Getting one's hands on a next generation console is not easy. Most major retailers have a hard time maintaining inventory long enough for consumers to purchase one. It isn't helped that online scalpers sending spam bots to buy up units clean out stores fast enough before orders can be placed, the complications of the Coronavirus have more than crippled the ability of an effective rollout of hardware.

Well, there's hot ticket items, then there's stock being cleaned out so fast, you can feel the sonic boom hit across the country. On January 21, GameStop, Wal-Mart, and Best Buy announced that they will have limited inventory of the PlayStation 5 and the Xbox Series X and Series S. GameStop made their announcement the evening before. By 1pm, all consoles were completely out of stock. A follow-up announcement was posted to Twitter, hoping to detail customers who missed out on the shopping blitz that lasted mere minutes before the website was swamped.

A limited number of PlayStation 5, Xbox Series X|S, AND Nintendo Switch console bundles are NOW AVAILABLE here: https://t.co/p6f3KynxZF

If you miss out on this round, don't worry -- we'll keep you posted as more become available. pic.twitter.com/oK0ZJLpIy8

— GameStop (@GameStop) January 21, 2021

It's very difficult for the average customer to keep up with bots and online scalpers, leaving them with the only option of paying upwards of double the retail price on eBay. According to an article on CNET, the speculation is that retailers are likely relying on smaller inventory drops for the foreseeable future. This indicates that it's going to be first come first serve for anyone eyeing to jump into the next generation. The Nintendo Switch, which saw limited availability upon its launch, sells out quickly as a hot commodity.

If you were one of the lucky few that managed to get their hands on a PS5, Series X|S in this limited rollout, feel free to share your comments. Best to stay posted to Twitter for any updates. 'While supplies last" carries greater meaning.