Anticipation for the upcoming release of Grand Theft Auto 6 may be leading to what some people feared most: a console shortage. As people who haven’t yet upgraded to current-gen hardware rush to buy new consoles ahead of the game’s release in November, we’re starting to see supply chains, already strained by the AI race, being pushed to breaking point. The console struggling the most to meet demand is the PS5 Pro, forcing Sony Japan to implement purchasing restrictions and a lottery system to fairly distribute the new consoles in the country where the gaming giant is based. This new system, limited to purchases made directly through the Sony Store, requires players to use a Sony account with at least 60 hours of confirmed play time on PS4 or PS5 hardware from September 27, 2024 to September 27, 2026. Players who meet these requirements can request the purchase of hardware with a limit of one per customer until October 7, with results confirmed by October 26 for delivery in the first half of November, ensuring that the consoles arrive in time to play the new GTA. game. Lottery systems like this are nothing new in Japan. The launch of the Nintendo Switch 2 there saw similar requirements for players, with pre-order lotteries held in the months leading up to and just after the console’s launch. What’s notable about this is how PlayStation console sales in Japan have generally lagged far behind Nintendo’s in recent years due to the higher cost of PlayStation hardware, even after the company introduced a special lower-priced, region-locked SKU limited to the Japanese market to encourage adoption. The upcoming release of GTA appears to have sparked a surge in demand, at least for the PS5 Pro. The standard PS5 models are still in stock. The lottery system is arguably a fairer method of stock distribution than a free-for-all game, as it prioritizes active players on the platform rather than simply selling to whoever is lucky enough to be first in an online queue. The implementation of the lottery suggests a resurgence in demand driven by GTA that could spread to the rest of the product line to help revitalize sales of the console in the country. Gamers want to play the best version of the game and Sony has been marketing exclusive optimizations for the PS5 Pro. It is also a reminder that more markets should borrow the lottery model to address the shortage of gaming hardware and accessories in the future.
