PS5 and Xbox Shortage Before GTA 6 and Black Friday? What Sony and Microsoft Actually Said

Will you be able to buy a PS5 or Xbox before GTA 6 and Black Friday? Microsoft says Xbox consoles are short: "Console sales remain constrained by supply, with more demand than consoles available," Xbox CEO Asha Sharma said after Microsoft's October 28 earnings. Sony is more confident. It says it has secured enough memory to build PS5s through the 2026 holiday season. Here's what each company actually said, and how to make sure you have a console by November 19.

Related: Black Friday 2026 Console Deals: PS5, Xbox and Switch 2 Prices Before November 27 · Sony Offers Up to $400 for Your Old PS5 Before GTA 6: How the Back Market Trade-In Works

Console stock at a glance

What Microsoft said

Microsoft reported its latest results on October 28. Xbox hardware revenue fell 14% from a year earlier. In a statement after the results, Xbox CEO Asha Sharma said: "Console sales remain constrained by supply, with more demand than consoles available." Microsoft hasn't said when supply will catch up, and it doesn't share how many consoles it sells. CFO Amy Hood expects Xbox hardware revenue to fall again in the holiday quarter.

What Sony said

Sony's message is different. CFO Lin Tao has said Sony can secure "the minimum quantity necessary to manage the year-end selling season," meaning enough memory to build PS5s through the 2026 holidays. That doesn't mean every store will have every model. Retailers have warned they won't get as many units as they want before GTA 6, and the PS5 Pro is the model most often reported as hard to find.

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How to make sure you have a console for GTA 6

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• Don't wait for Black Friday if you want to play on day one. GTA 6 is out November 19, eight days before Black Friday. Console discounts this year are small, and stock may be thinner after GTA 6 launches.
• Buy the model that's in stock. GTA 6 runs on the standard PS5, PS5 Slim, Digital Edition, PS5 Pro and both Xbox Series consoles. Don't wait weeks just for a Pro.
• Check storage. GTA 6 needs up to 212GB. A 2TB M.2 SSD for PS5 or an Xbox expansion card saves you deleting games.
• Get a second controller early. The limited GTA 6 DualSense controllers come out on November 19 and may sell out. A standard DualSense works just as well.
• Watch out for scalpers. Only pay over the normal price from a seller you trust, and check the box is sealed.

Release time, pre-load and everything else is in our GTA 6 hub. For Black Friday prices, see our Black Friday console deals.

FAQ

Is there a PS5 shortage before GTA 6?

Not officially. Sony says it has secured enough memory for the 2026 holidays, but retailers warn some stores may run short, especially of the PS5 Pro.

Is there an Xbox shortage?

Yes. Microsoft says Xbox console sales are "constrained by supply, with more demand than consoles available."

Should I wait for Black Friday to buy a console?

Only if you don't need it on November 19. Discounts are expected to be small, and stock could get tighter after GTA 6 launches.

Why are consoles hard to find?

AI data centres are buying huge amounts of memory chips, which pushes up prices and leaves less for consoles.