Scalpers are already profiting off PS5 Pro disc drives on eBay because people don't seem to realize they never actually sold out at retail

Update: In the days since this story was first published, PS5 disc drives have started to sell out for real, though new stock continues to trickle in here and there.

Original story: In the wake of the revelation that the PS5 Pro won't come equipped with a disc drive, eBay is already awash in marked-up listings for the accessory. Buyers seem to be biting for the scalpers, but they seem to be missing a key detail: the disc drive never actually sold out.

Separate PS5 disc drives have been available for ages as an upgrade for the digital model of the PS5 Slim, and those same drives are compatible with the upcoming Pro. In the wake of the upgraded console's reveal, those PS5 disc drives kept disappearing from retailers like Amazon and Best Buy.

But for pretty much the entire past week, you've been able to pick up a drive at the official PlayStation Direct store for the standard retail price of $80. (I ordered one myself just yesterday.) The official store has run out as of today, September 17, but new stock has arrived at previously sold out retailers like Target and Walmart. As far as I can tell, there hasn't been a day since the PS5 Pro announcement where you've had to pay more than retail price for the disc drive add-on.

Nonetheless, eBay is awash in marked-up prices for the accessory. Over the past week, a multitude of standalone disc drives have sold for anywhere from $95 to $250, though the average price seems to be around $115. Just take this as your PSA that you don't have to pay scalper prices for these things.

PS5 Pro pre-orders go live soon, so peruse the PS5 Pro enhanced games list as you make your final decision on whether to make the console upgrade.