Black Friday shopping looks a lot different this year; stores run out of PS5s

PLEASANT HILL, Calif. - Black Friday shopping looks a whole lot different this year.

The pandemic has forced retailers to rethink how they approach what has been the busiest shopping day of the year.

There will be fewer crowds and more online shopping and curbside pickup.

The Centers for Disease and Control and Prevention put shopping at crowded stores in its list of high-risk categories. 

Many retailers started their online deals early. Those who do shop in person can expect socially distanced lines, retailers limiting the number of people inside, to avoid crowds, hand sanitizers, and masks.

Sony says it will have more PS5 in stock, cites 'unprecedented' demand

And while lines were shorter than usual, some of the biggest crowds were outside electronics stores.

About 50 people were outside the Game Stop in Pleasant Hill before the sun came up on Friday. They were waiting in the cold, hoping to get their hands on the new Playstation 5 or Xbox series.

At 5:30 a.m., an employee delivered some bad news: They did not get in any new PS5s and they were sold out. 

Most people left.

But Felix Mousigian had been waiting since Thanksgiving. 

Most of the line left – one man we talked to had been waiting in line since yesterday.

"I’ve been waiting since last night at 6 p.m.," he said. "They sell out online, they sell out in a matter of seconds. I thought if I was one of the first two in line I would guarantee a PS5 today and that’s not the case.”

The game is also sold out on the Best Buy site as well. 

However, Sony said it will be releasing more inventory to retailers before the end of the year.