Sony has increased the price for all PS5 models in the US by $50. The new pricing takes effect today, August 21, 2025, and applies to digital, disc, and Pro versions of the gaming console.
| Model | Old Price | New Price |
|---|---|---|
| PS5 Digital Edition | $449.99 | $499.99 |
| PS5 (Disc Drive) | $499.99 | $549.99 |
| PS5 Pro | $699.99 | $749.99 |
Isabelle Tomatis, Sony Interactive Entertainment’s vice president of global marketing, said in a blog post: “Similar to many global businesses, we continue to navigate a challenging economic environment. As a result, we’ve made the difficult decision to increase the recommended retail price for PlayStation 5 consoles in the US starting on August 21.”
While the post by Tomatis did not directly blame tariffs, US tariffs on imports from trading partners, including Japan (currently at 15%) and China (currently capped at 30%), are widely thought to have increased Sony’s costs for PS5 production and importation to the US market.
The announcement comes after other players in the console space have also increased prices.
Earlier this month, Nintendo increased US prices for its Switch consoles: the original from $299.99 to $339.99, OLED from $349.99 to $399.99, and Lite from $199.99 to $229.99. Nintendo said in an announcement that it made the decision based on “market conditions”.
Microsoft increased prices across its Xbox family of consoles in May.
What’s been the reaction to this price hike?
Public reaction to the PS5 price increase has been largely negative. There’s been some frustration expressed on social media and in news reports attributing it to Trump’s tariffs as a “gamer tax” that burdens consumers.
California Governor Gavin Newsom sarcastically thanked President Trump on X for the hike: “Great work, @realDonaldTrump!!”.
Is Sony going to move production?
During Sony’s recent investor Q&A, CFO Lin Tao addressed a question on game consoles and briefly touched on the company’s efforts to diversify production.
“So about gaming consoles, so we are diversifying our supply chain. As for consoles, we have already transformed the production. And if we include peripherals, so the transfer to outside China, we will be completing that by the end of the first half. Hardware sold in the US are now sourced outside China,” said Tao.
