You would think by now that the PS5 price would be lower than it was when it launched in the middle of a pandemic and semiconductor shortage crisis. That isn’t the case. Instead, Sony has increased the price of the console a number of times already and Japan has been hit with yet another price hike.
Starting on 2 September, gamers in Japan will have to fork out an additional $90 for a PS5 console. The standard PlayStation 5 console will cost ¥79,980 ($550), a ¥13,000 ($90) increase on the current price of ¥66,980 ($460). The PS5 Digital Edition will also see a ¥13,000 hike, rising from ¥59,980 ($415) to ¥72,980 ($505).
PlayStation accessories are also going up slightly. The DualSense Controller will cost ¥11,480 – ¥11,980 ($80 – $83) compared to its previous price of ¥9,980 ($65 – $68). This is around a $20 increase. The PlayStation Portal is increasing from ¥29,980 ($205) to ¥34,980 ($240).
The latest price hike means the PS5 console now costs $200 more than what it did back in 2020. That is around R3600. Keep in mind that parts are now cheaper than ever and the PS5 Slim has also trimmed down a number of internal parts to make it smaller and lighter. One of which is the heatsink which is now 30% the size of the launch PS5.
Sony says the increase is attributed to the “recent challenging external environment, including the current fluctuations in the global economic situation, and the impact it will have on our business”.
While Sony has increased the PS5 price in other territories, none have been hit as badly as Japan. This marks the second exclusive price hike in 2024.
Sony has recently confirmed that hardware sales for the PS5 have started to slow down. In past generations, this would be welcomed by a price drop in order to motivate new sales. The PS5 generation hasn’t shown any signs of relief. The company is expected to debut the PS5 Pro in September with a rumoured $600 price tag.
