COMPUTER game fans hoping Father Christmas will bring them the new PlayStation 2 could be disappointed after a production problem left Cambridge store shelves empty.
Shop managers say it is currently impossible to get hold of the top-selling games console "for love nor money," owing to a manufacturing glitch.
Andy Baldwin, deputy manager of Game in Fitzroy Street, said: "We were one of the first stores to run out.
"You can't get hold of one for love nor money, not even a pre-owned one. It's a crazy situation to be in before Christmas."
It means the Sony PlayStation might lose out to its main rival, the Microsoft Xbox.
"The upside is we are selling more Xboxes," said Mr Baldwin.
"As far as we can tell it is some kind of manufacturing fault that has caused Sony to not meet demand.
"We've been told they will not be in store until December 1 at the earliest. But we are taking £50 deposits to guarantee one of the batch we will receive."
Kamar Waris, manager of Dixons, Lion Yard, said: "The problem is they have released a new PlayStation 2, and they have phased out the old ones but none of the new ones have arrived."
He agreed the problem was frustrating in the run-up to Christmas, but said his store was also taking pre-orders.
A spokesman for Hamleys toy store in London said that they too had sold out of the PlayStation 2.
Sony released a statement to explain the situation: "We are experiencing temporary shortages of the new Slimline PS2 console. These have been caused by production and shipping delays, plus the overwhelming demand that we have experienced for this new machine.
"At this time there is no stock of PlayStation 2s.
"However, special measures have been put in place to overcome the gap in stock, and we will be re-supplying our retailers at the beginning of December.
"To avoid disappointment, we will keep customers informed as stock arrives in the lead up to Christmas."
