Sony has announced a significant price hike for its PlayStation 5 digital version in the UK, raising it by £40 to £429.99.
This increase reflects similar moves across Europe, Australia, and New Zealand. The company cites "challenging" global market conditions such as rising inflation and volatile exchange rates.
While the disk version of the PS5 remains unchanged in the UK, prices in other regions have risen—the digital edition now costs A$749.95 in Australia and NZ$859.95 in New Zealand. In Europe, the current price is €499.99. However, Sony has softened the impact for UK buyers by lowering the cost of its external disk drive from £99.99 to £69.99, offering digital-only console users a more affordable road to physical media.
This is the second price increase for the PlayStation 5 digital edition since its release. Initially priced at £360 to compete with Microsoft's Xbox Series X, it increased by £30 in 2022. With this new adjustment, the total increase reaches around £70 in just a few years.
According to industry experts, the move reflects bigger advances in global trade. While Sony hasn't directly highlighted geopolitical tensions or tariffs, analysts believe that Donald Trump's recent wave of tariffs on Japanese products, including a 24% charge, is influencing pricing strategy globally. With tariffs on consumer electronics hanging in the balance, companies are cutting core prices worldwide to protect the key US market from additional rises.
Meanwhile, Nintendo's upcoming release of Switch 2, priced at £395, has increased competitive pressure. Sony could leverage the pricing difference to reposition its system while maintaining its lead.
As IT giants prepare for shifting trade regulations and increased production costs, one thing is sure: the era of steadily decreasing console prices is over.
This means higher upfront expenses for gamers, even though the digital age promises greater convenience.