Sony restricts PS5 Pro 30th Anniversary Edition pre-orders in Japan to PSN accounts with 30 hours of activity
Sony is cracking down on scalpers
PS5 Pro 30th Anniversary Edition pre-orders in Japan have been restricted in an attempt to combat scalpers.
Last week, a limited edition collection of PS5 consoles and accessories to celebrate PlayStation's 30th anniversary went on sale and were quick to sell out, including the 12,300 units of themed PS5 Pro's.
Soon after, it was discovered that scalpers who were able to get their hands on the $999 / £959.99 bundles had uploaded eBay listings asking for 10 times the market price.
Now, in a bid to thin out scammers ahead of time, Japan Sony has implemented a new restriction to stop scalpers from ruining the fun.
As reported by Automaton, the Japanese PlayStation homepage now details that those in Japan looking to purchase a PS5 Pro 30th Anniversary Edition bundle will need to meet some conditions.
First, they must have a PSN account registered in Japan, and second, have at least 30 hours of activity on PS4 or PS5 between February 2014 and September 19, 2024.
In the UK and US, it seems stock for the PS5 Pro 30th Anniversary Edition has completely sold out on the PlayStation Direct website.
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The PS5 Pro is slated to launch globally on November 7, 2024, for $699.99 / £699.99 / AU$1,200. Pre-orders are expected to start on October 10, 2024 at a wide range of retailers.
When the PS5 Pro was officially announced last month, the console's high cost caused a stir, but according to Sony, the console's many new features, including its PSSR tech, justify the price tag.
If you're looking to get your hands on the mid-generation console, you can check out our PS5 Pro pre-order guide.