How many times have we heard this in the last 14 months? “With continued pressures in the global economic landscape, we’ve made the decision to increase the prices of”…fill in the blank. Well, Sony knows.
Prices are going up across the board. And seemingly not by choice. Sony PlayStation has announced that all of its current lineup of hardware SKUs are increasing by $100USD. This includes the PS5, PS5 Pro, and PlayStation Portal. The prices go into effect on April 2nd.
Below are what to expect if you are (or were) planning on picking up a PS console any time soon:
U.S.
- PS5 – $649.99
- PS5 Digital Edition – $599.99
- PS5 Pro – $899.99
Canada
- PS5 – $819.99
- PS5 Digital – $749.99
- PS5 Pro – $1,099.99
U.K.
- PS5 – £569.99
- PS5 Digital Edition – £519.99
- PS5 Pro – £789.99
Europe
- PS5 – €649.99
- PS5 Digital Edition – €599.99
- PS5 Pro – €899.99
Japan
- PS5 – ¥97,980
- PS5 Digital Edition – ¥89,980
- PS5 Pro – ¥137,980
Sure the prices are increasing, but PlayStation reassures us in their post that nothing else is changing. “We know that price changes impact our community, and after careful evaluation, we found this was a necessary step to ensure we can continue delivering innovative, high-quality gaming experiences to players worldwide.”
It’s worth noting just how much things have shifted since release. The PS5 launched in the US with a $500 price tag. In just a few years that’s now jumped by about 30%. Meantime in Japan, the cost of a base PS5 has doubled.
With recent updates to the Portal, some gamers might have had that on their Christmas in July list. But the PlayStation handheld is not excaping the “economic climate.” New prices include:
- U.S. – $249.99
- Canada – $319.99
- U.K. – £219.99
- Europe – €249.99
- Japan – ¥39,980
PlayStation Isn’t The Only One
Nintendo made a move similar to this for its Nintendo Switch consoles not too long ago, nearly alongside the launch of the Switch 2. On top of that, just this week they announced the plan to adjust digital and physical game prices as well.
Additionally, both Sony and Xbox have hiked their subscription services in the last 12 months. Certain tiers of Xbox Game Pass increased by approximately 50%, while PlayStation Plus saw a huge change as well.
While the companies never seem to name names or point the finger at one particular “economic landscape” changer, most adults will be able to connect the dots. Tariffs, international trade disputes, and chip shortages mostly due to AI investment have affected consumer facing companies and in turn, the consumers themselves.
In comparison, this far into the PlayStation 4’s life cycle, its price was cut in half in most markets.
