Key Takeaways
- The price of Sony’s PlayStation 5 is increasing in key markets across the globe.
- Prices in the U.S. have so far stayed the same.
- The video game industry continues to feel the shockwaves of Donald Trump’s global tariffs.
Sony has raised the price of its PlayStation 5 consoles worldwide as the video game industry continues to feel the effects of U.S. President Donald Trump’s tariffs.
Although the company did not explicitly cite the tariffs as the reason for the increase, many industry commentators believe the levies will cause a significant ripple effect across the gaming market.
PS5 Price Hike
On Sunday, April 13, Sony announced that the PS5 digital edition would increase by €50 to €499.99 in Europe, while the U.K. price would rise by £40 to £429.99.
The Japanese company attributed the price hike to a “challenging economic environment,” citing “high inflation and fluctuating exchange rates.”
Sony also confirmed it was raising prices for physical and digital editions in Australia, New Zealand, the Middle East, and Africa.
However, the price of the standard edition in the U.K. and Europe will remain unchanged.
Christopher Dring, a gaming industry analyst and reporter, told the BBC that Sony is likely raising prices elsewhere to keep them the same in the U.S.
“The U.S. is the biggest market for video game consoles, and rather than simply increase prices there, it’s possible companies like PlayStation are adjusting pricing globally in an effort to shield the U.S. market,” Dring said.
The Impact of U.S. Tariffs
On April 2, President Trump signed an executive order imposing a minimum 10% tariff on all U.S. imports, with some countries facing levies as high as 50%.
The most notable trade tensions have emerged between the U.S. and China, with Beijing retaliating by imposing 125% tariffs on U.S. imports.
Sony and Microsoft manufacture most of their consoles in China, making them particularly vulnerable to the tariffs.
Lisa Hanson, CEO of analyst firm Niko Partners, believes the sale of U.S. video games will be impacted even if a deal is made between America and Asia.
“It is not far-fetched to think that even if ‘a deal is struck’ for tariffs and other issues between the US and China, Chinese consumers would protest the economic uncertainty by avoiding US products and even by avoiding US technology and games,” Hanson wrote.
A Blow to the Gaming Industry
In a direct hit to the gaming sector, Nintendo was forced to delay U.S. pre-orders of its upcoming Switch 2, scheduled for release on June 5, as the company assessed the tariffs’ financial impact.
President Trump later stated on Truth Social that he would temporarily pause tariffs for over 75 countries currently in negotiations, issuing a flat 10% levy instead.
This includes Japan and Vietnam—previously subject to tariffs of 24% and 46%, respectively—where the majority of Nintendo’s hardware is manufactured.
“Right now, it’s expected that console manufacturers will avoid passing on the cost increase to consumers,” Dring wrote on The Game Business. “However, if the harsher measures come into effect, that will likely change.”
Kurt Robson is a London-based reporter at CCN, specialising in the fast-moving worlds of crypto and emerging technology. He began his career covering local news in Cornwall after graduating from Falmouth University with First Class Honours in Journalism. There, he cut his teeth on everything from council meetings to missing swans.
He quickly rose through the ranks to become a frontline journalist at several of the UK’s leading national newspapers. Over the years, he has interviewed musicians and celebrities, reported from courtrooms and crime scenes, and secured multiple front-page exclusives.
Following the upheaval of the COVID-19 pandemic, Kurt shifted his focus to technology journalism—just ahead of the AI boom. With a natural curiosity and a trained eye for emerging trends, he has found a new rhythm in reporting on innovation.
At CCN, Kurt's work focuses on the cutting edge of crypto, blockchain, AI, and the evolving digital world. Drawing on his background in people-first reporting and his deep interest in disruptive tech, Kurt delivers stories that are insightful, entertaining, and human-centric.
