https://techcrunch.com/2020/11/05/sonys-playstation-5-wont-be-available-in-store-at-launch/

A small wrinkle in the console wars. Sony took to Twitter today to note that the PlayStation 5 won’t be available for in-store purchases on launch day (November 12 or 19, depending on what part of the world you live in). Instead, users will only be able to but it online at that date. The next-gen console went up for pre-order in mid-September, though a rush on purchasing caused a bit of a hiccup early on.

Sony specifies in a blog post that the decision was made — at least in part — over safety concerns surrounding the on-going COVID-19 pandemic.