Used PS5 Pro Listed at $1,399: GameStop Leaked Memo Confirms Intentional Markup Above MSRP
Seeing a pre-owned console sold at a higher price than a brand-new boxed unit is usually reserved for scalpers on resale platforms. In the United States, GameStop has officially crossed that line by listing pre-owned PlayStation 5 Pro consoles at an eye-watering $1,399.99, a full $500 above the official retail MSRP.
With new PS5 Pro consoles officially priced at $899.99 following recent hardware adjustments, this second-hand pricing immediately triggered widespread backlash across social media. While many initially suspected a database glitch, an internal memo circulating among store staff and shared by the community quickly confirmed the strategy.
An intentional strategy: GameStop aligns directly with secondary market scalping
According to internal documents leaked on Reddit, GameStop management explicitly described the pricing structure as intentional. The retailer makes no secret of its calculations: facing persistent hardware constraints and surging demand, leadership chose to align retail pre-owned pricing with current secondary market resale values.
To secure inventory for this high-margin initiative, the memo outlines aggressive trade-in incentives. Stores have been authorized to offer between $800 and $850 in cash or store credit for used PS5 Pro systems. That payout offers immediate liquidity for sellers, while allowing GameStop to pocket more than $500 in gross margin by re-listing the digital console at $1,399.99 and variants with disc drives up to $1,499.99.
Hardware scarcity and price discovery: retailers testing community tolerance
While the website listings showed the units as temporarily unavailable for direct online checkout, indicating strictly allocated regional inventories, the industry message is unmistakable. It echoes the extreme price gouging seen during hardware shortages and speculative runs on GTA 6 peripherals, where access to premium gaming hardware becomes an ongoing auction.
Although observers noted calendar discrepancies in the circulating memo, the live product pages confirm that GameStop is testing how far consumer tolerance can stretch. Turning a legacy retail footprint into a speculative clearinghouse highlights how volatile console economics have become as the industry enters the next hardware cycle.
SEO consultant for over 20 years and digital entrepreneur, Charles 'Grimtag' Ronchain is the founder of Pro-Gamer.gg, Retrocharting.com, and Gamescharting.com. A competitive gamer, streamer, and retro game collector, he has worked in the video game industry for over 15 years, notably as a consultant for leading game price comparison platforms. Passionate about real-time performance data and gaming technology, he analyzes competitive esports, gaming hardware benchmarks, and creator workflows on Pro-Gamer.gg with an authentic player perspective.
