PS5 Price Hike Hits Several Countries Due to Economic Pressures

Starting this Monday (April 14), Sony has officially raised the price of the PlayStation 5 in select regions. The announcement came from Isabelle Tomatis, Vice President of Global Marketing at SIE, who confirmed the increase will affect markets including Europe, the UK, Australia, and New Zealand.

Digital Edition Sees Hike in Europe and the UK

In Europe and the UK, the PS5 Digital Edition is the only model affected — and the increase is notable:

Both Models Affected in Australia and New Zealand

In contrast, both the standard and digital editions are seeing price bumps in Australia and New Zealand:

Australia
- Standard: AU$829.95
- Digital: AU$749.95
New Zealand
- Standard: NZ$949.95
- Digital: NZ$859.95

Sony attributes this global shift to “a challenging economic environment, including high inflation and fluctuating exchange rates,” according to a statement from Isabelle Tomatis on the PlayStation Blog.

A Small Silver Lining: Disc Drive Price Drops

Interestingly, while consoles are getting more expensive, Sony has lowered the price of the removable disc drive (compatible with the PS5 Digital and PS5 Pro):

Europe: €79.99
UK: £69.99
Australia: AU$124.95
New Zealand: NZ$139.95

With the continuing economic turbulence, Sony hasn’t ruled out further regional price changes in the future. So far, no adjustments have been announced for North America or Asia.

Sony and PS5 prices

While Sony has yet to confirm a price increase for the PlayStation 5 in the Americas, signs suggest that one could be coming — and sooner than expected. With price hikes already implemented in Europe, the UK, Australia, and New Zealand, market analysts are closely monitoring whether similar changes will roll out in the United States and Latin America.

Adding fuel to the speculation is the growing economic impact of tariffs introduced under former U.S. President Donald Trump, which continue to influence international trade dynamics.

“I would be very surprised if Sony could keep PS5 prices stable in the U.S.,” said Dr. Serkan Toto, a respected analyst at Japanese consulting firm Kantan Games, in an interview with CNBC. “So yes, I expect prices to increase at some point, likely once it becomes clearer how tariffs will evolve.”