While people are still buying plenty of PS5 consoles, renting a PS5 is becoming an increasingly popular option for players in Japan. A new report from IT Media News (spotted by VGC) shows that retail stores in Japan where you can rent a PS5 are selling out of consoles to rent.
You can rent a PS5 in multiple regions worldwide, with the cost of renting a PS5 for either 8 days or 15 days at a time in Japan coming in at ¥980 ($6.62 USD) or ¥1,780 ($12.02 USD), respectively. The service only became available in Japan at the top of the year as a response to the console not being as readily available in the region.
A Japanese retailer, GEO, told IT Media news that the service is "more popular than they expected" and that the majority of its 400 stores are "at capacity" with the consoles available to rent. GEO cites the release of Monster Hunter Wilds as a likely reason why the service has, of late, become extremely popular.
Considering the cost, it's a very low barrier to entry if all you want to do is try a console and a new game before making a bigger investment to buy the whole console and a brand-new game. Other retailers around the world, like Raylo in the UK, allow players to rent a PS5 for much longer periods of time. With the popularity of the service in Japan, it wouldn't be surprising if longer rental periods start to be introduced.
It should also be noted that buying a PS5 to own has only gone up in price since it launched in 2020, rather than down, as the case has been in every previous console generation. If you are someone who wants a PS5 but has been unable to buy one for the last five years, it's no surprise that you would jump at the chance to take one home for a couple of weeks for about $12 instead of buying it for hundreds.
At least then you'd be able to satisfy your curiosity to some degree. It'll also be interesting to see if Sony responds by focusing on making more consoles available in Japan.
About the author: David has been writing about videogames, technology, and culture since 2020, with a focus on reporting daily news across multiple publications, including GameDaily.Biz, GameSkinny, and PlayStation Universe before joining Wccftech in 2025. David started contributing as Canada/US reporter for Wccftech's gaming section in 2025. Besides being up-to-date on the industry's movements, he loves interviewing developers, reviewing games, and writing intricate essays about the symbolism and layered meanings to be found in rich narratives as he's done for publications like GamesIndustry.Biz, LostInCult, and others. Outside of games he loves movies, music, theatre, his hometown, and his family, though not necessarily in that order.
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