PS2-Themed PS5 - Better Than The Real Thing Or Too Good To Be True?

Ever since the PlayStation 5 launched, we've seen some demand from users regarding custom consoles and controllers. Armed with the knowledge that the PlayStation 5's side plates are easily removable – as we saw during Sony's own PlayStation 5 teardown – many prospective buyers are wondering if Sony will either allow third-party companies to release licensed plates or make its own. One such third-party company, SUP3R5, took things one step further by promising PlayStation 5 consoles and matching controllers with color schemes that harken back to the PlayStation 2.

For those who don't like the white color scheme of the PlayStation 5 and DualSense controller, something like SUP3R5's PlayStation 5 might prove attractive. SUP3R5 is a company that seemingly came out of nowhere to offer these PlayStation 5 consoles at a hefty premium – $649, which is $150 more than the standard PS5 with a disc drive. Unfortunately, after coming out of nowhere, SUP3R5 has disappeared just as quickly, leaving us to wonder if these PS2-inspired consoles will ever see the light of day or if this whole thing was just a flash in the pan that will never become a reality. 

With the PlayStation 5 on the mind of pretty much every console gamer, SUP3R5 certainly had no problem getting everyone's attention by announcing its limited-edition custom PS5 that pays homage to the PS2. When we say "limited edition," however, we mean it, because as Men's Gear points out, SUP3R5 only planned to offer 304 consoles and 500 custom controllers with the same color scheme.

SUP3R5's throwback PS5 sold out quickly when pre-orders opened on Friday, January 8, 2021. VGC says they sold out in 20 minutes, and that the only thing stopping them from selling out faster was the fact that SUP3R5'S website buckled under the flood of users. Some of those users even say they were charged for a console without receiving confirmation that they'd actually reserved one, which is not good.

Unfortunately, things spiraled out of control from there. Through a series of several updates to that VGC article linked above, we learn that SUP3R5 quickly canceled all orders for the custom PS5 and controller. In a statement, the company said that its team "began receiving credible threats to their safety," which was the driving decision behind the cancellation.

It's unknown where things are going to go from here. SUP3R5 permanently deleted its Twitter account just days after its website crashed and burned during pre-orders. However, as of February 2021, the Twitter account is back, though it hasn't said anything and is devoid of links and images. Just as well, the entire SUP3R5 website has been taken offline, with VGC noting that the Internet Archive's Wayback Machine suggests this happened sometime before January 31, 2021.

While SUP3R5 suggested that it may restart sales for this custom PS5, the fact that its website has disappeared and its Twitter account has been entirely scrubbed doesn't give us much hope on that front. In a separate statement issued to VGC, SUP3R5 insists that it wasn't out to scam anyone and had issued refunds to 98% of buyers by the time the statement was issued. However, given that SUP3R5 vanished just as quickly as it appeared, we probably aren't going to have a concrete resolution to this story.