PS5 disc drives are sold out everywhere, but scalpers have them them primed for profit

PS5 Pro customers are unable to get a PS5 disc drive for the new console as scalper hike up prices for the peripheral.

[shadowhaxor]

It's sad that it's come to this. Sony should have just sold the PS5 Pro with the damned drive or made it so anyone who purchased one had the option of getting one at the same time.

[HansyJ]

It’s funny that you got downvoted for saying this. Whoever downvoted , you is an absolute loser.

[darthv72]

In the US at least... the option to add the drive to the pro order is available. it was then... it still is now. You can buy it by itself as well from direct.playstation.com. Same with the stand.

[darthv72]

...I just added the drive to a cart on direct.playstation.com.... If it were sold out i would not have been able to do that, or proceed to the checkout screen.

https://direct.playstation....

[rocky047586]

It's amazing to me how silly these people are just believing it's sold out because an article said it is lol. They don't even bother to look. It's also at Walmart and you can get it from Amazon resellers if you're desperate.

[Michiel1989]

its amazing how there are different countries than the US, mindblowing I know.

[Smitty2020]

in the uk its sold out everywhere unless u want to buy off the wankers trying to make a profit.

[gigoran8]

Not all countries can order from playstation direct. For example in Australia, the only drives available are on ebay for $300-$500AUD. Retail is $159AUD

[Profchaos]

Yeah have a few friends that have traded in their base model for a pro and have large physical libraries so they can't play a large portion of their games again in Australia going digital here will mean paying up to 40% extra for a new game

[Neonridr]

I got one off Best Buy a month ago, but it's silly how Sony can't just increase production. They knew people would need disc drives as not everyone who jumps to the Pro wants an all digital world.

[Seraphim]

I imagine production isn't the issue. It's people who don't need them taking supply away from the actual demand. Perhaps another issue would be low allotments for various regions due to unexpected demand. I forget the details, but I'm pretty sure an article recently stated something like 70% of PS5s have a disc drive yet something like 80% of game sales are digital. I know I'm a bit off, but I feel like it was somewhere in that ballpark.

That being said, in the US the drives have been easily available since the Pro was announced. I can't speak for other countries, but when scalpers enter the building they skew demand. Last thing any business wants is to ramp up production and be stuck holding the bag. That's just bad business.

[franwex]

Yeah. I feel that a lot of those games are smaller indie, or really cheap games that are on sale. I got need for speed payback for like $2 a few months back. Games that I want I tend to buy physical on release.

[Petebloodyonion]

Why would Sony increase the production of disc drives if they want to force the adoption of digital?

[ocelot07]

None in stock anywhere in the UK other than scalpers on eBay.

I do agree though. Sony should really of had plenty of stock ready for the pro release.

[IRetrouk]

They just restocked the psdirect us website today, uk will follow soon

[Inverno]

If there was more incentive to buy digital most wouldn't even care that it doesn't come without a disc drive. If tomorrow they come out and say "you own what you buy digitally" and start having better sales, and preorder discounts I think most would probably not think twice about going full digital. Maybe also start making it standard to download only the portion of the the game you wanna play, and no forced updates that're actually just the dlc, stuff like that would convince people. Maybe even a digital trade in for physical collections. The all digital "experience" is much better on PC, 1 because prices are better, and 2 piracy ensures consumers don't get screwed over with the licensing bs. People just need to feel sure of their purchases.

[Pyrofire95]

I like what you're saying. The tricky part of all digital is a console isn't an open platform so them giving players ANY extended rights makes for potentially big legal/practical hurdles for them down the road.
But plenty of that stuff they COULD do with no issue, but sometimes getting a game the second it unlocks is all it takes, as far as new releases go. Which is why I bought Kingdom Hearts 3 digitally and Physically. ;P

[jznrpg]

I wouldn’t go full digital ever even if they say you own it.

They won’t ever let you sell it. You will always needs to be online to verify your purchase. And I just like having physical copies (maybe because I’m older)

[Inverno]

Well that'll be some of the other incentives. No forced online check-ins and maybe even trading digital games. The issue is them not us, companies don't wanna meet half way. Games off of GOG don't need online verifications. We've been throwing around the idea of selling digital purchases for over a decade. I'm just being realistic cause the way we're moving seems to be heading towards all digital whether we want it or not. But so far they've only made us hate digital more than embrace it.

[thorstein]

Exactly. Google did this years ago when they were trying to compete with iTunes. Everyone who bought digital music on Google play suddenly didn't own the music anymore, it's just gone.

