British retailer Argos has begun canceling pre-orders for the PS5 Slim Digital 30th Anniversary Edition, citing an inability to fulfill orders. Customers affected by the unexpected cancellations will be automatically refunded to their original payment methods.
Pre-orders for the much-coveted PS1-themed console went live on the Argos website in the early hours of October 10, priced at £429.99. The limited edition console sold out shortly after it became available.
Less than a week later, customers have started receiving email or text messages that their orders were cancelled. The news has led to confusion, with some shoppers seeking clarification from Argos’ customer support.
Reports from those who reached Argos have been mixed. While some customer service representatives have indicated that the cancellation emails were sent in error, others have confirmed that the cancellations are legitimate, leaving buyers unsure of the status of their orders.
IGN contacted Argos/Sainsbury’s for clarification and comment. Argos responded, with a spokesperson saying: “We experienced huge demand for the PlayStation 5 30th Anniversary Limited Edition console and unfortunately had to cancel some orders after they were processed incorrectly. We have contacted affected customers to let them know, how sorry we are for the disappointment this has caused and confirm they will receive a full refund.”
This isn’t the first problem with the PS5 30th anniversary that customers have encountered. Just a few weeks ago, shoppers were quick to report ‘sold out’ messages for the PlayStation 5 – 30th Anniversary Limited Edition bundles minutes after pre-orders went live on PlayStation Direct in the UK, causing frustration for many who had visited the site and sat. in the queue in advance.
Following this, several ads for the PS5 Pro Console 30th bundle appeared on eBay, with scalpers asking for up to £10,000.
Although Argos’ cancellations do not involve the PS5 Pro bundle, but rather the PS5 Slim (Digital Edition), demand for this console has been just as high. A second wave of pre-orders were made available through major retailers such as Amazon, Argos and Very on October 10, but these sold out just as quickly. Now it looks like Argos is reversing some of those orders.
Those who made pre-orders are unsurprisingly frustrated by the situation. @Natty301288 on Twitter/X stating: “@ArgosHelpers is this a joke pre order made last Thursday confirmation received now can’t get this anywhere else”
The sentiment was shared by user @Malik_Zain7 who exclaimed: “@Argos_Online is this some kind of joke???
After receiving payment for a limited edition console and also sending me a confirmation email, you’re now saying it’s cancelled?”
For further updates on the situation, follow our deals team at @IGNUKDeals on Twitter/X, who are closely monitoring cancellations and other pre-order developments. The reason behind the cancellations remains unclear, although overselling of stock due to a processing error is currently being speculated as an explanation.
Robert Anderson is the deals expert and trade editor for IGN. You can follow him @robertliam21 on Twitter.