Gamers who have not yet purchased a PS5 may have to pay more for the console. President and CEO Jim Ryan stated on the PlayStation blog that due to “challenging economic conditions”, Sony Interactive Entertainment has raised console prices in some markets. Also, he said the company was forced to make a difficult decision because of high global inflation rates as well as currency fluctuations. PlayStation fans in the U.S. can breathe easily – there won’t be any price increases in the U.S. yet.
Ryan announced that Sony is raising the recommended retail price for the console in Canada, Mexico, Europe, the UK, the Middle East, Africa (EMEA), Latin America, China, and Australia. In Japan, the new prices will take effect on Sept. 15.
The disc and digital versions will cost €50 more than the original price (€500 and €300 respectively) in Europe and £30 more than the original price (£450 and £360) in the UK. The consoles will cost about 10,500 yen more in Japan, where they originally sold for ¥49,980 and ¥39,980.
According to Ryan, the price increase is forced, “given the current global economic situation. But he promised that Sony’s top priority remains improving the PS5’s supply so that more people can buy it. In May, the company said it could finally ramp up production of the console, though it also noted that its efforts may not be enough to fully meet the console’s strong demand until next year.