[Pyrofire95]

The kinds of ppl who would want a "Professional" tier machine would naturally be more likely to want the disc drive. Not including it and making it an $80 add-on is by far the lamest part of the Pro. Should have been included at the same price.

[IRetrouk]

Agreed, and I'm 99% digital lol, the stand too, and the face plates that are the same but not, because they moved a couple clips... couple dirty ass moves at mo from sony, I'm watching them man👀🤣

[jznrpg]

I bought a disc drive the day they announced PS5 Pro because I figured they could be difficult to find with the Holiday coming up and Pro launching.
They do have them available on US PlayStation Direct store and have had them this entire time. I bought an extra one a couple weeks ago just to have for the slim and Pro. They are sold out everywhere else though

[CrimsonWing69]

They’re the reason they’re sold out

[andy85]

They'd have sold out scalpers or no scalpers

[CrimsonWing69]

Highly doubt that. Let’s put it this way, they’ve been readily available since the PS5 digital version. Guess when they’ve now become “unavailable.” I’ll give you a hint, it’s when another item was being scalped.

[andy85]

And notice people are buying them on Ebay for double the retail price. Who is buying those other scalpers? If people are buying them at that price. They'd be buying them at retail.

[CrimsonWing69]

You do realize scalpers buy more than just a single item, right? Do you think scalpers just buy one of the said thing and that’s that or do they buy in bulk? You’re new to this phenomenon? Again, they were easily purchasable before the Pro came out. There’s more people buying the Slim then, than Pro sales. Just think about it.

[andy85]

I don't really know what that has to do with anything. If they've sold out by scalpers, who are selling them at a premium (so people are buying them) they'd sell out with regular people buying them as they're still getting sold at double the cost. It's exactly like it was on PS5 release. Those would have sold out by regular people too. They weren't that easily purchasable at least not in the UK. And now with all the extra interest from the Pro they sold out. I bought one when I didn't need to before as I had a disc PS5

[CrimsonWing69]

You’re making the assumption that every person wanting one is paying a scalper to buy one, which isn’t the case at all.

The reality is scalpers will buy them out in order as they know there’s a demand and then sell them for double, triple, whatever. It’s them locking the market.

I sincerely doubt every consumer that legitimately wants the drive is paying the scalper prices. It’s nothing new, we literally saw this with the PS5 at launch. There’s even crazy images of people with hundreds of consoles. It’s just what they do.

It wouldn’t make any sense for a scalper to buy a few and mark them up while you could get them for MSRP easily. That wouldn’t make sense to their business model, since… who in their right mind would seek their prices when they can wait for the next shipment to roll in.

[isalas011981]

Wow. Thank god I purchased mine weeks ago. Just waiting on my Pro to arrive!

[thorstein]

Dint but from scalpers, they'll make more.

[Blaze929]

Gamestop and PS Direct literally have them available right now

[DivineHand125]

It is still available on US PlayStation direct. The scalpers will not win this time.

[Miacosa]

Available at BESYBUY & GAMESTOP as of 11/4/24 8:21pm.

[enkiduxiv]

This is the main reason I’m not buying a pro. If they do this for ps6, I’m just going to switch to pc exclusively.

I would much rather support Steam and GoG if I have to buy digital-only games.

[franwex]

There’s several at the local Walmarts here. Should I scalp?

Nah. I don’t do that. I’m sure they will get easier to find for the people that want one.

[shaenoide]

That's why I don't buy day one anymore

[gold_drake]

im glad i got one before this happened, but its ... man the scalpers.

but they could have also just sold ps5pros with a harddrive in it too

[fsfsxii]

2024 and still using optical media 😩😩😩

[hiawa23]

Many of PS4 games are physical so I need a drive for the Pro.

[hiawa23]

Got my drive and stand at Target just before everyone made a run on them as the Pro was being unveiled.

[boing1]

No worries. I can still pre-order Pro in my country, which means there is less demand then they expected. They will drop Pro+Drive combo early next year I bet.

[cthulhucultist]

I really hate scalpers regardless of the industry they operate in.

[Spenok]

Not sure how this is true. I went into a ganestop 4 days ago and ordered it to be delivered to the store. Picked it up yesterday.

[Hereandthere]

#ForThePlayers.

[MetroidFREAK21]

Meanwhile my OG PS5 has a built in drive that doesn't need internet

[Minute Man 721]

$80 @ Walmart