Summary
PlayStationhas teamed up with Raylo to launch a service through which gamers can rent its newest consoles and accessories. The range includesPlayStation 5s, thePlayStation Portal, and even thePS5 Pro. However, when you step back and take a look at the bigger picture, it might not be worth it in the long run.
The Lease With Flex programlaunched this week (thanks,GameSpot) although it appears to be limited to certain regions for the time being. The team-up with Raylo is available in the UK, while a similar program is running in Japan. The program has already proven to be very popular in Japan with everything PlayStation made available having been leased out by eager gamers.
How much it will cost to lease certain PlayStation products in the UK depends on how long a contract you’re willing to commit to. Take the PS5 Pro. If you commit to a 36-month contract,the Pro can be yours for £18.95 ($24.50) per month. The price goes up as the contract gets shorter - £20.99 ($27.14) for 24 months, and £26.99 ($34.90) per month if you only want it for a year. There’s also a rolling contract that can be canceled at any time, but that will cost you £35.59 ($46.02) per month, so almost double the price of the cheapest option.
PlayStation Has Launched A Rental Program So You Can Lease Its Hardware
Try Out A Portal For A Bit And If You Don’t Like It, Just Give It Back
If you were to lease a PS5 Pro from PlayStation for three years, you would end up spending $882, so significantly more than if you were to just buy one outright for $700. On the one hand, if you do plan on renting a PS5 Pro, you could frame it as being akin to a phone contract. However, once you’ve paid off your phone contract, you get to keep the phone. After paying $880 across three years, you will then need to return the console to PlayStation.
It’s not just consoles available to leave through PlayStation and Raylo. You can also graba PlayStation Portal, DualSense Edge, and even the PS VR2for various monthly. Considering how few games there are for the VR2, renting it for a year, playing everything, and then giving it back might not be a terrible idea.
If you would rather just own a PS VR2, PlayStation will be permanently dropping its MSRP to $399.99 this month.
A console or accessory isn’t going to be in the same condition as it was when it arrived after three years of use, and that’s fine. It’s noted that general wear and tear, including dents and scratches, are expected. However, if you return the tech with big cracks or technical faults, you could end up being charged for it. The service is available now in the UK but there’s been no word yet on if it will eventually be rolled out in the US and elsewhere.
