

And then there's Amazon...

Amazon can be sneaky with its listing pages, sometimes keeping them obscured from its main search results with obscure URLs and other strange text. That means it's difficult to pinpoint exactly where stock is going to land ahead of time. During the PS5 stock rush I even saw the site hiding its stock behind its third party seller scheme, it was still Amazon selling but in order to evade bots it would send you through the marketplace first.

You've got two options; you can keep checking a specific search term on the site or you can camp on the main PS5 Slim product page . The former might see you through to those first few stock waves if Amazon lists the 30th Anniversary PS5 Slim as a separate device entirely. Meanwhile, the latter gives you a shot at early stock if the retailers simply adds it as an alternative colorway to the standard system.

At the moment, I would recommend the latter. The standard system has a drop down box listed under 'Style' which currently houses a range of bundle options - I'm willing to bet this is where the 30th Anniversary model will show up when it drops tomorrow.

What about UK shoppers?

If you're in the UK, I'd recommend checking out two retailers first and foremost; Amazon and Very.

Very is actually often one of the fastest shops out the gate when it comes to pre-orders. I found the PS5 in stock incredibly frequently here when the console first launched - and even started using the site as a benchmark as to whether other stores were going to drop their own stock soon. What's more, this is a fantastic way to get around resellers. If you've got a little extra cash to spend I often see Very offering bundles. There's no cash off the accessories included, but the higher price keeps resellers away and means those units hold their positions on the shelves a lot longer.

Amazon is my second pick right now, because it was so fast out the gate with DualSense pre-orders last month. This was the first (and one of the only) sites to launch their own 30th Anniversary Edition stock back in September, so the machine is clearly working here.

I've just had a scout for more retailers and noticed something concerning

There are already a lot of reseller listings for the 30th Anniversary Collection. I'm not just talking the PS5 Pro bundles that sold out in seconds two weeks ago, but everything down to the DualSense controller. I hope it goes without saying, but it's not worth diving into these listings. You don't need to spend $140 on a limited edition controller when more stock will likely hit the shelves tomorrow, and the PS5 Slim hasn't even seen its wider release yet.

PSA: I think Target has removed its listing

I was previously seeing a live listing page for the 30th Anniversary console at Target , but it seems to have vanished off the face of the web. It's also no longer appearing in Google's own Shopping results, which is certainly fishy. The special edition console was previously accessible (though obviously not order-able) via a simple search page, but now Target seems to be prioritizing the standard edition console. I'll keep searching and keep you updated.

How much is the 30th Anniversary PS5 Slim?

Before we get into the madness of stock hunting, it's well worth covering the actual price of the PS5 Slim bundle - not least because resellers are going to move quickly and could well be asking for well over MSRP. The full bundle costs $499.99 / £439.99 - an extra $50 / £50 compared to the standard $449.99 / £389.99 price of the Digital console.

PSA: I would buy the PS5 disc drive well ahead of tomorrow

Best Buy currently has the $79.99 PS5 disc drive in stock and on the shelves. That's a rarity in itself, but it's going to be even harder to find when tomorrow's pre-orders drop. If you're locked into picking up the 30th Anniversary console tomorrow and you want to play physical games, I'd recommend grabbing this one ahead of time. I'm not confident this supply will last until tomorrow morning, let alone once everyone's on the hunt for one.

PS5 disc drive | $79.99 at Best Buy
The PS5 Slim bundle doesn't come with a disc drive (though you do get a retro-themed cover for one) so if you want to play old PS4 games or physical PS5 games you'll want to jump on this recent stock drop from Best Buy.
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UK pre-order hunters: don't ignore Argos!

It's not normally at the top of my list when looking for deals, but Argos really can come in handy if you're stock hunting. That's because the retailer organizes its supply based on your post code, so you've got a much smaller pool of competitors snapping up stock. Load up your information ahead of time so that you can quickly see availability in your local area when the time comes tomorrow.

I'm not surprised Amazon hasn't got a listing page yet

It's very typical of the retailer, and by no means a reason to discount it as a viable stock option. Even during last month's drop of the DualSense controller, Amazon seemed to take everyone by surprise in actually offering the gamepad. While I do recall a listing page being available for the original PS5 console during the early days of stock hunting, it only appeared once the first wave of stock had been supplied. That's all to say, keep a close eye here over the next 24 hours, things can spring out of nowhere in Bezos land.

Getting prepped: Sign into your accounts

I mentioned this a little earlier for Best Buy and Walmart Plus customers, but it's well worth signing into accounts for all your usual retailers - or even creating one for stores you don't visit too often. Not only are you covered for any last-minute account requirements tomorrow, but you'll also be able to head through checkout much quicker. Believe it or not, fast-moving items aren't yours until your payment page is finished - things can still jump out of your cart during that rush through checkout. Anything you can do to speed up that process is going to work heavily your favor.

What's included in the PS5 Slim bundle?

If you're grabbing a new console tomorrow, you'll be glad to know it's not just the device itself you're buying. The special edition PS5 Slim comes with a whole host of extras, including the retro DualSense. The full list is below:

• PS5 Digital Edition console
• DualSense controller
• Disc drive console cover
• Vertical stand
• Retro cable connector housing
• PlayStation shapes cable ties
• Sticker
• Poster
• Paperclip

Personally, it's the paperclip that's doing it for me.

Getting prepped: save your payment information

I was talking a little earlier about how important it is to sail through checkout. Another way you can get your cart through as quickly as possible is by saving your payment information ahead of time. There's nothing worse than reading off the back of a card when the clock is ticking, but most retailers will allow you to get all your info written in beforehand.

When will 30th Anniversary PS5 Slim pre-orders go live?

That we can't quite say. The only retailer to have listed a start time for their stock drop is Walmart, and that's an early doors offer for its Walmart Plus members at 10am ET. However, we do know that Sony's own pre-orders went live at 10am ET and 8am BST back in September, so I would expect a similar turnaround this time.

That's not to say you should rock up at 10am / 8am on the dot. In fact, I would recommend loading up your pages around an hour to two hours in advance - just to make sure you've got a good base to work with when refreshing. When the clock strikes there's going to be a sudden surge of interest, one that has brought sites completely down in the past. You want to be in the best possible position to break through the gates.