Sony Japan now runs PS5 Pro sales through a lottery, and only people with a history of playing on PlayStation can enter. To qualify, a buyer needs at least 60 hours of PS4 or PS5 playtime on a Japanese account. The aim is to stop scalpers who make new accounts, buy consoles in bulk and resell them at higher prices.
How the PS5 Pro lottery in Japan works
Sony sells the PS5 Pro through its official Sony Store in Japan. People who meet the requirements apply during the entry window. If more people apply than there are consoles, Sony draws winners at random.
According to Notebookcheck’s report on the new system, Sony’s goal is to stop scalpers using fresh accounts to buy stock.
PS5 Pro lottery requirements
| Requirement | Details |
|---|---|
| Account | Japanese Sony account |
| Playtime | At least 60 hours on PS4, PS5, or both |
| Playtime window | September 27, 2024 to September 27, 2026 |
| Account link | The same account must be used for PlayStation online services, My Sony ID and sign-in |
| Residency | Japan only |
| Purchase limit | One PS5 Pro per Sony account |
Only play recorded within the two-year window counts. Hours from before September 27, 2024, or on a different account, won’t help you qualify.
Key dates for the PS5 Pro lottery
| Stage | Date |
|---|---|
| Applications open | September 28, 2026 |
| Application deadline | October 7, 2026, 11:59 PM |
| Winner emails sent | Around October 26, 2026 |
| Purchase deadline for winners | November 2, 2026 |
Winners get an email at the address registered to their Sony account. They have to finish the purchase by November 2.
PS5 Pro price in Japan
The PS5 Pro costs ¥137,980 in the lottery, which is about $877. That includes the 2TB SSD model and its standard accessories.
That price follows Sony’s price increase in Japan on April 2, 2026. Sony also raised prices in other regions around the same time, as it announced in its PlayStation Blog pricing update.
| Model | Price in Japan after April 2026 |
|---|---|
| PS5 Pro | ¥137,980 |
| PS5 Disc Edition | ¥97,980 |
| PS5 Digital Edition | ¥89,980 |
| PS5 Digital Edition (Japanese-language only) | ¥55,000 |
The Japanese-language-only Digital Edition kept its old price. Push Square reported that in the week ending April 5, 2026, it sold 12,141 units while the PS5 Pro sold 840.
Why Sony is limiting PS5 Pro sales now
Reports point to two pressures on PS5 Pro stock. The first is the ongoing DRAM shortage, which has pushed up memory costs across the hardware industry. The second is demand ahead of GTA 6, which is set to come out on November 19, 2026. The lottery’s purchase deadline falls just over two weeks before that date.
Other console makers have also changed prices this year. Nintendo, for example, announced a Switch 2 price increase in the UK in September.
Will the playtime rule stop PS5 Pro scalpers?
The rule blocks the most common scalping method: making new accounts in bulk to buy stock. A new account can’t build up 60 hours of play in a two-year window without a lot of time spent on a real console.
Reports have also pointed out limits:
- It can’t prove intent. An account with play history can still be used to buy a console for resale.
- Some real players are left out. People who play on a different account, or who play less than 60 hours in two years, can’t enter.
- Buyers outside Japan can’t enter. Tourists and international buyers are shut out, since a Japanese account and residency are required.
With a limit of one console per account, it’s also harder to buy many units at once.
Sony hasn’t said whether it will use the same system in other regions or for other products, such as the Marvel’s Wolverine limited edition PS5.
