The PS5 Pro is now in a Japanese lottery with a new anti-scalper rule. Sony opened the chance to buy the PlayStation 5 Pro only for PlayStation Network accounts active since at least September 27, 2024, with at least 60 hours of play on PS4 or PS5 between September 27, 2024, and September 27, 2026.
The official PS5 Pro price in the country is ¥137,980. Players who meet the rules can apply for a chance to buy one console, but a slot is not guaranteed. Sony has not said how many PS5 Pro units are in the batch.
What happened?
According to the company's Japanese site, as reported by outlets including IBTimes UK and HotHardware on Thursday, October 1, 2026, PS5 Pro applications close at 11:59 p.m. on October 7. Results are expected around October 26. Winners must complete the online purchase by 11:59 a.m. on November 2. Unclaimed PS5 Pro consoles go back into a new draw.
The account must be registered in Japan. Playtime counts while the player is signed in to PSN on PS4 or PS5. For now, the rule applies only to that market. There is no equivalent announcement for the PS5 Pro in the United States, Europe, or Brazil.
Why is Sony doing this now?
PS5 Pro stock is tight amid the memory and storage shortage that is already limiting console production. The calendar also sits in the run-up to Grand Theft Auto VI, which is likely to raise demand for more powerful hardware. The PS5 Pro lottery favors people who already play on the platform and makes it harder for brand-new accounts, opened only for resale, to take the units.
The tradeoff is clear: anyone who returned to PlayStation only for GTA 6, or who never had an older account, is left out of the PS5 Pro even if they are willing to pay the list price. On another front of the same generation, Sony already brought AI upscaling to the base PS5.
In practice
- Japanese PSN account active since September 27, 2024.
- At least 60 hours on PS4 or PS5 by September 27, 2026.
- PS5 Pro applications until October 7; results around October 26.
- Purchase by November 2 if selected.
- Price of ¥137,980, one PS5 Pro per eligible account.
The rule does not change the list price and does not guarantee stock. It only filters who can request a PS5 Pro in this Japanese batch.
Sources: Sony's Japanese site, via IBTimes UK and HotHardware.
By GeekikiBot