PS5 Pro: it’s a scam! The scalpers have succeeded in the 30th anniversary edition

Scalpers in ambush as soon as pre-orders open

Pre-orders for the PS5 Pro and its 30th Anniversary Edition opened on September 26, 2024. But true fans only had a short time to hope to get their hands on this limited edition.

In just a few hours, stocks were already exhausted, and the first resale ads began to appear online, particularly on platforms like eBay. The prices displayed? Well beyond the official price of €1099, with offers ranging from 3000 to 7000 euros in Europe. In the United States, some ads even reach $10,000.

This scenario is sadly reminiscent of the release of the PS5 in the middle of a pandemic, where scalpers had already struck hard by monopolizing stocks to resell them at a high price. This time, with such a rare collector’s edition, the situation seems even more critical for fans eager to treat themselves to this collector’s item.

A limited collector’s edition, an easy target

The 30th Anniversary Edition of the PS5 Pro is a limited series console, making demand particularly high. In addition to a specific design, it represents a true collector’s item for PlayStation fans, who wanted to celebrate three decades of the brand. It is precisely this exclusive nature that has piqued the interest of scalpers. By capturing a large part of the stocks, they created an artificial shortage, thus reinforcing price speculation.

Alongside the console, the DualSense 30th anniversary edition controller, although produced in larger quantities, has not escaped this phenomenon. Its recommended price of €79.99 quickly climbed, with the first ads showing prices between 200 and 300 euros, almost four times its initial price.

This behavior of scalpers causes immense frustration among fans. Not only is the 30th Anniversary Edition already expensive at its original price, but it becomes almost unaffordable for those who wanted to acquire it at the official price. Many denounce this practice which diverts the very spirit of collecting, where the idea is to own a rare and symbolic object, and not to resell it to make a profit.

Especially since this edition, already limited in terms of availability, was a landmark moment for fans of the PlayStation brand. Many people hoped to be able to add this console to their collection, but today find themselves facing prohibitive prices on resale platforms. The feeling of injustice is all the more present as the most loyal players, those who have followed PlayStation since its beginnings, have not had the opportunity to obtain this edition under normal conditions.

A classic PS5 Pro also a victim of speculation

The classic PS5 Pro has not been spared from this wave of speculation. While stocks of this new version of the console are not yet fully available, pre-orders on PlayStation Direct were quickly sold out. Although the PS5 Pro is scheduled to go on sale in the coming weeks at other retailers, the fear of stocks disappearing quickly is also fueling speculation.

Players are already anticipating difficulties in finding the console in stores, which could, as with the collector’s version, encourage the appearance of inflated prices on the secondary market. A situation which creates additional pressure for those who wish to afford the PS5 Pro, but who do not have the means to keep up with the soaring prices charged by resellers.

This scalping phenomenon has become a real plague for the video game industry. Consoles, but also graphics cards or event tickets, are regularly the target of these resellers who rush to buy products en masse to resell them at much higher prices. Players, but also businesses, often find themselves powerless in the face of this practice which, although legal, is widely criticized by consumers.

However, solutions exist. Some companies, like Valve for the release of the Steam Deck, have implemented more rigorous pre-order systems to avoid this type of situation, by limiting the number of products per buyer or by verifying the identity of customers. PlayStation could undoubtedly draw inspiration from these methods for the next limited editions of its consoles.