Earlier this month, the PlayStation 5 Pro finally arrived in stores. And while the lack of a disc drive and the $700 price tag have been unpopular with players, Sony President Hiroki Totoki has assured investors that sales of the mid-generation console update haven’t been negatively affected.
As noted by video game reporter Genki_JPN, Totoki recently told Japanese investors that, “In terms of the pricing, many people made different comments on that, but pricing on PS5 Pro has not had a negative impact, I don’t think.” He added that, “Hardcore users are the target of this hardware.”
Considering that the PS5 Pro has barely been out a week, it seems premature to assess whether it’s a success or a failure. What we do know is that PS5 Pro consoles appear to be readily available in stores, which means they haven’t sold out. Video Games Chronicle is also reporting that several scalpers have had to sell their PS5 Pros at a loss due to the lack of demand that accompanied the PS5 when it debuted in 2020. And as mentioned by Totoki, PS5 Pro isn’t geared towards the average player.
However, the scalpers have reportedly had more success reselling the optional disc drive that can be added to the PS5 Pro. Several retailers have already sold out of the disc drive, which has given the scalpers an opportunity to fill the void until Sony can meet the demand. That suggests that there is a demand among the hardcore for a PS5 Pro that can play discs. Whether Sony will eventually release a PS5 Pro with a disc drive remains to be seen, especially since the company is reportedly making deals for PlayStation 6 manufacturing down the line.