What just happened? Next-gen consoles from Microsoft and Sony are among the most sought after gifts this holiday season. Both launched earlier this month and subsequently sold out in the blink of an eye. Fortunately for those seeking a PS5, there's still hope. Sony said in a Twitter post on Wednesday that the PlayStation 5 has been their biggest console launch ever, although without more information, it's impossible to decipher exactly what that means.

Nevertheless, Sony went on to confirm that additional inventory will be coming to retailers "before the end of the year." The tech giant advised users to stay in touch with local retailers for more information.

Again, even this statement isn't concrete as "before the end of the year" doesn't necessarily mean in time for the holidays.

Microsoft earlier this month revealed that it expects to see supply shortages run through the holidays and into early next year. But it's better than what we heard earlier this week.

Consoles from both camps have been plagued by heavy demand and intense interest from bots and scalpers. A quick check over on eBay reveals that PS5s are selling for north of $900 while the Xbox Series X is fetching at least $800 in most completed auctions. The Xbox Series S appears to be selling for under $500 in most auctions.

Aside from third-party reseller sites, your best bet to try and score a console at retail could come during Black Friday and Cyber Monday. But you'll need to keep your eyes peeled as they will likely go very fast.