Summary
- The PS5 disc drive shortage has continued since the launch of the PS5 Pro, with scalpers driving up prices.
- Both the US and UK PS Direct storefronts are still out of drives, and stock continues to disappear as soon as it comes in.
- Sony has yet to comment on the shortage.
The recent shortage of separate PlayStation 5 disc drives is still ongoing, much to the frustration of fans trying to pick one up for their PS5 Pro. Sony launched an attachable PS5 disc drive in 2023 as a peripheral for its digital-only PlayStation 5 offerings, but it would later gain a newfound use in the wake of the PlayStation 5 Pro’s unveiling and release in 2024. This updated iteration of the PS5 is only available without a physical disc drive, making the previous accessory a valued commodity for gamers who want to upgrade their hardware without having to give up their games on disk.
However, the resulting demand for the PS5 disc drive has created a shortage of the product since the PS5 Pro launched in November 2024, with PlayStation’s in-house PS Direct website struggling to maintain supplies. In territories like the UK, scalpers have been snagging the PS5 drives and reselling them for inflated prices in a situation mirroring the release of the base PlayStation 5 back in 2020. The high prices of these resold PS5 disc drives have been a headache for players looking to get one, as the PS5 Pro consoles they are being purchased to supplement are already quite costly.
PlayStation 5 Pro Reportedly Fixes PS5 Design Flaw
The PS5 Pro features a subtle hardware change that seems to address a supposedly major design flaw in the base PlayStation 5.
The situation doesn’t look like it is going to get better anytime soon, as PlayStation Lifestyle reports that the PS5 disc drive shortage is still ongoing as of this writing. Both the US and UK PS Direct storefronts are still out of drives, and stock continues to disappear as soon as it comes in. Some third-party retailers like Best Buy and Target have provided PS5 disc drives for the lucky few who have managed to be at their stores in time for the random stock drop, but this is still eclipsed by the crowds of gamers who are still without one.
PS5 Disc Drive Shortage Continues
As noted before, scalpers were quick to catch onto the growing demand for the PS5 disc drive as a supplement for the disc drive-less PS5 Pro, seemingly choosing to hoard the drive itself instead of the console it was being sought out to support. Sony itself has yet to comment on the ongoing shortage, which many fans consider to be odd in light of the company’s efforts to maintain PS5 production during the height of the 2020 pandemic.
The PS5 Pro’s lack of a built-in disc drive has been a serious point of controversy ever since the console was first unveiled back in September, as buying the standalone PS5 Slim Disc Drive already adds about $80 to its hefty price tag if it is purchased from Sony’s first-party outlets. With scalpers hoarding these units and prices escalating as a result, many PlayStation 5 fans are currently left with little choice but to wait until supplies go up and demand goes down - something that doesn’t seem to be happening anytime soon.
- Brand
- Sony PlayStation
- Storage
- 2TB SSD
- VR Support
- PlayStation VR2
- Resolution
- Up to 8K
- App Store
- PlayStation Store
- Wi-Fi
- Wi-Fi 7
With the PlayStation®5 Pro console, the world’s greatest game creators can enhance their games with incredible features like advanced ray tracing, super sharp image clarity for your 4K TV, and high frame rate gameplay. That means you get to play PS5® games with the most impressive visuals ever possible on a PlayStation® console.
PS5® Pro is an all-digital console with no disc drive. Sign into your account for PlayStation™Network and go to PlayStation™Store to buy and download games. You can also add a Disc Drive to your PS5® Pro console if you would like to play PS5 or PS4 games on Blu-ray™ Disc, or if you want to watch movies and shows on 4K Ultra HD Blu-ray™ Discs, Blu-ray™ Discs, and DVDs.
- Ports
- Power In, Ethernet, HDMI 2.1, 2x USB Type-A, 2x USB Type-C
- HDR Support
- Yes
- Original Release Date
- November 7, 2024
- Original MSRP (USD)
- $749.99
- Dimensions
- 10.3 x 35.8 cm
- Processor
- AMD Ryzen Zen 2 (8 cores, 16 threads, 3.5GHz)