Paying $500 Extra for GTA 6? PS5 Pro Shortage Puts Adult Gamers to the Test
Grand Theft Auto 6 is confirmed for November 19, but the PS5 Pro is now out of stock in multiple countries, with US resale prices hitting as high as $1,400. Getting the best visuals for a game 13 years in the making now comes with a price tag harder to justify than expected.
Originally priced at $899.99, the PS5 Pro is now being resold for as much as $1,400 in the US market — a price gap large enough to buy another mid-range console. What's making this console, which has been on shelves for a while, suddenly hard to find isn't a limited-edition color scheme, but the upcoming release of Grand Theft Auto 6.
Rockstar has confirmed GTA 6 will launch on November 19, marking a 13-year gap since GTA 5's release. Officials previously stated the game runs "best" on PlayStation consoles, and last month's Extended Look trailer was reportedly captured using PS5 Pro footage. Sony has confirmed the title will be optimized for PS5 Pro, but exactly how much of a difference the enhanced version will make in terms of visuals or performance remains undisclosed.
Players have already voted with their wallets. Australian outlet Press Start reports the PS5 Pro is completely sold out there, with no confirmed restock date. Multiple US retailers are also facing shortages, with resale prices climbing as high as $1,400. Meanwhile, Sony's official UK store shows the console as temporarily unavailable. This buying frenzy comes right after Sony raised PlayStation console prices earlier this year, making it even harder to snag one at retail price.
For adult gamers juggling steady jobs and living expenses, the real dilemma isn't admitting they're excited for GTA 6 — it's whether to pay roughly $500 extra for an "optimization" that hasn't even been fully explained yet. After a 13-year wait, it's easy to mistake a shortage for a last chance. But the only thing confirmed so far is that the PS5 Pro will get some form of optimization — not that the resale markup will actually deliver equivalent value.
Another layer of uncertainty comes from the console's lifecycle. Sony CEO Hiroki Totoki recently said the PS5 has entered the latter half of its lifecycle, meaning the company no longer needs to "aggressively sell" the hardware and will instead focus on recurring revenue from its existing user base. That doesn't mean Sony won't restock — but it also offers no clear timeline for players.
Right now, the most rational move might also be the least exciting one: wait for Sony to reveal exact PS5 Pro enhancement details and restock the console officially, then decide how much that visual difference is actually worth. There's nothing wrong with wanting to play a game you've waited years for — but shortages and scalper prices shouldn't be the ones making your upgrade decision for you.
