With Grand Theft Auto 6 launching November 19, retailers are already moving to cash in on the hardware demand wave. GameStop is leading the charge in the most brazen way possible: selling used PS5 Pro consoles for more than the price of a new one.
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The price that launched a thousand complaints
Pre-owned PS5 Pro consoles now sit at $1,399.99 on GameStop's website. The new retail price for the same console is $899.99. That's a $500 gap, a 55% markup, and zero explanation from GameStop about why a used unit should cost more than a brand new one.
An internal email that surfaced on Reddit this week made the situation even harder to defend. The message, posted by an anonymous user to r/GameStop, stated plainly that "the pre-owned consoles will have a higher price than the new console, and this is intentional." The listings on GameStop's site have since confirmed the price is real. Special edition PS5 Pro models are listed even higher at $1,499.99.
Here's the thing: GameStop currently has no new PS5 Pro units available online. That means the only way to buy one through the retailer right now is to pay the inflated used price.
Why GTA 6 is the obvious trigger
Rockstar Games has a confirmed marketing partnership with PlayStation, and GTA 6's November 19 launch is expected to drive one of the biggest hardware sales spikes in years. The combination of a flagship title that's been in development for over a decade and a console tied directly to its best version is a retailer's dream setup.
The demand pressure isn't theoretical. A senior games buyer at a major (unnamed) retailer warned this summer that component shortages and pricing issues have already constrained console supply, and GTA 6's release will "likely" push demand past available stock during the holiday period. The buyer, speaking without employer permission, said directly: "Demand will likely outstrip supply during the year end period."
Xbox chief strategy officer Matthew Ball made a similar point back in June, confirming that demand for Xbox Series X consoles was already exceeding supply. "We are putting them in as many stores as possible. We are producing them as quickly as possible. There is a severe limitation to how quickly we can do that," he said.
What this means for anyone still trying to buy a PS5 Pro
The short version: the window to buy a PS5 Pro at a reasonable price is closing fast. If GTA 6 demand hits the way retailers are projecting, stock shortages before Christmas are a real possibility, and that's exactly the environment where $1,400 used consoles start looking appealing to desperate buyers.
For players planning to experience GTA 6 on PS5 Pro specifically, the PS5-exclusive features including DualSense haptics and near-instant load times make it the premium option. You can check out the full breakdown of GTA 6's PS5-exclusive features to decide whether the hardware upgrade is worth chasing at any price.
Pro tip: if you haven't locked in a pre-order yet, now is the time. The GTA 6 pre-order guide covers exactly where and how to secure a copy before launch, which matters more than ever if console availability keeps tightening heading into November.
