We’re in the middle of a PS5 Pro shortage and GTA 6 will only make things worse

Sony has a problem with the PS5 Pro. As fans clamor for the gaming console ahead of the long-awaited release of Grand Theft Auto 6the Japanese company will likely struggle to meet global demand at least until 2027. According to an exclusive report from the German gaming site Reading frontSony has told its retail partners that “temporary market supply constraints and strong demand” will continue to limit retailers’ console inventory through next year.

First released in November 2024, the PS5 Pro arrived with an upgraded GPU, enhanced graphics at 60fps, advanced ray tracing, 2TB of memory, and AI-driven upscaling to deliver sharper images. However, despite being nearly two years old, supply constraints and growing demand continue to push the cost of the console into the stratosphere, with MSRP prices now $200 higher than its original asking price of $699.99.

With dwindling store inventories and limited restocks, opportunists are making a fortune in the resale market, pricing the console hundreds of dollars above its already high market price. At Best Buy, for example, a retailer priced its PlayStation 5 Pro console at $1,539.

This will not improve with the upcoming release of GTA6. Set to release on November 19, fans can’t wait to end the 13-year drought between installments of the popular franchise. Offering a vast world and incredible graphics, it’s understandable why consumers want to maximize their gaming experience by purchasing the latest console. But will consumers be able to get their hands on the PS5 Pro in time for the November launch? And will the game be worth splurging on a new console?

PlayStation supply chain issues are nothing new. In 2020, the global chip shortage limited Sony’s PS5 production for more than three years, with customers often waiting months to receive the latest console. This time around, the AI ​​boom has limited consumer technology makers’ access to advanced chips, creating supply bottlenecks and price hikes across the industry. And although companies have invested more than $770 billion over the past five years in U.S. semiconductor production alone, it could be years before supply rebounds given current demand.

To Sony’s credit, the PlayStation 5 Pro isn’t the only hardware suffering from supply constraints. According to a report from The economistlaptop prices have risen 20% this year, as companies like Apple and Microsoft raise prices to offset component development costs and investments in AI hardware. In South Korea, ex-factory prices of DRAM and flash memory soared 445% and 244%, respectively, largely due to AI-driven scarcity.

In the meantime, Sony may have to get creative with how it offers the high-end console to its customers. In Japan, for example, Sony instituted a lottery system for players looking to acquire its most advanced console, adding conditions such as minimum play times to weed out opportunists looking to make a quick buck in the resale market. If supply continues to fall short of demand, such precautions could become a necessity.

It’s easy to understand why gamers are rushing to new consoles. Extensive previews of Rockstar’s next megahit have showcased a phantasmagoria of lifelike realism, with hyper-realistic visuals and the franchise’s most expansive gameplay to date.

After gameplay trailers and deep dives, gamers rushed to acquire their new consoles in hopes of maximizing the game’s expected visuals and improving performance. Just as IMAX productions attract moviegoers, the Pro will likely get the most out of Rockstar’s highly anticipated title. With no PC port release date in sight, consumers are somewhat obligated to get the most advanced PlayStation console.

Ironically, it is not clear whether GTA6 will be able to maximize the most advanced features of the PS5 Pro. Although marketed as Improved PS5 Proa label that PlayStation uses for games with “enhanced visuals and performance”, neither Sony nor Rockstar have indicated how the game will be significantly different on the console. For example, earlier this summer there were rumors that the game would support 60fps on the PS5 Pro. However, experts remain skeptical as Rockstar executives continue to claim that the game would run at 30fps on both consoles. For what it’s worth, footage from Rockstar’s official previews of the game played on a PlayStation 5 at 30fps.

Some skeptics claim that Grand Theft Auto 6 likely won’t be able to maintain high frame rates on the PS5 Pro due to its scale. The PS5 Pro’s 10% CPU gains may help the game render crowds and traffic better, but likely won’t boost its performance in other areas.

It’s more than likely that gamers will still benefit from the PS5 Pro’s improved visual effects. One example may be the PS5 Pro’s advancements in ray tracing, which produces more realistic light and reflections. However, with Sony bringing the PS5 Pro’s QSSR AI upscaling to its base model, the gap between the two consoles could be quite narrow.