Key Takeaways
- Sony announced price increases on PS5 consoles in Europe, Australia and New Zealand.
- The company cited a “challenging economic environment,” but did not mention the Trump administration’s tariffs directly.
- Sony did not immediately respond to a request for comment on whether it plans to increase PS5 prices in the U.S. as well.
Sony (SONY) has raised PlayStation 5 prices in international markets including the Europe, Australia, and New Zealand, citing a “challenging economic environment, including high inflation and fluctuating exchange rates.”
The cost of a PS5 Digital Edition is now 429.99 pounds ($567) in the U.K. and 499.99 euros ($568) elsewhere in Europe, increases of 40 pounds and about 50 euros, respectively, the BBC reported. In Australia and New Zealand, the price of both PS5 Digital Edition and Standard PS5 with Ultra HD Blu-ray disc drive consoles increased.
Sony did not specifically address the Trump administration’s sweeping tariffs, which included an initial 24% import tax on goods from Sony’s home country of Japan when announced on April 2. That has since been paused and replaced with a 10% baseline tariff. Video-game consoles are also not currently subject to recently announced tariff exemptions for smartphones, computers, and semiconductors, according to industry tracker Eurogamer.
Sony did not immediately respond to an Investopedia request for comment on whether it plans to increase PS5 prices in the U.S. as well. U.S-listed shares rose 2.2% in recent trading and are up 40% over the past 12 months.
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