PS5 Black Friday 2022: Freebie Games, Gift Cards and Bundled Deals

Early Black Friday deals start showing up between late October and early November, but let’s be real — the holiday shopping season begins with fall shopping events like Target Deal Days and Amazon’s brand-new Prime Early Access sale. 

Thanks to global supply chain constraints and inflation, finding a regular-price PlayStation 5 console still requires a bit of research and a lot of patience. PlayStation shortages have improved significantly since Black Friday 2021, but don’t get your hopes up for a substantial Black Friday discount on PS5 consoles. 

For those lucky enough to own a PS5, you’ll have plenty of opportunities to save on accessories, SSD storage and the biggest PS5 game releases of 2022. It’s about time – DualSense controllers are notoriously sale-adverse, while top-selling titles like Horizon Forbidden West and Elden Ring have yet to fall far below the $50 mark (and both games usually cost $69.99).

PS5 Prices (We’ll Deals when available)

• PlayStation 5 — MSRP: $499.99

The standard PS5 is Sony’s highest-performing console yet, boasting an 825GB custom SSD and a speedy eight-core Zen 2 processor with up to 16GB of GDDR6 RAM. This model has a disc drive capable of playing 4K Ultra HD Blu-ray media as well as PS4 games, so it’s worth paying an extra $100 if you prefer owning physical media.

• PlayStation 5 Digital Edition — MSRP: $399.99

The PS5 Digital Edition is 12 millimeters slimmer and $100 cheaper than the standard PS5, as it doesn’t have a disc drive. This option is ideal for budget-conscious gamers who prefer digitally downloaded games. Otherwise, the PS5 Digital Edition is virtually identical to the PS5 in terms of performance, internal specs and cutting-edge gameplay features like Tempest 3D Audiotech and ray tracing.

• PlayStation 5 DualSense Controller — MSRP: From $69.99

The DualSense Controller features a sleek new two-tone design with textured grips, a built-in microphone, improved haptic feedback and adaptive trigger resistance.

Our 2022 PS5 Predictions 

While Sony’s controversial PS5 price hike doesn’t apply to retailers in the United States, it’s fair to assume that the long-term effects of the console shortage are still widely felt. Remember: the PlayStation 4 received a $50 price cut at the same point in its lifecycle. There’s a good chance we’ll see more consoles in stock during Black Friday, but price cuts are highly unlikely.

With that in mind, we’re most likely going to see lots of discounted PS5 games, accessories, PlayStation Plus subscriptions and perhaps a few console bundles. First-party peripherals like the DualSense controller and the PS5 Pulse 3D Wireless Headset haven’t gotten many good deals, but we’ve seen increasingly regular (and decent) price cuts from Amazon in the months leading up to Black Friday.

If you’re chasing rare PS5 bundle deals or hoping to find a console in stock, keep track of Black Friday offers from Best Buy, Walmart and GameStop. All three retailers carry a vast assortment of PS5 games and accessories, plus special holiday savings opportunities for store program members (Best Buy Totaltech, Walmart+ and GameStop PowerUp Rewards).

Tips on scoring the best PlayStation 5 deals

There won’t be many Black Friday console deals, but don’t lose hope — there are still plenty of ways to save on PlayStation games, subscriptions and accessories!

1. Don’t bother waiting for a reduced price. There’s no point in mincing words — if you want a PS5 and have the opportunity to purchase it for MSRP, don’t waste it!
2. Console bundles offer the best value (if you actually want the additional items). Chances are, most Black Friday PS5 console discounts will be part of a bundle deal. Bundles are worthwhile when they cost less than the sum of its parts and feature games and accessories that you would probably buy anyways. Some retailers even offer customizable bundles, which makes it easier to avoid eating the cost for items you don’t need.
3. Focus on PS5 games and accessories if you’re trying to save money. If your main Black Friday objective is “save as much money as possible”, PS5 storage and video games will likely receive solid percentage-off discounts.

Do PS5s go on sale?

A few lucky shoppers have stumbled upon a rare $0.99 PS5 discount, so we can’t say that PS5 consoles never go on sale… but it doesn’t happen often. Bundle deals are the best way to save money on your PS5 purchase, but you’re mostly saving on the included games and accessories.

Where will the best Black Friday PlayStation deals be?

Five days before Black Friday, Walmart gave Walmart+ members early access to online deals from its “Black Friday sneak peek” ad, which advertised a freshly restocked supply of PS5 and PS5 Digital Edition consoles. If you are a Walmart+ member (or have a similar store membership), keep an eye out for these member-exclusive deals.

Most Black Friday PS5 discounts apply to games and accessories. Check these retailers for the best PS5 deals:

• Amazon — quick delivery, decent chance of PS5 game deals and bundles
• Best Buy — one-stop-shop for games and accessories, consoles restock periodically
• GameStop — modest accessory deals, used and renewed PS5 consoles
• Target — discounted games and same-day delivery
• Sony — consoles ship for free as long as you order another item

Where can you find the best Cyber Monday PlayStation deals?

Most PlayStation Cyber Monday sales focus on PS5 games, PS Plus subscriptions and other digital discounts. Some retailers run the same Black Friday deals through Cyber Monday, while others offer different ways to save on Cyber Monday.

Best Buy and GameStop had remarkably good Cyber Monday game deals in 2021 — we saw record-breaking low prices on Call of Duty: Vanguard ($39 at GameStop, usually $59.99), Assassin’s Creed: Valhalla ($19.99 at Best Buy, usually $59.99) and Marvel’s Spider-Man: Miles Morales ($29.99 at Best Buy, usually $49.99).