The Gaming Brief:
- Leaked GameStop memo shows used PS5 Pro pricing jumping to $1,399.99 (Digital) and $1,499.99 (Disc), effective October 16
- That’s higher than Sony’s own $899 MSRP for a brand-new unit — new stock is also sold out at Sony, GameStop, and Target
- The memo reportedly states the markup over new pricing is intentional, not a typo
- GameStop is also raising trade-in buyback values to 800–850, suggesting it’s chasing eBay resale prices rather than Sony’s MSRP
Buying “used” is supposed to save you money. Not at GameStop right now.
A leaked internal memo, confirmed as authentic by moderators on the r/GameStop subreddit, shows the retailer preparing to charge up to $1,499.99 for a pre-owned PS5 Pro, $600 more than Sony’s own $899 price for a brand-new one.
With stock sold out, hardware prices are hitting records, mirroring the same wider component shortage that has pushed RTX 5090 above $10,000 on secondary markets.
The Memo Explicitly Calls the Markup Intentional
As TweakTown notes, citing the leaked document, GameStop’s pricing update hits specific SKUs: the Digital edition climbs to $1,399.99 used, while Disc, 30th Anniversary, and Wolverine-themed units all hit $1,499.99.
The memo reportedly states outright that pricing used consoles above new ones is deliberate, a rare admission that a retailer is pricing against resale demand rather than manufacturer MSRP.
GTA VI’s November Launch Is Draining New Stock
Tom’s Hardware reports the shortage has been compounded by Grand Theft Auto VI, which began pre-selling in June 2026 and launches this November.
New PS5 Pro units are out of stock at Sony, GameStop, and Target, while Best Buy and Walmart list them at $1,496.01 and $1,554.99, respectively, already above MSRP before GameStop’s used pricing even enters the picture.
Buyers chasing the best possible GTA VI experience are driving demand hard enough that even sealed, brand-new consoles on eBay are going for $1,300-plus.
AI Memory Demand Is the Root Cause, Not Just Hype
Experts tie the shortage back to the broader AI memory crisis: DRAM manufacturers have redirected capacity toward HBM chips for AI data centers, pushing RAM prices up roughly 500% over the past 12 months.
Tom’s Hardware also notes Rockstar isn’t targeting 60 FPS for GTA VI at launch even on PS5 Pro, meaning buyers paying a $600 premium right now aren’t guaranteed the performance upgrade they’re chasing.
Anyone priced out has other paths: a cheaper Xbox Series X, a visit to a local gaming lounge with PS5 access instead of buying outright while console prices sort themselves out.
Source: Refurbished PS5 Pros now cost $1,399 at GameStop, 50% more than new ones
