Sony Makes Japanese PS5 Pro Buyers Prove They're Gamers

Sony is requiring Japanese players to have 60 hours of gameplay to enter a PS5 Pro lottery, aiming to stop scalpers amid ongoing memory shortages.

Ever been asked to prove you're a real gamer? In Japan, Sony is doing exactly that for the PS5 Pro. Due to ongoing memory shortages, demand for the console is outpacing supply. So Sony has set up a lottery system, but only for players who can show they've actually been playing.

According to Sony's Japanese PlayStation blog, you need 60 hours of gameplay on your PlayStation account between September 2024 and September 2026. That time can be split between PS4 and PS5. For hardcore gamers, 60 hours is a breeze—some rack that up in a week. But the threshold is likely there to keep scalpers from grabbing consoles and flipping them at inflated prices.

If you meet the criteria, you're entered into the lottery. If you win, you'll be notified that you have a chance to buy a PS5 Pro directly from Sony. But here's the catch: if you don't act on that opportunity, your system gets offered to other players in a future lottery. So you can't just sit on it.

This isn't the only PlayStation news making waves. Sony has decided to stop supporting physical PS5 discs starting in 2028, which has drawn pushback from some players. But the company seems dead set on following through.

Earlier this month, Sony settled a lawsuit alleging its PlayStation Store violated state and federal laws on digital game prices. Sony admitted no wrongdoing in the settlement, valued at nearly $8 million.

Looking ahead, Sony has revealed it will skip the 2027 CES, ending an association with the event that dates back decades. That's a big shift for the company's public presence.

For now, Japanese gamers who want a PS5 Pro need to prove their playtime. It's an unusual move, but in a world of shortages and scalpers, maybe it's the new normal. What do you think—should other regions adopt a similar system? Will you be picking up a PS5 Pro?