Sony has raised the price of its PlayStation 5 digital edition in several regions due to high inflation, fluctuating exchange rates, and US tariffs on Japanese goods. The console’s digital edition now costs £429.99 in the UK and €499.99 in Europe. Australia and New Zealand will also see increased prices for their respective consoles.
The price hike affects the PS5’s digital edition but not its standard version, which comes with a disk drive. The US tariffs on Japanese goods, including electronic components, have been affecting the gaming industry, prompting rival developer Nintendo to postpone preorders of its new Switch 2 handheld console.
US President Donald Trump has announced plans to launch a national security trade investigation into the semiconductor sector and electronics supply chain. While there was initial relief when Trump paused levies on some electronics, US officials later stated that this pause would be short-lived. The impact of these tariffs and trade tensions is being closely watched by companies such as Apple, whose products are largely assembled in China.
Source: https://www.theguardian.com/business/2025/apr/14/sony-hikes-playstation-5-price-by-25-as-trump-tariffs-bite