Sony has announced an increase in the prices of the PlayStation 5 (PS5) in various regions, including Europe, Australia, and New Zealand, but has kept the prices steady in the U.S. Alongside these increases, the price of the PS5 disc drive attachment has seen a decrease.
In its statement, Sony remarked on the challenging economic environment marked by high inflation and fluctuating exchange rates as the backdrop for this "tough decision." This isn’t the first instance of a price increase—Sony had previously raised PS5 prices in 2022.
Here are the new PS5 pricing changes by region:
Europe
- PS5 Digital Edition: increased by €50, now €500
- PS5 Standard Edition: no price change
- PS5 Disc Drive: decreased by €40, now €80
UK
- PS5 Digital Edition: increased by £40, now £430
- PS5 Standard Edition: no price change
- PS5 Disc Drive: decreased by £30, now £70
Australia
- PS5 Digital Edition: increased by AUD $70, now AUD $750
- PS5 Standard Edition: increased by AUD $30, now AUD $830
- PS5 Disc Drive: decreased by AUD $35, now AUD $125
New Zealand
- PS5 Digital Edition: increased by NZD $60, now NZD $860
- PS5 Standard Edition: increased by NZD $50, now NZD $950
- PS5 Disc Drive: decreased by NZD $30, now NZD $140
Analyst Daniel Ahmad has pointed out that the price rise is driven not only by recent tariffs but also by broader economic trends affecting exchange rates and inflation. In August 2024, Sony also raised PS5 prices in Japan significantly.
With these adjustments, many gamers are now speculating about how similar economic factors might affect upcoming consoles like the Switch 2, especially as Nintendo has yet to open U.S. preorders.
