How the hunt for a PlayStation 5 became a full-time job

PS5 stock issues have inspired community spirit in an unexpected way, writes Eleanor Jones

The PlayStation 5 has been incredibly difficult to buy since it launched in November 2020 (Getty)

How do you solve a problem like the PlayStation 5? The answer to this question is, quite simply, that you can’t, as the IndyBest team know all too well – we’ve been liveblogging the sporadic stock of Sony’s elusive console since May.

Purchasing a PS5 has been a challenge since its landmark launch a year ago. The supply chain issue is largely due to a global shortage in semiconductors, a problem that has impacted a number of other products, from smartphones to electric cars (as well as the rival Xbox series X console, which is similarly impossible to spot in the wild).

This week, a new report from Bloomberg suggested that the PS5 shortages are set to get even worse, meaning it could be even harder to add one to your basket – the worst possible news for hopeful parents (and adults) who were hoping to track one down before Christmas.