Just when gamers thought console pricing had peaked in absurdity, GameStop has delivered a plot twist nobody asked for. The retailer is now listing pre-owned PlayStation 5 Pro consoles for a jaw-dropping $1,400 — a figure that sits roughly $500 above the cost of a factory-sealed unit and nearly doubles the console’s original $699.99 launch price from November 2024.
The Price Tag That Made Gamers Do a Double Take
GameStop’s used PS5 Pro pricing officially starts at $1,400. GameStop Pro members — subscribers to the retailer’s paid membership program — receive a 5% discount that drops the total to a still-eye-watering $1,330. It’s a rare scenario where the word “deal” and the number “$1,330” somehow end up in the same sentence.
How Does a Used Console Cost More Than a New One?
The answer comes down to simple supply and demand. Brand-new PS5 Pro units are currently stock-constrained, with many official retail channels struggling to keep hardware on shelves. Whenever new inventory dries up, secondary-market pricing inflates — and GameStop, which sells both new and pre-owned hardware, is uniquely positioned to profit from that scarcity.
It flips the traditional retail model on its head. For decades, “pre-owned” has been shorthand for “cheaper.” In a shortage economy, however, used stock becomes the premium option simply because it’s the only option available right now.
Are We Being Conditioned for Next-Gen Pricing?
There’s a generous reading of GameStop’s strategy, and it’s arguably more interesting than simple price gouging. With the PS6 and the next generation of Xbox hardware expected in the coming years, many observers anticipate that new consoles will launch at dramatically higher price points than anything we’ve seen before. Component costs, tariffs, and global supply chain pressures have already pushed hardware pricing upward across the industry.
Seen through that lens, a $1,400 used console in 2025 may be less of an outlier and more of a preview. If GameStop can normalize these numbers today, tomorrow’s next-gen launch prices might not trigger the backlash they otherwise would.
Echoes of the Scalper Era
PlayStation fans have seen inflated pricing before. The original PS5’s 2020 launch was dominated by scalpers using bots to snatch up consoles and resell them at massive markups. The difference this time? A major national retailer is the one setting prices that wouldn’t have looked out of place on a resale marketplace. That shift matters — it signals how quickly “scalper pricing” can quietly become mainstream retail behavior.
What Shoppers Should Actually Do
The most practical advice: don’t panic buy. Prices like these only survive while supply is tight. Once restocks stabilize at official retailers, the premium on used hardware will almost certainly collapse. Setting restock notifications, buying directly from Sony, and simply waiting a few weeks are all smarter moves than paying a $500 surcharge for an opened box.
And while hardware costs spiral, software savings are still very much within reach. Digital marketplaces like TURGAME.com offer discounted PlayStation Network gift cards and game codes, helping you stretch your gaming budget further — a welcome relief when a console costs as much as a month’s rent.
Final Thoughts
Whether GameStop is cynically exploiting a shortage or genuinely preparing customers for the next generation of pricing, the message to consumers is the same: the era of affordable flagship consoles may be fading. How the market responds — with wallet votes or resignation — will shape what publishers and retailers dare to charge next.
Source: This article is based on reporting by GameSpot.