PS5 price hiked by £90 due to global 'pressures'
Foto: BBC Tech
Up to 21% – this is how much PlayStation 5 console prices will increase, which in practice means a hike of approximately £90 in the UK and $100 in the USA. Sony has announced that starting April 2, global markets will face a new price list covering not only the base PS5 model and the Digital version, but also the powerful PS5 Pro and the PlayStation Portal handheld device. This decision is a direct result of the drastic increase in component costs, including RAM and SSD drives, which are being bought up en masse by tech giants building infrastructure for artificial intelligence. For gamers worldwide, this marks the end of an era where older hardware became cheaper over time – the PS5 is already five years old, yet it is becoming more expensive than on its launch day. Analysts from Ampere Analysis indicate that pressure from the AI sector is forcing hardware manufacturers to protect margins, which may soon prompt Microsoft and Nintendo to take similar steps. This situation presents consumers with a difficult choice: accepting high prices for current-generation technology or forgoing a purchase in the face of rising inflation and a volatile geopolitical situation that further burdens supply chains. The gaming industry is entering a phase where the luxury of digital entertainment is becoming increasingly dependent on the global AI arms race.
The decision by the Japanese giant is not merely a cosmetic adjustment. In the UK, the price of the standard PS5 model will rise by £90, reaching £569.99, representing a 19% jump. It hits the wallets of those aiming for the PS5 Digital Edition even harder – here the price soars from £429.99 to £519.99, which means an increase of as much as 21%. Sony explains these steps as "ongoing pressure in the global economic landscape," however, for the gaming community, accustomed to price cuts mid-way through a console's life cycle, this is an alarming signal.
Artificial intelligence is draining hardware resources
The key to understanding this radical decision is not corporate greed, but deep changes in the supply chain. Experts, including Piers Harding-Rolls from Ampere Analysis, point to a "supply shock" caused by the rapid rise in component prices. This primarily concerns RAM and storage modules, which are essential elements of every console. These same components are currently being bought up en masse by tech giants building infrastructure for AI.
The global arms race in the field of artificial intelligence has meant that data centers are consuming chip production resources at a rate that traditional consumer electronics cannot match. Sony, wanting to maintain its "tight hardware margins," decided to pass these costs on to the consumer. This situation is particularly difficult as demand for AI infrastructure shows no signs of weakening, suggesting that high component prices may become the new market norm.
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New price list for the PlayStation ecosystem
The increases have covered almost Sony's entire hardware portfolio. Not even the newest and most expensive model in the range was spared. The new rates are as follows:
- PS5 Pro: price increases to £789.99 (a 13% increase).
- PS5 (with disc drive): the new price is £569.99 (a 19% increase).
- PS5 Digital Edition: now costs £519.99 (a 21% increase).
- PlayStation Portal: the price of the portable device has risen by £20, to £219.99.
In the United States, the base PS5 model will cost $649.99, while in Europe the price has been set at €649.99. It is worth recalling that this is not the company's first such move – less than a year ago, Sony raised the price of the digital version by £40. However, the current wave of increases is much broader and affects global markets in a way that could change the balance of power in the fight for gamers' wallets.
Domino effect in the tech industry
Sony is not the only company feeling the effects of more expensive components. Valve, the manufacturer of the popular Steam Deck, also admitted it had to revise publishing and pricing plans for its new hybrid projects due to memory costs. The situation is worsened by geopolitical instability, including conflicts in the Middle East, which analysts believe could drive inflation and further complicate logistics and electronics production.
Market analysts predict that Sony's move could trigger a chain reaction. If Microsoft and Nintendo want to maintain the profitability of their hardware divisions, they may be forced to follow in the footsteps of their Japanese competitor in the near future. The gaming industry is currently in a difficult position – on one hand, we are dealing with record production costs, and on the other, with a wave of layoffs that has affected companies like Epic Games, where 1,000 people lost their jobs.
The community's reaction is unequivocally negative. Users point to the absurdity of a situation where a five-year-old console, instead of getting cheaper, becomes a luxury good. Voices about "disgusting" corporate behavior dominate social media, but the economic reality seems relentless. Sony has opted for brutal honesty: to deliver innovative experiences, gamers must pay an "AI tax" that has indirectly affected the prices of their favorite hardware.
The price increase for the PlayStation 5 is a signal of the end of the era of cheaper electronics. The dominance of the AI sector in the demand for semiconductors has meant that gaming consoles are no longer a priority for component manufacturers, which will permanently change the market's price structure. It can be predicted that the upcoming generation of hardware, led by the potential PlayStation 6, will debut at price points that just a few years ago would have been considered unrealistic for a mass audience.
