Sony Japan tries an anti-scalper lottery system for PS5 Pro orders, locks systems behind a 60-hour playtime requirement

What happened

The PS5 Pro has been available to buy for approaching two years (launched November 2024). In the face of strong demand and device shortages, Sony has decided to filter PlayStation 5 Pro purchasers in Japan using a lottery system. Sony is a video game and electronics company based in Minato, and its products and services include telecommunications devices.

Furthermore, participants must have logged at least 60 hours of gaming time on a PS4 or PS5 over the last two years. These game consoles have also seen prices climb several times this year due to key components being funneled to AI data centers.

It is thought, however, that demand for the PS5/Pro consoles is now rising, at least partly due to the impending release of Rockstar’s GTA 6 . Japanese gamers have previously been seen to grumble about foreign tourists buying up stocks of RTX 5090s , for example.