Photo by Vjeran Pavic / The Verge
Much like last week’s in-person restock of the PlayStation 5, GameStop is once again hosting another day of in-store new console sales. This time, it will take place on Thursday, December 23rd, and include both the standard, disc drive-equipped PlayStation 5 and the Xbox Series X. This event is exclusive to GameStop Pro members, which costs $14.99 per year and can be purchased online in advance. GameStop has listed the participating stores for both PlayStation 5 and Xbox Series X on its website, indicating that more locations are stocking Sony’s console — 598 stores with PS5s Thursday, compared to 277 listed for Xbox.
Though the PS5 may be more readily available Thursday, both consoles have been difficult to buy online, even with frequent restocks happening every week in the month of December. This may be the last chance to get a PS5 or Xbox Series X in time for Christmas, though the Xbox Series S and Nintendo Switch OLED are readily available elsewhere.
GameStop’s penchant for only offering new consoles in bundle form means purchasing either console will also include accessories and games. The Shortcut’s Matt Swider has once again reported leaks from GameStop that detail the contents of these bundles. Thursday’s PS5 bundle should match last week’s offering, including Marvel’s Spider-Man: Miles Morales Ultimate Edition, Ratchet & Clank: Rift Apart, Ghost of Tsushima: Director’s Cut, a third-party DualSense charging station, an additional Sony DualSense controller, and a $50 GameStop gift card. The Xbox Series X bundle comes with Call of Duty Vanguard, Far Cry 6, a three-month subscription to Xbox Game Pass Ultimate, and a $100 GameStop gift card. Both bundles may run upwards of $740, and participating stores are stocking up to 60 consoles.