PlayStation has teamed up with a UK leasing company to let players rent PS5 hardware for a monthly fee.
The leasing plan, which has been branded Flex, is a partnership betweenPlayStationand leasing firm Raylo (as spotted byGamespot).
Players can choose to lease standard or digitalPS5consoles, PlayStation Portal handhelds, PlayStation VR2 headsets or PS5 Pro consoles on a rolling monthly contract.
For example, a PS5 Digital Edition console costs £21.95 per month to lease, with the option to cancel at any time. By committing to 12, 24 or 36 months, this price is lowered to £16.49, £11.99 or £10.99 per month respectively.
Flexible monthly fee (cancel any time)
36-month contract (per month)
If players go with a 36-month contract, the total cost is slightly more than what it would cost to buy the console outright. For example, the total cost when leasing a PS5 Digital over 36 months is £395.64, versus the £389.99 retail price. Naturally, this option is designed for players who can’t afford the financial hit of a one-off payment.
As the FAQ states, players don’t own their device when they lease it through Raylo. When the lease ends, they have the choice to return their console, continue paying monthly or contact Raylo to discuss potentially buying it outright.
A slightly different PS5 rental service was launched in Japan last month by game retailer GEO. The service, which is provided by 400 stores across Japan, lets players rent a PS5 console for either 8 days for ¥980 ($6.62) or 15 days for ¥1,780 ($12.02), before returning it to the store.
Japanese players looking to rent a console will be in for a long wait, however. According toAutomaton, the service is fully booked across Japan, no doubt due to a combination of its surprisingly affordable price and the release ofMonster Hunter Wilds.
