Since its release in the US on November 10, the PS5 has been extremely difficult to buy. And even now, six months later, various component and supply chain issues, coupled with huge demand, have made finding a restock of PS5s a serious challenge, requiring patience, luck, and quick reactions to inventory information.

And the situation is not getting any easier. Our sibling site, TechRadar, with Matt Swider, who specializes in tracking PS5 and Xbox Series X inventory, has retrieved his crystal ball and conducted some analysis and concluded that finding a place to buy a PS5 will be even more difficult in the immediate future.

TechRadar reports that there are many reasons for this. One of the main factors is that PS5 production will not start up until 2022. This is not surprising given the disruption the coronavirus outbreak has caused to chip production and other factors. This means that there will be a shortage of semiconductors needed for new gaming consoles, the latest graphics cards from Nvidia and AMD, and other devices.

In effect, the PS5 is in the midst of a perfect storm of demand from home console and PC gamers, further exacerbated by telecommuters and those seeking entertainment in captivity. All of this means that chip suppliers cannot produce semiconductors fast enough to keep up with demand that is unlikely to ease anytime soon.

Even without these shortages, TechRadar notes that more exclusive games are coming to the PS5 this year, adding to the console's desirability: we've already seen what the PS5 can do, like "Returnal" and the upcoming "Deathloop" and " Horizon Forbidden West" are also on the horizon, and the PS5 is likely to be the most in-demand console for at least another 12 months.

Then there's the holiday season, where TechRadar has seen demand for the Nintendo Switch spike over the past four holiday seasons, especially during sales events like Black Friday and Cyber Monday, and expects the PS5 to be no different.

We have seen the same thing with the Switch. If you're looking for a great hybrid console, check out our article on where to buy a Nintendo Switch online.

Basically, if you can't get your hands on a PS5, you'll probably have a hard time finding a Sony console in stock for some time to come. Unfortunately, the same goes for the Xbox Series X, which, while not as fiercely popular as the PS5, is very difficult to purchase.

So while finding a PS5 may not be possible until next year or later, there are ways to improve your odds: here are some essential PS5 restocking tips and a breakdown of how to get a PS5 at major retailers in order to secure one.

If you live in the UK, check out our UK PS5 Restock Tracker. We've also compiled a list of alternative retailers for the PS5 and Xbox Series X, so check there as well if the major retailers are sold out.

Our own Richard Prydey has also found a way to get a PS5 without the annoying restocking game, but this requires a bit of luck.

But if all of this seems too stressful, our games editor Marshall Onoroff suggests that we embrace the PS5 and Xbox Series X shortages, and take advantage of the other great games from the last generation, as well as Assassin's Creed Valhalla and Use them as a means to digest the backlog of cross-platform titles; both the PS4 Pro and Xbox One X remain fairly capable consoles that can do a solid job with such games.

The PS5's stock price debacle may not go away anytime soon, but you still have an alternative. You can dive into the world of virtual reality with one of our picks for the best VR headsets. And even if you choose to wait for the calamity of the console shortage, it may be worth the wait, as by the time the PS5 and Xbox Series X become more affordable, you will have a more extensive library of games.