Sony Group is increasing the global prices of its PlayStation 5 consoles, with a $100 increase in the U.S., marking the second hike in less than a year. This decision comes as the firm grapples with rising costs of key components, notably memory chips.
The updated U.S. prices, effective April 2, will set the standard PS5 at $649.99, up from $549.99. The Digital Edition will now cost $599.99, while the high‑end PS5 Pro will be priced at $899.99. The PlayStation Portal remote player will also see a price increase to $249.99 from $199.99.
Similar increases will take effect across Europe and Japan. Sony attributes these adjustments to a “careful evaluation” of rising cost pressures in global supply chains.
Analysts suggest that these console price hikes are likely to dampen growth in the video-game market this year. Epic Games also cited sluggish console sales as a contributing factor to their recent layoff of 1,000 employees.
In the critical October-December holiday quarter, Sony’s PlayStation 5 sales fell 16% year-over-year to 8 million units. The console has been on the market for approximately six years.
Sony last raised PS5 prices by around $50 in the U.S. in August of the previous year. Microsoft is expected to follow suit, with price increases for its Xbox console anticipated in 2025.
The surging demand for AI chips has prompted Elon Musk to announce plans for Tesla and SpaceX to partner on an advanced AI chip manufacturing facility.
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