Sony has just announced a price change to most of its PlayStation 5 console lineup in the UK, Europe, Australia, and New Zealand by 10–15 percent. According to Sony’s blog post, this sudden change in price is due to a “challenging economic environment,” including “high inflation and fluctuating exchange rates.” This is the second time Sony has hiked PS5 prices, as the company did the same back in 2022 and similarly blamed “high global inflation rates, as well as adverse currency trends.”

Interestingly, there was no mention of Trump’s tariffs or increased import costs into the US, where prices are remaining the same for now. Sony manufactures the majority of its PlayStation 5 hardware in China, and with the recent tariff situation subjecting imports into the US to 145 percent tariffs, an equivalent price increase in the US market is probably also on the way. And unlike before, when Sony specifically noted there wouldn't be any price increases in the US, there's no such confirmation this time.

No price hike for the PlayStation 5 Pro

The Digital Edition of the PS5 is seeing the biggest price increase, rising in all four markets, while the standard disc drive edition is only said to see a price hike in Australia and New Zealand. However, fortunately, the PlayStation 5 Pro is staying at the same price across all four markets and won't be subject to any changes. Here’s a quick rundown of the new PS5 prices:

Apart from that, Sony is also slightly lowering the price of its add-on disc drive accessory, now averaging around 30–40% less depending on the region.

Game consoles like the Switch 2 could be in trouble

A few days ago, a list of exceptions to the new tariff rules was released, suggesting that GPUs might avoid price hikes, however, game consoles aren't so fortunate, as this pause on certain tech tariffs doesn't apply to them. The price changes we're seeing with the PlayStation 5 could be a sign that other consoles will follow suit.

This could also mean that the upcoming Switch 2 might face a price increase even before its launch. With gamers already unhappy about the $449 price tag, any hike could make things worse for Nintendo. Gamesradar reports that Nintendo may be “seriously considering” a price increase. This is following the delay to Switch 2 pre-orders in the US and Canada as a result of the tariff announcements; they have now been pushed back to May 8th.

About the Author

Hassam Nasir

Hassam boasts over seven years of professional experience as a dedicated PC hardware reviewer and writer.