Sony: PlayStation 5 launch consoles completely sold out out in Japan

Sony warns Japanese consumers that all launch day PS5 stock is completely sold out across all retailers and storefronts.

As COVID-19 lockdowns push more consumers towards gaming, demand for the PS5 is tremendously high. Even with the reported 8.25 million PS5 shipment target, Sony may have a hard time meeting this demand across key worldwide markets. This is doubly true for its home country of Japan where launch consoles will be unavailable for anyone without a pre-order.

"The release date of PlayStation 5, Thursday, November 12, is approaching. Due to the high interest and many orders from users, the release date is sold out by the reserved amount," Sony said on a PlayStation Blog Japan post.

Sony is also cancelling all in-store launch day events for the PS5. There won't be any midnight releases or long lineups.

The console simply won't be on store shelves on November 12. All PS5 console sales will be held online only, and consumers can only pick up their PS5s at a store at launch. They can't actually buy consoles at physical retailers.

Due to spiking demand, Sony is extremely confident in the PS5's success. The company expects the next-gen system will break the PS4's 7.6 million release sales and the platform will significantly contribute to the $24.57 billion gaming earnings forecast for FY2020.