Why it matters: Are you hoping to get hold of an elusive PlayStation 5 console this holiday season but worry that your chances are somewhere between slim and none? Sony is giving US customers a glimmer of hope by letting them register for its PS5 restock events.

Sony does emphasize that it will have only a limited amount of PS5 consoles available for US customers to purchase, so if you want the opportunity to receive an invitation to a restock event, sign up here without delay.

Anyone wishing to take part requires a US address and a PlayStation Network ID---you need to sign in to your PSN account---and must opt-in to receive marketing emails from Sony.

Doing this doesn't guarantee you'll get an invite. Sony says that its selection process is based on previous interests and PlayStation activities. While there's some ambiguity as to what that means exactly, it's probably to check that accounts aren't newly created by scalpers with the sole intention of buying a PS5 then selling it for a fortune on eBay.

Can you put a price on your happiness or that of your child? Scalpers can

Sony also says that it is limiting PS5 console pre-order reservations to one per PSN ID---that's one PS5 console or one PS5 Digital Edition, not both.

Starting from November 2021, those selected will receive an email containing a date, time, and instructions for purchasing a PS5 console. Invitees have a limited time to make an order reservation, the exact details of which will be included in the notification.

The PlayStation 5 has been one of the consumer products hit hardest by the chip shortage. AMD, whose custom SoC powers the PS5, believes the situation won't start to improve until the second half of 2022. Back in May, Sony said PS5 production would ramp up in the second half of this year and that it "hopes" supply will improve this holiday season, but don't hold your breath.