Key Takeaways
- Sony is using a lottery to sell scarce PS5 Pro consoles in Japan, requiring applicants to verify at least 60 hours of PS4 or PS5 gameplay between September 27, 2024, and September 27, 2026.
- Eligible customers can apply through October 7, and winners notified by October 26 may buy one console for delivery shortly before GTA 6 launches on November 19.
- The shortage comes as Sony raises console and subscription prices and a global AI-fueled memory-chip crunch sends PS5 storage costs soaring while casting doubt on the timing of next-generation hardware.
Getting a PS5 Pro ahead of GTA 6’s drop just became a whole lot more complicated. With demand for Sony's premium console creating shortages in Japan, the company is introducing a lottery that requires prospective buyers to prove they're already PlayStation gamers before they can purchase one.
And Sony isn't accepting just anyone with a PlayStation account. According to the Sony Store's eligibility requirements, which Mashable obtained, customers must have logged at least 60 hours of gameplay on a PS4 or PS5 between September 27, 2024, and September 27, 2026. Sony must verify playtime through their accounts before they can enter the lottery.
Even meeting those requirements doesn't guarantee a console. Eligible customers have until October 7 to apply, with winners notified by October 26. Selected winners will be allowed to purchase one PS5 Pro, with deliveries scheduled for the first half of November.
The timing is no coincidence. Rockstar Games is preparing to release GTA 6 on November 19, giving lottery winners just enough time to get their consoles before the game arrives.
Although the title will also launch on Xbox Series X and S, the PS5 Pro offers upgraded graphics and performance capabilities compared with Sony's standard console.
The shortage adds another complication to an increasingly expensive year for PlayStation customers. Sony raised the U.S. price of the PS5 Pro by $150 earlier this year, bringing it to $899.99. The standard disc-based PS5 also increased by $100 to $649.99, with Sony citing "continued pressures in the global economic landscape."
Those pressures have extended well beyond console prices. Sony has also increased PlayStation Plus subscription fees, while the cost of expanding PS5 storage has skyrocketed. SanDisk's officially licensed 8 TB SSD, for example, is currently listed at $2,959.99, compared with a reported $639.99 price for its predecessor in 2025.
The underlying problem is a global shortage of memory chips, driven partly by artificial intelligence companies purchasing enormous quantities of components for their data centers.
The situation has also raised questions about Sony's next console, with earlier industry reports suggesting manufacturers have discussed delaying next-generation hardware beyond the rumored 2027–2028 release window.
Sony has yet to announce an official release date for the PlayStation 6, but its immediate concern is supplying enough PS5 Pro consoles to meet demand ahead of Rockstar's upcoming release.
