Sony Adds a 60-Hour Gameplay Requirement for Japanese PS5 Pro Buyers

Japanese shoppers must now demonstrate at least 60 hours of PlayStation playtime before Sony will let them apply for a PS5 Pro through its official storefront.

The measure is directed at scalpers, who have time and again wiped the console off retailers' shelves across Japan. Should demand exceed supply, Sony will rely on a lottery to pick the winners.

A 60-Hour Playtime Bar Now Gates Sony's PS5 Pro in Japan

PlayStation Japan has thrown open the application window on X.

Under the Sony Store terms, would-be buyers need to have 60 hours of PS4 or PS5 gaming behind them between September 27, 2024, and September 27, 2026. Those hours have to appear on the same Japan-registered Sony account that is used for the request. So an account made from scratch will not be eligible. In addition, Sony demands that applicants reside in Japan.

Would-be buyers have until October 7 to apply, with winners notified from October 26. Those picked have until November 2 to finalize the purchase. The limit is one unit per account. The 2TB model is priced at ¥137,980, around $876.

Meeting the 60-hour threshold, however, is no guarantee of a machine. If applications exceed the planned inventory, Sony will still select buyers by random draw.

Sony Escalates Its Fight Against Scalpers

That figure is twice the 30 hours Sony asked of Japanese customers for the PS5 Pro 30th Anniversary Edition. In the meantime, the standard PS5 Pro has repeatedly gone out of stock at Japanese shops.

Additionally, Sony cautions that it will void any order suspected of coming from a reseller. Once an application is in, the delivery address is locked, and forwarding services are barred.

Rising hardware expenses are adding to the strain. Sony has already marked up console prices as AI memory demand lifted chip costs. Sony (SONY) shares are nearly 10% lower for the year, although they have bounced off a June low under $20.

The restriction also belongs to a broader Sony drive to tighten its ecosystem. Production of game discs is due to end in January 2028. And purchased StudioCanal films were stripped from PlayStation libraries.

Yet the requirement may exclude players coming back after a two-year gap outside PlayStation. The October draw should reveal whether demonstrating playtime deters reselling or simply moves scalpers onto longer-standing accounts.