Update 2:10PM ET, March 14th: Walmart’s site is sold out of both versions of PlayStation 5 consoles. The Xbox Series X is still available for Walmart Plus subscribers at this time.
Walmart is serving up another round of console restocks on this Pi Day (that’s today). The superstore giant is known for reliable console drops that don’t require buying a pricey bundle, but it does require paying for a subscription service. Once again, access to these consoles is exclusive to paying Walmart Plus members when it goes live today at 12PM ET / 9AM PT. All three major consoles will be available, including the standard PlayStation 5 equipped with a disc drive for $499, the disc-less PlayStation 5 Digital Edition for $399, and also the Xbox Series X for $499.
To get your console of choice today, you’re going to need a paid Walmart Plus account, which costs $12.95 per month or $98 per year. While free trial accounts are not eligible, you only need to pay for one month’s membership to qualify.
The road to success with Walmart’s site is to get your Walmart Plus subscription squared away ahead of time and logged in with your preferred shipping and billing address ready to go. Load up the console listing of your choice, and refresh your browser right as the time is crossing over to 12:00PM ET / 9:00AM PT. Then quickly hit “Add to Cart” as soon as you see the button go live. Be careful not to continually reload the page, as Walmart’s bot protection may temporarily lock you out and delay your endeavors. Once you are in the queue for a console, wait patiently and hope you get lucky. You normally have just 10 minutes to check out once a console is added to your cart, so don’t dawdle.
Hopefully you have success this time around. In the meantime, be sure to stock up on any essential accessories and games for your new console, and subscribe to our Verge Deals newsletter to help you save money on video games, tech, and gadgets.
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Sony’s flagship next-gen console, which includes a disc drive, allows you to play both digital and physical games for the PS4 and PS5.
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The PS5 Digital Edition costs $400. Compared to the standard PS5, this console is $100 less and does not include a Blu-ray disc drive.
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The Xbox Series X is Microsoft’s flagship console, serving as its most powerful (and biggest) option. While the Series S is aimed at smooth 1440p performance and takes a disc-less approach, the $500 Series X is focused on fast, 4K gameplay.
Recommended accessories and games for PlayStation 5
Since the Walmart restocks are console-only, it’s a great chance to pick exactly what games and accessories you want. Here are some we recommend, including some PS5-exclusives.
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Guerilla Games’ new installment in the Horizon series, Horizon Forbidden West puts you back in control of Aloy to traverse a vast open world filled with machine animals and expansive quests. The PS4 version is $10 cheaper than the PS5 version and upgradeable for free.
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Insomniac Games’ latest adventure in the Ratchet & Clank series is the most fun entry yet. It’s also the first to launch on PS5, and it’s both a showcase for amazing graphics and fast loading speeds.
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The latest title from Housemarque is a rogue-like third-person shooter that puts you in the shoes of Selene, an astronaut tormented by a seemingly never-ending time loop.
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Midnight black DualSense controller
The midnight black DualSense controller sports the same hardware as the original — haptic feedback, adaptive triggers, etc. — only with a two-tone black design reminiscent of PS2, PS3, and PS4 consoles.
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Sony’s own wireless gaming headset, made to showcase the PS5’s 3D audio effect, also works on the PS4.
Recommended accessories and games for Xbox Series X
Over on the Xbox side of things, there may not be as many exclusives, but there is Xbox Game Pass, as well as some great choices for headsets covering more price points.
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Xbox Game Pass Ultimate (three-month subscription)
What good is an Xbox without games? Xbox Game Pass Ultimate offers access to more than 100 titles, including the likes of Doom, Hades, and Halo Infinite, which you can play on multiple devices. The pass also gives subscribers access to exclusive deals, online multiplayer, and Microsoft’s cloud gaming service, Xbox Cloud Gaming.
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The latest FromSoftware title, Elden Ring, takes the Dark Souls formula to a vast open world.
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The latest installment in the cherished sci-fi first-person shooter franchise delivers a hefty open-world campaign, along with a free-to-play multiplayer mode.
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Microsoft’s latest Xbox controller features a share button and a USB-C charging port if you decide to use the optional rechargeable battery.
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Microsoft’s Xbox Stereo Headset offers a no-fuss, wired solution for gaming on the Xbox One and Series X / S, as well as PCs, and just about anything with a 3.5mm connection. The gaming headset looks similar to Xbox Wireless Headset, but it lacks features like the chat/game audio mix dial.
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You don’t have to miss a call while you game thanks to Microsoft’s Xbox Wireless Headset. In our review, we found it to be a comfortable, intuitively designed headset that’s well worth the price. In addition to working well with Xbox consoles, it can connect to another device simultaneously via Bluetooth.
