PS5 Pre-Order Registration Is Open, But The First Round Is Invite-Only

Although the PlayStation 5 is launching this year, we’re still missing some key info about the console. Sony has revealed the console’s look, the DualSense controller, and some upcoming PS5 games, but the company has kept the PS5 price and release date a secret so far. It’s looking like we’ll hear more very soon and that the PS5 pre-order date is near, however, as Sony is now letting gamers register to be one of the first to pre-order the PS5. As it looks like the highly-anticipated Ratchet & Clank: Rift Apart could be released around launch, you’ll want to get the system as soon as possible.

On Sony’s new PS5 sign-up page, the company is taking pre-order reservations on a first-come, first-served basis from “existing customers.” According to the PS5 pre-order FAQ page, the selection is “based on previous interests and PlayStation activities,” and you’ll know if you’re selected if you are contacted via email. It did not specify if those activities relate to game playtime, purchases, or some other metric.

If contacted, you’ll only have a limited time to make a reservation to pre-order, so act fast and follow the instructions in the email. The expiration date and time for making your reservation will be indicated in the email. You’ll also need a US shipping address to place a PS5 pre-order in this initial round. Pre-orders will be limited to one console per PSN ID. Here are the full pre-order quantity limitations per PSN ID:

• 1 PS5 Console or 1 PS5 Digital Edition
• 2 DualSense wireless controllers
• 2 DualSense charging stations
• 2 Pulse 3D wireless headsets
• 2 Media remotes
• 2 HD Cameras

It sounds like, at least for the initial round of pre-orders, console pre-orders will be limited to those invited to pre-order from PlayStation Direct, so you’ll want to register with your PSN ID as soon as possible. Other PS5 products, like the controller and headset, will be “open to the general public,” but the page doesn’t say when or whether the PS5 console will eventually be available at third-party retailers.

In a recent stream focused on the DualSense controller, Sony’s senior vice president of marketing Eric Lempel made clear that gamers will be given ample warning before pre-orders go live, and the registration page confirms that those who are selected will be emailed before pre-orders start.

“We’ll let you know when pre-orders will happen,” Lempel told Game Awards host Geoff Keighley in the stream. “It’s not going to happen with a minute’s notice. We’re going to, at some point, let you know when you can pre-order PlayStation 5.” It looks like that time is imminent, as Sony has also released the first official PS5 ad.

Amazon has finally put up its PlayStation 5 placeholder page with info about the console as well, so all major retailers now have set pages promoting the console. However, it sounds like pre-orders at those retailers may still be a ways off, since Sony is limiting the first round of PS5 pre-orders to its own store. Below, check out all the PS5 retail pages, see its design and accessories, and catch up on what we know about the PS5 so far. Plus, see all the games revealed in Sony’s “Future of Gaming” livestream.

When will the PS5 be available to pre-order?

It’s currently not known when the PS5’s pre-order date will be, and at this point, it’s likely Sony will share more PS5 pre-order information in September. We do know Sony will share the date and time for PS5 pre-orders ahead of time–they won’t go live without a moment’s notice.

Best Buy, Target, and GameStop are all currently accepting sign-ups for people who wish to be notified. Amazon and Walmart have created PS5 landing pages as well, although they’re not offering notification sign-ups. You can see all the current placeholder PS5 pages at different retailers below. When PS5 pre-orders become available, this story will act as our PS5 pre-order guide, rounding up all the details and links you need.

PS5 placeholder pages at third-party retailers:

PS5 release date

Sony has confirmed a “holiday 2020” release window for PS5, though it still hasn’t revealed the exact release date. In the past, November has been a frequent month for console releases, but nothing is confirmed beyond the fact that PS5 is still releasing in 2020. With major games like Assassin’s Creed Valhalla and Call of Duty: Black Ops Cold War releasing around that same time, it seems likely Sony’s console–and Microsoft’s–will follow suit.

How much will the PS5 cost?

Unfortunately, we still don’t know the PS5’s price point. Both models of the PS5 were revealed during Sony’s event, though neither received a price. In a press release following the event on June 11, Sony said pricing information will come “at a later date.” Again, we expect this info will be shared in September, at this point, along with pre-order details. In the past, Sony has stated that PS5’s price will be “appealing to gamers” because of its specs.

Two versions: The PS5 and PS5 Digital Edition

The PS5 reveal event gave us our first look at two different versions of Sony’s next-gen console. The first model of the PS5 comes with a 4K Blu-ray disc drive, while the second comes without one and is dubbed the PS5 Digital Edition.

PS5 accessories

During the PS5 reveal event, we got our first look at some official, first-party PS5 accessories. Sony revealed a new headset, media remote, controller-charging dock, and camera. No prices were revealed. Unfortunately, we didn’t learn if third-party PS4 accessories will be forward-compatible with the PS5. We do know, however, that an adapter can be used to make the PS4’s camera work on the PS5, assuming you don’t want to buy the PS5-specific version.

More details we know about the PS5

The PS5 will usher in a new generation of games, but it will also feature PS4 backward-compatibility. Both consoles boast similar internal architecture, so the transition is easier than what we saw from the PS3 to PS4. However, it’s unclear which PS4 games will be compatible with the PS5. Sony has said that most games will run on the PS5–Cerny noted that almost all of the PS4’s 100 most-played games will be compatible with the new system. The reason some games aren’t compatible is that “the boost is truly massive this time around and some game code just can’t handle it,” Cerny said. This means Sony has to test each game before they can give the thumbs up.

Speaking of games, Sony also revealed quite a few during the PS5 reveal event back in June. Spider-Man: Miles Morales, Horizon Forbidden West, and Ratchet & Clank: Rift Apart were among the reveals as were Resident Evil 8: Village, Hitman III, and a Demon’s Souls remake. Sony claims the PS5 has the “Best Lineup” in PlayStation history–a bold-in-ambiguous claim.

As for the PS5’s specs, it most notably boasts a custom 825GB SSD with an expandable NVMe SSD storage slot, which will ensure faster install times as well as faster loading–though not all NVMe SSDs will be capable of keeping up with the PS5.

The console supports ray tracing, 3D audio, and PlayStation VR, and it also has a 4K UHD Blu-ray drive. To simplify things, Sony has said the PS5 is powerful enough to support 4K resolution at a 120Hz refresh rate–that’s double the refresh rate of most TVs, which typically run at 60Hz.

Sony also revealed the PS5’s DualSense controller earlier this year. Sony said that one of its goals is “to deepen the feeling of immersion when you play games.” The company elaborated on this by revealing two new features the next-gen controller will support. The first is the replacement of its rumble technology with haptic feedback–this is also why they dropped the Shock part of the DualShock name. Sony says that “you truly feel a broader range of feedback” with haptics, which means “crashing into a wall in a race car feels much different than making a tackle on the football field.” Sony noted you can even feel the difference between various textures.

The second big new feature is what Sony calls “adaptive triggers,” which the company claims can simulate various actions, such as “the tactile sensation of drawing a bow and arrow or accelerating an off-road vehicle through rocky terrain.”

On the controller side, Sony also recently revealed the DualShock 4 will be able to connect to the PS5, but won’t work with PS5 games, which likely means it’ll only be usable for backward-compatible PS4 games.