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There was a time when getting a new PlayStation console meant something: staring at your bank account, convincing yourself that it is the right decision, swiping your card, and sighing dramatically after stepping out of the shop with the console; it felt like a ritual.
However, somehow, the concept of owning something has become so outdated in 2026 that even Sony has decided to provide the PlayStation 5 on a lease or rental program (along with other PlayStation hardware), at least in one of its key markets.
A Netflix-style approach to next-gen gaming
In the United Kingdom, Sony has partnered with Raylo, a London-based fintech that offers leasing subscriptions for consumer electronics, to launch the “PlayStation Flex” program, which lets buyers rent a PS5 on a monthly basis, without paying any upfront cost.
Buyers can choose lease lengths of 12, 24, or 36 months; the longer the lease commitment, the lower the monthly rent.
For instance, the PlayStation 5 Digital Edition (825GB, with a DualSense Wireless Controller) is available for as low as £9.95 (~$13.58) per month for 36 months, £10.49 (~$14.32) per month for 24 months, and £14.59 (~$19.91) per month for 12 months.
The console is also available on a monthly rolling basis with the flexibility to cancel anytime, but at a monthly subscription of £19.49 (~$26.60).
Monthly lease flexibility comes at a premium
What’s even more interesting is that the PlayStation Flex program is offering free next-day delivery, 14-day returns, and a lifetime warranty for the console.
Once the lease has ended, buyers can either apply for a new console of their choice with no upgrade fee, carry on their monthly subscription, purchase the console, or return it.
So, instead of spending the £350 to £400 on buying a console, you can actually rent and use it for around three years for the same price.
All of this sounds too good to be true, but the PlayStation Flex Raylo page is already live, claiming you can choose from available console and hardware options, select the lease term, sign up in 60 seconds, and get the console delivered the next day.
A smart expansion strategy?
However, the fact that Raylo conducts a soft credit check does make it sound more realistic.
Although it could be the Japanese giant’s way of getting the inventory rolling, it sounds like a genius idea to me for increasing the console’s adoption by breaking into a previously unexplored audience.
Unfortunately, Sony hasn’t confirmed any such program for the United States or other regions. Would you want the company to release “PlayStation Flex” for you?
