Best Buy has announced that customers will not be able to purchase a PlayStation 5, Xbox Series X, or Xbox Series S in stores until sometime next year. The announcement was made on the company’s blog, and seems to be an effort to dissuade customers from waiting in line or camping out in front of store locations in order to secure a console on launch day. Instead, customers are being encouraged to keep an eye on BestBuy.com, where they will be able to select between having the console shipped directly to their home, picking it up via contactless curbside, or picking it up in-store.
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These efforts are clearly intended to help with social distancing during the coronavirus pandemic. Console launches have always inspired gamers to camp out outside of stores; while this year is clearly different, it seems that Best Buy is making efforts to prevent customers from doing just that. According to the retailer, those that haven’t been able to secure a pre-order just yet still may have a chance to do so, based on availability.
Console launches have always been a source of excitement for gamers. There is a real sense of satisfaction to be had from picking up a console on launch day from the store. Thankfully, Best Buy’s in-store pick-up option means that customers will still be able to do that, even if they won’t be able to scour the store for one. Should they choose the in-store option, Best Buy has a number of safety measures in place to make sure that picking up the console is a safe process, including appointment times.
Of course, a lot of gamers might be planning to hold off on purchasing a new video game console until next year, anyway. Some of the biggest first-party games for PS5 and Xbox Series X will be available on their predecessors, and pre-orders for the next-gen consoles have been hard to come by. As such, fans might plan on holding off until 2021, when they can walk into Best Buy store or another retailer to pick-up the next-gen console of their choosing. For those that do plan on buying a new console this year, it’s nice to see the retailer taking the proper precautions!
Did you pre-order a next-gen console from Best Buy? How do you plan on picking up your system on launch day? Let us know in the comments or share your thoughts directly on Twitter at @Marcdachamp to talk about all things gaming!
