Summary

• The PS5 disc drive is back in stock at PlayStation Direct and Amazon US.
• Its stateside shortage is still not over, and this new stock may not last for long.
• The ongoing shortage is possibly driven by the PS5 Pro, which lacks a variant that includes a disc drive.

The PlayStation 5 disc drive is back in stock at select U.S. retailers as of mid-January 2025. But PS5 owners may need to act fast because the device is unlikely to remain available for long, based on recent trends.

Released in 2020, the PS5 Digital Edition was the first Sony console to launch without an optical disc drive. The discless PS5 Pro followed suit four years later. Both the mid-gen upgrade and the new Slim models are somewhat modular, allowing users to install a disc drive that they've purchased separately. Many PS5 owners eventually decided to do just that, at least in the United States, where Sony's official attachment has been in short supply for months now.

And while the stateside shortages of the PS5 disc drive continue, some national retailers have seemingly managed to restock since the turn of the year. As of January 15, the attachment can be purchased from both Amazon U.S. and Sony's own PlayStation Direct storefront for its regular MSRP of $79.99. Game Rant was also able to identify one third-party seller offering the device via Walmart. However, this reseller marked up the disc drive 50%, pricing it at $122. Additionally, they only have three more units left in stock as of this writing, so their offering is more of a last-resort option rather than a good opportunity to infuse one's PS5 with the ability to read physical discs.

Where To Buy PS5 Disc Drive Right Now

PlayStation Direct Limits PS5 Disc Drive Orders

Regarding Sony's own digital storefront, PlayStation Direct limits PS5 disc drive orders to one per customer. The company has long employed this practice to combat scalpers targeting any of its products that are in high demand. For example, the PlayStation Portal pre-orders were also limited to one per user on PS Direct, as were Sony's 30th-anniversary consoles and accessories.

The stateside disc drive shortage has been frustrating PS5 owners for months now. A similar phenomenon has also manifested in the United Kingdom since late 2024. The timing of these issues suggests that they are related to the PS5 Pro, which launched on November 7. Unlike the base PS5 model, its mid-gen upgrade cannot be purchased with a disc drive. As a result, anyone wanting the absolute best gaming experience that Sony's ecosystem can currently offer while also insisting on being able to play physical media needs to buy the PS5 disc drive separately.

With the attachment still out of stock at Walmart, GameStop, and Best Buy, it’s clear that stateside shortages are far from over. However, it's presently unclear how long they will persist.