Sony Wants Proof You Actually Play Before Handing You a PS5 Pro in Japan

Getting a PlayStation 5 Pro in Japan now takes more than luck. Sony has set up a lottery for the console, and only players who can show a real play history on their accounts are allowed in.

According to Sony's Japanese PlayStation blog, entrants need at least 60 hours of recorded playtime between September 2024 and September 2026. Time on PS4 and PS5 both counts, and hours from the two machines can be combined to reach the total.

The reason is supply. Demand for the PS5 Pro in Japan is running ahead of stock, and the memory shortage behind that problem has not been resolved. Sony has not said when supply will recover.

The bar itself is low. Over a two-year window, 60 hours is a modest amount for anyone who plays regularly, and heavy players can log that much in a single week. So the rule is not really meant to filter out casual fans. It looks designed to shut out scalpers, who tend to buy hardware in bulk with fresh or empty accounts and resell it at inflated prices.

Players who clear the requirement go into the draw. Winners are notified and can buy the console directly from Sony. If a winner does not take up the offer, that unit is not wasted. It goes back into a later lottery for other players.

The move comes during a busy stretch for the company. Sony's plan to end support for physical PS5 discs from 2028 has drawn criticism from some players, though the company shows no sign of backing down. Earlier this month, Sony also settled a lawsuit claiming the PlayStation Store broke state and federal laws on digital game pricing. The settlement is worth nearly $8 million, and Sony admitted no wrongdoing.

Sony has also confirmed it will skip CES 2027, ending a relationship with the trade show that goes back decades.

For now, the Japanese lottery is a practical answer to a shortage with no end date. Whether other regions get a similar system is unclear, but if the memory crunch drags on, Sony may have to consider it.