Featured Image Credit: PlayStation / NurPhoto/Contributor / Getty Images
PlayStation fans have drawn the short stick as limited edition anniversary PS5 Pro has already been listed for thousands by scalpers on sites like eBay.
Sony already aren't exactly in gamers' good books right now following the 'insane' price point of the base PS5 Pro, but things have been taken to another level with the limited edition anniversary version.
One of the strongest aspects of Sony's position in gaming is the rich history of its console lineup, especially when it comes to the iconic designs of the original PlayStation and it's sequel.
Therefore, the announcement of the '30th Anniversary' limited edition version of the PlayStation 5 Pro, featuring the soft grey colorway and original PS logo certainly lit a flame within fans.
Advert
The problem is that only 12,300 units were made, and significantly more people wanted to pick one up, leaving many out of luck with the demand still astronomical.
Originally priced at $959.99, subsequent eBay listings have skyrocketed the price beyond $3,500, leaving gamers with little choice when it comes to picking up this special variant.
This is certainly not an abnormal occurrence with tech - or even wider limited releases - as the moment something is restricted in its production it's bound to go up in price.
This particular instance has been a point of frustration for many though, as some gamers are starting to point the finger at Sony, wondering if they could do better to avoid this.
One commenter on a Reddit post about the console wonders "why this wasn't a time limited bundle instead of a limited number [...] I don't see how Sony benefits here."
Another details that the situation is "such a joke, I couldn't even pre-order a damn controller..."
You could argue that it's 'only' a recolor, but these things naturally draw a lot of attention, and it wouldn't be selling for so much if it wasn't a desirable product.
Some have proposed measures to combat scalping though, with one user proposing: "Wouldn't it be cool if the console came locked to [the purchasing account] for one year?"
That's certainly an appealing prospect, and in theory harms nobody outside of those looking to flip the console as soon as it arrives. Whether it's possible for Sony to do such a thing is another question, but there's certainly the demand from consumers.
What is likely though is that this isn't the last time something like this happens, especially when it comes to Sony and the PlayStation brand.
They released a similar limited edition 25th anniversary edition of the PS4, and that still goes for over $1,500 on eBay despite interest in the last generation console severely lacking.
You might just need to pass it up this time and hope you're lucky when the next one rolls around, or perhaps you'll want to search in your loft to see if you've got any ultra rare games that you can sell on instead.
