Sony Is Buying Back Used PS5 Consoles for $400—If Owners Include Two Controllers

As ResetEra forum user Jay_Horror pointed out, Sony is sending notifications through the PlayStation mobile app to offer owners a chance to sell their console. Those interested can hand their PS5 directly to PlayStation, and the money will then be sent to their bank account. The maximum offer is $400, provided the console is a standard PlayStation 5 and comes with two controllers.

Trade-in programs for used consoles are nothing unusual, especially in the run-up to Christmas. They are usually run by retailers, however, not by the console manufacturers themselves. Sony’s direct offer therefore raises questions about what the company plans to do with the hardware it collects.

One possibility is that Sony is preparing for a console shortage or looking to expand its range of refurbished and used devices, which it could sell for less than new ones. These are only speculations, though, as Sony has yet to explain the reason for the offer.

Notably, the buyback offer comes as PlayStation 5 console prices have risen. Depending on whether it includes a disc drive, the standard model sells for $600 to $650. The premium PS5 Pro costs $900, and availability is reportedly limited due in part to increased interest ahead of GTA VI’s release.

The situation has gone so far that some retailers are offering used PS5 Pro consoles for as much as $1,400. Prices like these have also appeared at GameStop, a chain that typically sells used games and consoles.

For owners of an older PS5 they no longer use, this could be a pretty appealing offer. The standard model originally cost $500, so getting up to $400 back is fairly good value, though owners also have to hand over a second controller. For now, the offer is only available to selected users contacted by Sony through the app, and is not available in our market.

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