PS5 Pro Sells Out in US After GTA VI Gameplay Reveal, Scalpers Push Prices to $1300

The release of a 26-minute gameplay demo for Grand Theft Auto VI has sparked a wave of frantic demand for the PlayStation 5 Pro in the US. The console sold out almost instantly at major retailers, while scalpers on online marketplaces have jacked up prices to $1,300, compared to the official retail price of $899.

Retail Shortages and Speculative Markups

According to GamesRadar+, console stock at major US retailers dried up within hours of the gameplay trailer’s release:

• Best Buy and Target: warehouse stock completely sold out, with the console now listed as a High Demand Product;
• Amazon and Walmart: direct retailer supply has run out, and third-party sellers are listing the console for $1,250 to $1,299;
• eBay: the average price for new, sealed consoles from resellers is reaching $1,200;
• PlayStation Direct: Sony’s official store periodically opens short sales windows at the recommended price of $899.99.

According to the official PlayStation blog, the base price of the PS5 Pro in the US is $899.99, while the standard PS5 sells for $649.99 and the digital edition without a disc drive for $599.99.

The Rockstar Presentation Effect

The catalyst for the frenzy was the release of the Extended Look from Rockstar Games. Despite the demo being recorded directly on the base PS5, players have been rushing to upgrade their hardware for the more powerful chip, advanced ray tracing, and the neural network upscaler PlayStation Spectral Super Resolution (PSSR).

Additional interest is fueled by a marketing agreement: on the official GTA VI website, the game is promoted with the slogan “Plays Best on PlayStation 5”.

Will the PS5 Pro Deliver the Coveted 60 FPS?

Technical experts are cautioning against inflated expectations and overpaying scalpers.

Rockstar has not yet revealed a list of specific graphics modes for the Pro version. Given that the game targets 30 FPS on base hardware, and the highly complex crowd and traffic simulation puts a massive load on CPU cores, doubling the frame rate to 60 FPS remains questionable even on improved hardware. The main advantages of the Pro model will likely be limited to sharper resolution thanks to PSSR, a more stable frame rate, and improved ray-traced reflections.

Release Date and Preload

Grand Theft Auto VI is set to release on November 19, 2026 for PlayStation 5 and Xbox Series X|S. Preloading of digital copies will open on November 12. Physical disc editions will also start shipping on November 12 with digital activation keys inside, so buyers can install the game before launch day.