Sony raises PS5 price in select markets, cites "challenging" conditions

Welp, Sony has just rolled out a price increase for the PlayStation 5. On Sunday (April 13), the gaming company released a new blog post announcing a price increase for the PS5 in Europe, the Middle East, Africa, Australia, and New Zealand amid a whirlwind of tariffs and inflation. In a statement, Sony cited the "challenging" global economy as the main reason for the increase and referred to the choice to raise prices as a "tough decision" on their behalf. But the company did note that the 4K PS5 disc drive attachment has seen a decrease in the suggested retail price as a part of this new update.

"With a backdrop of a challenging economic environment, including high inflation and fluctuating exchange rates, SIE has made the tough decision to raise the recommended retail price (RRP) of the PlayStation 5 console in select markets in Europe, Middle East and Africa (EMEA), Australia and New Zealand," the statement reads.

The global economy and a huge new game are major factors

With the updated prices due to volatile tariffs, European players must now shell out €499.99 for the PS5 Digital Edition. The new price will be €100 more than what consumers paid for the PS5 Digital Edition at launch in 2020 and €50 more than what the price had been compared to last week. United Kingdom players looking to secure Sony's latest machine will now pay £429.99, a £40 jump in price over last week, and £70 more than the launch suggested price of £359.99. But, neither of these markets will face increases to Sony's standard PS5 with Ultra HD Blu-ray disc drive.

Prices Of Markets Impacted By Price Increases

Experts aren't just blaming tariffs for this move from Sony. Industry insiders such as Serkan Toto, head of games consultancy at Kantan Games, asserted that Sony was strategic in getting ahead of the inevitable behemoth that will be the release of Grand Theft Auto VI. Toto is also warning that a similar price increase could be headed to American shores, though no official word has been announced on those plans.

“They are increasing the price ahead of the GTA6 launch, when the demand for that game will be so big people, maybe, won’t care about the price hike for the console,” Toto told the Financial Times. “This is most probably the biggest launch of a video game ever.”

New Price For PS5 Disc Drive Attachment

• Europe - €79.99
• UK - £69.99
• Australia - AUD $124.95
• New Zealand - NZD $139.95

This recent price uptick isn't the first time Sony has increased the cost of the PS5. Two years after the console debuted, the media company announced in 2022 that they would raise the cost due to the "global economic environment," calling it "a necessity." At that time, Sony raised prices in select markets, including Europe, the Middle East, Africa, Asia-Pacific, Latin America, and Canada.

Much like in 2022, the United States avoided being hit with any price upticks. However, things could change with the looming threat of President Donald Trump's tariff war.

Per The Guardian, Japan was hit with a 24% tariff on its exports to America, in line with Trump's orders on April 2, 2025. April 13 saw US officials claiming that the current pause on tariffs regarding electronics such as smartphones from foreign countries would be "short-lived." So, like the Nintendo Switch 2, Americans should keep their eyes on the PlayStation 5's US price in the coming months.