At GameStop, a used PS5 Pro now costs more than a new one. The retailer has listed the refurbished console at $1,399.99, roughly $500 above the $899.99 Sony charges for a brand-new unit, and a leaked internal memo says the decision is not a system error but something “intentional.”
What the leaked memo says
The figure comes from an image that a user — who presents himself as a company employee — posted on the r/GameStop subreddit. It shows the pricing for the different versions of the refurbished console, starting at $1,399.99. The document explicitly acknowledges that “the pre-owned console will have a higher price than the new console” and describes that situation as intentional, without detailing the reason.
Moderators of that forum later confirmed the validity of the post, although the material remains an internal leak rather than an official price change. GameStop has not commented so far.
On top of that $1,399.99 there are the variants: the version with a disc drive climbs to $1,499.99, while GameStop Pro members could get the base unit for $1,329.99. According to the schedule in the memo, the change would take effect on October 16; until then the store had been selling the used console for around $800, the rate it had kept since Sony raised its list price.
Why the used PS5 Pro costs more than a new one
The explanation points to scarcity. New PS5 Pro units are practically sold out at their official price, and the few listings left at large retailers hover around $1,500. Sony made its move in April and raised the console to $899.99, a hike it justified by rising memory costs; with GTA VI slated for November 19, pressure on stock does not look set to ease soon. That dynamic connects with the cautious supply strategy that already pointed to a PS5 Pro shortage until early 2027.
In that context, the second-hand market stops being the cheap route. The memo’s own trade-in table values a PS5 Pro at $800, or $850 with a disc drive, above the $699.99 it cost at its 2024 launch.
What changes for the player
The result is an awkward paradox for anyone wanting to make the jump: paying more for a used console than for a new one, provided the new one can be found. At those prices the buying logic blurs, because the savings that justify going to the second-hand market disappear and only the support and warranty advantages of a professional store over a private seller remain.
For Spanish players the situation is no better: the console is scarce at official retailers and private sellers handle figures that even exceed GameStop’s. With the component shortage and the pull of GTA VI as a backdrop, the decision comes down to waiting for supply to normalize or accepting that this generation will be played at a premium for a while.
