Where to pre-order the Astro Bot Joyful DualSense controller tomorrow
Add Astro to your collection of PS5 goodies - here's where to pre-order the Limited Edition Astro Bot Joyful DualSense controller
It's almost time to grab yourself the latest PS5 controller, so if you're wondering where to pre-order the Astro Bot Joyful DualSense controller, you're in the right place. Having covered pre-orders for the last version of the Astro Bot PS5 controller, I know where you should hedge your bets. Last year's Astro Bot controller was one of the most popular DualSense Limited Editions I've seen (judging by how quickly stock disappeared), so this time around, I'm going to be giving you live coverage of stock drops.
The new Joyful version of the Astro Bot controller will go live tomorrow, September 12, at 10am in each region in the US and UK. Like all of the PlayStation controller launches in recent times, you won't need to work to another time zone's sleep schedule. In your region, the controller will become available for purchase at 10am local time.
Although PlayStation has stated that its own Direct store will be the first place to look for stock, I've been covering all of the Limited Edition DualSense drops this year, and more often than not, stock has appeared at participating retailers before it's popped up at PlayStation Direct. Don't stress, though, that's what I'm here for. Keep scrolling to join me as I hunt for stock of the new DualSense controller in the US and UK. If you're wondering where to pre-order the new Astro Bot DualSense controller, I've supplied some quick links to check immediately below. To see the latest updates, keep scrolling to see my live feed.
Where to pre-order the Astro Bot Joyful DualSense in the US
- PlayStation Direct: Check stock
- Best Buy: Check stock
- Amazon: Check stock
- Walmart: Check stock
Where to pre-order the Astro Bot Joyful DualSense in the UK
- PlayStation Direct: Check stock
- Very: Check stock
- Amazon: Check stock
- Argos: Check stock
- Currys: Check stock
- GAME: Check stock
Should you pre-order the Astro Bot Joyful DualSense controller?
The original version of the Astro Bot DualSense controller disappeared very quickly, and if there have been any restocks in the year since the game launched, they've been fleeting. This seems to be a really popular colorway of the DualSense controller, so if you'd like to add it to your collection, I'd try and pre-order it to have the best chance of securing one before stock dries up.
Some Limited Edition DualSenses don't do an awful lot to the design of the controller to really make it stand out. Sure, while both Astro Bot versions have fairly simplistic color schemes, they do represent the character really well, and there are finer details there to appreciate. If you're a fan of Astro Bot, this is a fun addition to your PS5 collection.
Although, don't go in expecting any performance boosts. This is just a regular DualSense, although it looks a lot fancier. You won't get any benefits that DualSense Edge owners do like back paddles or deep customization.
Catch you tomorrow!
I've got to run for now since it's the end of the work day here in the UK. But I'll be on at around 9:30am BST tomorrow for the start of all the pre-order chaos, and I'll remain online updating this page throughout the day for when US retailers kick into gear.
For now, feel free to have a peruse of the info I've already supplied in today's live feed.
Take it easy, and I'll catch you tomorrow!
Astro Bot Dualsense pre-orders: Who are the main players and who was reliable last time?
Lucky for you, I've saved some info about all the biggest retailers who were supplying stock of the previous Astro Bot DualSense controller. Starting with UK shops, here's a little rundown of how they all performed this time last year:
PlayStation Direct
Weird thing to take note of for tomorrow's pre-orders:
PlayStation always announces that when a new Limited Edition DualSense controller is going up for pre-order, that it'll arrive at PlayStation Direct first. That's been true for a few hardware launches since the brand opened its own online retailer, but more recently, the participating retailers have had stock of Limited Edition DualSenses first.
It's hard to say whether this time, it'll be worth checking PlayStation Direct or not first. Either way, there are other reliable retailers I've had a lot of success with when it comes to PS5 controller stock. In the US, you're talking about Best Buy, Walmart, and Amazon, with Best Buy being the most consistent of the three.
In the UK, you're looking at Argos, sometimes Amazon, and sometimes Very. GAME has also chipped in with a few models of the DualSense, but its not the first place I'd look to.
Either way, I'll be on tomorrow morning to help UK shoppers first. That will likely give us a signal about which US retailers to check first.
Who am I?
...But just who am I to help you capitalize on some DualSense pre-orders? Well, it's been my job to cover all the latest Limited Edition DualSense launches in recent times.
I've been standing guard for the Helldivers 2, TLOU, Death Stranding 2, and not to mention, original Astro Bot DualSense pre-order launches. By this stage, I know what the process is, where to look for stock, which retailers are the reliable ones, and where best to direct you.
I've also been covering all sorts of controllers for years, reviewing them, watching their prices, and otherwise keeping an eye on any news about them. Long before that, I was an avid collector of DualShock 4 controllers in the PS4 days, so I know exactly the feeling of needing that new colorway to add to my collection.
I also know the pain of that collection hitting my bank balance.
All that said, I'm confident I can help you secure your Astro Bot Joyful DualSense pre-order tomorrow, so stay tuned for more updates.
Did you catch it? Eyes really are the window to the soul
That's right, the eyes on this new "joyful" variant are slightly different from the original Astro Bot DualSense, in that they show the character smiling.
If you're thinking, that's odd, why didn't they just restock the original model if they weren't going to change much? I'd be inclined to agree with you. Then again, this is a clever marketing tactic of making it feel more exclusive and more like a collector's item.
Does this hint at other Astro Bot DualSense colorways coming in the future? Very possibly, although keep in mind that this Joyful version took a year to come out, so I wouldn't count on that possibility.
If this is a controller you want to add to your collection, or you missed out on the previous version, I'm here to help.
Spot the difference:
Hello there! My name is Duncan, and I'm the hardware editor here at GamesRadar+ in charge of all things controllers. To get our live coverage underway, here's the question that will likely be on everyone's minds.
Is this a new controller? Is this a long-awaited restock of the Astro Bot DualSense controller from last year? What's the "twist" Sony mentioned in their social media announcement?
Well, if you take a look at the image above, you'll see the "joyful" edition that launches for pre-order tomorrow morning. If you look at the image below, you can play a game of spot the difference with the original version that launched last year.
You have a good look, compare, and take some notes. I'll be back in 10 minutes or so to give you the answers.
No copying one another, now...
