With the Playstation 5 predicted to be around $450 or more at its release, many might be considering selling their Playstation 4.
After all, that’ll certainly help contribute towards the cost.
Placing a used Playstation 4 for sale is a great way to make some money ahead of your console upgrade, but it’s important to do it right. Your PS4 contains a lot of sensitive information — even your bank details — and it’s important to ensure that it goes to a new owner as a blank slate.
It’ll also help you get the best deal if you’ve done all of the software work to prep it for a new owner. So, what exactly do you need to do before you ship your console off to its new home? Read on to find out.
Check Out the Condition of the Console
It may have been months or even years since you examined your console. When listing it online or describing it to a new owner, it’s important to be aware of the condition by doing the following:
- Check out the exterior of the console, noting any marks or scratches
- Test all the cables and make sure they’re not faulty
- Insert a disc into the Playstation 4 and check that the disc drive is functioning well
- Check any controllers you’re selling with the console, as well as the USB cable used to charge them
If anything isn’t working, this doesn’t mean you can’t sell your PS4. It does require being upfront about the faults, but someone will likely still want the console.
Don’t be tempted to pay for any repairs before selling your console — just sell it as is, and be honest about the condition. It’s not cost-efficient to get repairs done yourself.
Make Sure All Information Is Accurate
When selling a PS4, it’s not only important to be aware of the condition it’s in and any faults — it’s vital to know what you’re selling.
The Playstation 4 has come in a variety of models over the years, with various memory capacities. Is it 500GB or 1TB? Is it the slim version or the original?
If you’ve made any modifications during the time you’ve had with your PS4, you’ll want to list those as well (such as installing a different hard drive).
Backup Your Data
There are save files in the system storage that you presumably don’t want to lose. Fortunately, these can be backed up.
Even if you aren’t sure if you want to keep any of these, it’s in your best interest to do it just in case. These files can’t be recovered later.
Get an external storage system and plug it into your PS4. Once you’ve done this, it’s time to follow the steps of backing up:
- Access Settings from the homepage of your console
- Select System
- Select Backup and Restore
- Select Back Up PS4
That way, if you ever want to go through old screenshots or anything else you might have saved, you have them on your device.
Deactivate the Console as Primary PS4
To ensure your account is no longer linked to the console — and therefore, people can’t buy games using your bank account — you have to deactivate it as your primary PS4.
- Access Settings again
- Select Account Management
- Select Activate as Your Primary PS4
- Select Deactivate
Now you can be confident when passing your console on that your account details are safe.
Initialize the Console
The final main step involving the software is to initialize the console.
This will wipe all of the information from your PS4, so be completely sure you’re ready to do this step:
- Once more, access Settings
- Select Initialization, which is at the very bottom of the menu
- Select Initialize
- Select Full
This process may take a couple of hours since it’s taking absolutely everything from your Playstation 4. It’s time to walk away and let the machine do its job.
When you return, the software on the console should be completely ready for a new owner.
A Used Playstation 4 for Sale
It can be tempting to just pack up your Playstation 4 and send it off without going through the hassle of deactivation and initialization. It’s not advisable — the console is loaded with your personal information, from your real name to your PayPal account.
How can you guarantee that the next person to buy it will be an honest person who won’t use that information?
Make sure you take your time, protect yourself, and are upfront about any issues with the console to save yourself hassle later down the road.
A used Playstation 4 for sale can net you some serious cash, and all it takes is a couple of hours of effort.
If you’re ready to sell your PS4, get in touch with us now.
