PS5 Prototype spotted for sale on Yahoo Auctions Japan

A PS5 “PROTOTYPE 2” console, with a design similar to that of PS5 devkits we have seen before, has been put up for sale on Yahoo auctions Japan, with a starting bidding price of JPY 800’000 (about $5500).

I was expecting the page to be taken down relatively quickly, but it is still up at the time of this writing, with the auction set to expire later today. As of the time of this writing, nobody has placed a bid on the auction yet.

What are PS5 Prototype consoles?

These prototypes are early models of the console that are sent possibly to manufacturers or developers ahead of the console’s retail release, to get an idea of the functionality of the device. We assume they differ from devkits in that they run an even earlier version of the firmware, and hardware might not be finalized yet.

It is not clear to me what the differences might be between Prototype 1 (which has been seen in the past with picture leaks) and Prototype 2, except them being different revisions.

Do Console Prototypes “help” the scene?

Modern console devkits and prototypes are not usable “out of the box” and require a time limited license in order to work. This is not like older generations where devkits could be used almost “as is”. One could develop and run one’s own code.

PS5 prototypes are the property of Sony, as is clearly labeled on the device. Studios who get devkits actually acquire a license to use it, but the hardware itself is “loaned”. Therefore Sony have the right to take legal action against anyone trying to sell one. The same is most likely true for prototypes like this one.

It’s clear that there is a market for collectors for this kind of hardware, so it’s not surprising to regularly see them pop up on auction sites at outrageous prices. However PS5 Devkits and prototypes remain rare. It feels Sony (and auction sites) are more lenient with DevKit/Prototype sales once the console is from an older generation. it’s reasonably easy to find PSP, PS3, and PS4 devkits – at a price – nowadays.

As to how these could help the scene, there is always a probability that these devices run very early versions of the console’s firmware, which could help unlock secrets on the device, from undisclosed early vulnerabilities in the OS code to hardware specifications.

PS5 Prototype 2 for sale on Yahoo Auctions

As far as this specific prototype is concerned, the seller says they initially bought it off of eBay for collection purposes, and cannot answer any question related to the console’s operation. It’s unclear if they ever tried to turn it on. They add it looks used but in reasonable good condition. The label “Prototype – Not for sale – Property of Sony Interactive Entertainment Inc” is clearly visible on the pictures. The front panel states “Prototype 2 – Not for sale” and has buttons and indicators we have seen before: Status 1/Status 2, On/Standby, Reset, Eject, System Init, Network Init, with 6 USB ports and what appears to be a status LED display.

The back of the unit has and HDMI port, two ethernet ports, and an additional USB port.

The seller apparently specializes in selling Sony console prototypes and devkit, with customers leaving generally positive replies for items such as “PSP E1000 prototype TSP 1804U 1B”, “PlayStation4 development kit devkit DHU-D1000JA”, or “PS VITA prototype DEM-3000 dev kit development kit”

Purchases from abroad are possible, but the seller give the precision they will not accept bids placed through Japan Ji Yun Co,  buyee, or Tokyo Toy Factory (and affiliates), so if interested you’ll have to go through some other company.

It is for sure a rare item, although I’m not sure if a $5’500 price would be justified for a scene developer, considering it’s probably easier to get an early firmware console for a fraction of that price.

Source: Yahoo auctions,  Thanks to emuonpsp for the tip!