GameStop is hoping PS5 Pro buyers are desperate enough to pay $500 over MSRP
GameStop is selling a used PlayStation 5 Pro for $1,399.99, roughly $500 above its official retail price of $899.99, capitalising on a severe global shortage driven by competition for semiconductor components from the AI industry. With shortages expected to persist well into 2027, retailers and resellers across the market—including Best Buy and Walmart—are charging significantly inflated prices. This situation exemplifies broader inflationary pressures affecting consumer technology, where a shortage of DRAM (dynamic random-access memory) essential for both AI data centres and gaming consoles is pushing prices to unsustainable levels.
The PS5 Pro, released in 2024, was already priced $200 higher than Sony's original asking price at $899.99. Other major retailers match GameStop's markups, with Best Buy charging over $1,500 and Walmart asking $1,200 for an open-box model, whilst eBay resellers regularly exceed $1,100. According to a JP Morgan report from August 2026, DRAM prices have risen 400 per cent worldwide since the console's release. The broader impact is significant: video game hardware sales have hit a 13-year low, and consumer prices for computer software and accessories have skyrocketed by 31 per cent.
- GameStop selling used PS5 Pro for $1,400, over $500 above retail price.
- DRAM chip shortage driven by AI demand expected to persist through early 2027.
- Video game hardware sales hit 13-year low as console and tech prices surge.
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The PlayStation 5 Pro is Sony’s higher-powered version of its PS5 games console, released in 2024. Its official price is $899.99, already $200 above the original price Sony set for the console.
The price rises are linked to a shortage of DRAM, a type of memory used in games consoles and in the data centres that power artificial intelligence services. Demand from those data centres is competing with electronics makers for memory supplies, raising costs for products including consoles.
GameStop is among several retailers and resellers asking far more than the official price for the PS5 Pro. The wider squeeze matters to people buying games hardware and other technology, as higher component costs can feed through to retail prices.
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The case for
A severe DRAM shortage, intensified by demand from AI data centres, has left PS5 Pro consoles scarce and pushed prices up across retailers and resale sites. GameStop and other sellers can argue that high prices reflect limited supply and what buyers are willing to pay, while helping allocate scarce stock to customers who value it most.
The case against
Charging $1,399.99 for a used console places a steep burden on consumers, especially when the PS5 Pro already launched at a premium price. Critics can argue that retailers should show restraint during a shortage and avoid amplifying scarcity-driven inflation, particularly as rising hardware costs are contributing to record-low game console sales.