The presale for PlayStation’s 30th anniversary PS5 Pro bundle, limited to just 12,300 units globally, closed within minutes, further fueling demand. Controllers and PlayStation Portables from the collection appeared on eBay at exorbitant prices, with one seller offering to personally deliver the limited edition for $50,000. In response to this situation and in an attempt to combat scalping, Sony has adopted an unusual strategy in Japan. To pre-order the celebratory console, customers will have to demonstrate that they are PlayStation owners and have played for at least 30 hours in the last 10 years.
The pre-order condition applies to anyone who logged in to a PS4 or PS5 console between February 22, 2014 and September 19, 2024. Pre-orders are open on the Japanese PlayStation Store until October 14, and a PlayStation Network account with a Sony account registered in Japan. In the event that requests exceed availability, a lottery system will be used to select buyers. The bundle, priced at 168,980 yen (just over a thousand euros), releases worldwide on November 21 and includes a limited edition PS5 Pro with coloring inspired by the original PlayStation, a matching gray DualSense Edge, a standard DualSense controller, a DualSense charging station, a disc player cover, a vertical base, a collector’s poster, an original PlayStation-style connector housing, four PlayStation Shapes cable ties, a sticker and a paperclip.