Sony Makes Japanese Gamers Prove Their Playtime for PS5 Pro
Sony's lottery for PS5 Pro units in Japan now requires proof of 60 hours of playtime, a screening step aimed squarely at scalpers riding a real memory shortage.
Sony just handed Japanese PlayStation owners a pop quiz, and passing it is the only way to buy a PS5 Pro right now.
According to GameSpot, Sony's Japanese PlayStation blog is requiring anyone who wants into the console's lottery system to prove they logged 60 hours of gameplay on a PlayStation account between September 2024 and September 2026, split however they like across PS4 or PS5. Clear that bar and you get entered into a drawing for the right to buy a PS5 Pro straight from Sony. Miss the purchase window after winning, and your slot goes to the next name in line.
Sixty hours over two years is not a hard ask for anyone who owns the console for the reason consoles exist. It is a real wall for resellers who have been buying up stock to flip at a markup, and that part I will hand to Sony without complaint.
Because the shortage itself is real. Memory supply problems have been squeezing PS5 Pro production in Japan, and no lottery fixes a parts shortage, it just decides who gets to stand in line for one.
Xbox, take a good look at a company that needs a screening process just to manage demand, then go check your own preorder numbers. Sony has had a rough month, from a lawsuit settlement over PlayStation Store pricing to skipping CES entirely next year, and even losing a chunk of the Physint deal to you. None of that is stopping people from logging hours just to earn the right to buy hardware Sony can barely keep on shelves.
I will take a demand problem over an interest problem every single time, and I am already tallying my own account's playtime in case this idea ever crosses the ocean.