If you've already managed to secure a PlayStation 5 from the short-lived pre-order burst last week, congratulations. You're either luckier, quicker, or savvier than most, myself included. After Sony's 40-minute showcase of new and exclusive titles coming to the next-gen system, a quick reveal of the price points for both the disc drive and the digital versions of the console was revealed. Soon after that, via press release, it was announced that pre-orders would be opening up the very next day at global retailers. That's when the wheels came off.

The smart ones (and the scalpers) out there went to a variety of different retailers' websites and began spamming (or programmed bots to) refresh on the page as often as possible until something popped. They were rewarded. At about 8pm EDT, Sony PS5 pre-orders became available, and they were gone just about as quickly. Some folks got as far as getting their pre-order into a virtual cart, only to have it snatched back out again or for the cart itself to crash over and over again, which is definitely not what happened to yours truly, not at all. Even those who managed to secure a PS5 through retailers like Amazon might not even get it on release day thanks to delivery complications, so that's fun. Sony knows they done goofed it in this scenario, even if high demand outpacing supply is technically a good thing as far as capitalism is concerned.

Here's how Sony responded:

Unfortunately, that's the extent of their plan at the moment: Goof it, apologize, and get ready to goof it again later.

Microsoft, on the other hand, has an actual plan to rollout their pre-orders for the Xbox Series X and the digital edition, the Xbox Series S. Will demand be as high as the PS5, especially now that the shortage in Sony's next-gen console makes launch-day titles all the more difficult to play? Or will Microsoft's buyout of Bethesda be reason enough to bump up the Xbox on gamers' must-have holiday lists? Time will tell!

Be sure to let us know which gaming device you're choosing this year and if you've been lucky enough to get one (or two, or more)!