The ongoing shortage of PlayStation 5 disc drives continues to frustrate gamers, particularly those who've purchased the disc-less PS5 Pro. Since the Pro's November 2024 launch, demand for the standalone drive has far outstripped supply.
Initially designed as a peripheral for the digital-only PS5, the drive became essential for PS5 Pro owners wanting to play physical games. This surge in demand has led to a situation eerily reminiscent of the initial PS5 launch in 2020, with scalpers aggressively acquiring and reselling drives at exorbitant prices.
Both US and UK PlayStation Direct websites remain consistently out of stock, with limited availability at third-party retailers like Best Buy and Target offering only fleeting relief to a large number of frustrated customers. The high resale prices exacerbate the problem, adding significant cost to an already expensive console upgrade.
Sony's silence on the matter is striking, especially considering the company's past efforts to address supply chain issues. The PS5 Pro's design choice to omit a built-in disc drive has been a major point of contention since its September unveiling, adding approximately $80 to the console's cost when purchasing the drive directly from Sony. With scalpers driving up prices even further, many PlayStation fans face a prolonged wait for the situation to improve.
