PlayStation Direct store launches in Europe today

The PlayStation Direct store, which allows players to buy hardware directly from Sony, is launching in Europe today.

The store, which began life in the US in 2019, launches in Germany today, and will spread to the UK, France, Belgium, Luxembourg, and the Netherlands "shortly after." 

Sony says that its hope is that the Direct store will make it easier for players to shop for PlayStation games, hardware, and accessories. By purchasing directly from Sony, there's a chance that players won't have to wait for batches of consoles to arrive at third-party retailers, but ongoing issues with PS5 stock - potentially not set to alleviate until 2023 - haven't been entirely solved by the store's presence in the US, so there's no guarantee that this makes things easier just yet.

That said, in some instances, it might be a little easier to get your hands on new hardware. Last month, Sony offered fans the opportunity to register for the chance to buy a console in time for Christmas. More confusingly, over the summer, the company issued players who already had the tech the chance to buy a second PS5, which was a strange move given the difficulties that some have faced in finding even one console.

The European storefront is currently available, but the only country and language option available at time of writing is Germany. The PS5 is listed on the store, but is currently not available for purchase.

Players will be able to use the new storefront to get their hands on some of these upcoming PS5 games.