Digital Technology

PS5 Pro scalpers sell Sony’s console at a loss – but one part is still being flogged

PlayStation 5 Pro is out, and with plenty of availability, scalpers are shifting the £700 console at a loss and turning their attention to a key accessory instead

The launch of new gaming hardware is quite often a mix of excitement and frustration. On the one hand, a new console or GPU is cause for celebration, but on the other, scalpers can make it hard for legitimate customers to pick up what they’re looking for.

However, that hasn’t happened with the new PlayStation 5 Pro. While some global retailers, notably in Japan, sold out early, many stores (particularly in the UK) have the console readily available. Considering it’s £699, that’s just as well as any scalper markup would make it even pricier. Still, those scalpers appear to be ditching the console at a loss, with eBay’s UK listings showing multiple models going for £650 as the resellers struggle to offload them, VGC reports.

The PS5 Pro is the most powerful console on the market (stock)
The PS5 Pro is the most powerful console on the market (stock)

One of the more controversial aspects of the latest, more powerful PlayStation console is the removal of the disc drive. Like the PS5 Slim, a disk drive is an optional extra, that’ll set you back a further £99.99 – that is if you can find it.

It appears scalpers have shifted their attention to the peripheral, and are now looking to offload the disc drive alone for anywhere between £150 and £250.

Scalpers are trying to recoup costs on the console's disc drive (stock)
Scalpers are trying to recoup costs on the console’s disc drive (stock)

While you don’t need the disc drive if your collection is digital, it’s a major blow for anyone looking to transfer their physical library across to the new console, which is currently the most powerful in the world.

Karma giveth, and karma taketh away, it seems, but here’s hoping Sony can get more PS5 Pro disc drives on store shelves in the coming weeks.

The Daily Star has reached out to Sony for a comment.

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