Sony hikes PlayStation 5 console prices for Europe, UK and Australia citing economic turmoil

LONDON (AP) — Sony said it will raise prices starting Monday for some PlayStation 5 video game consoles in Europe, Australia and New Zealand, citing global economic turmoil.

The company unveiled the price hikes of at least 10%, saying it was a “tough decision” amid the “backdrop of a challenging economic environment, including high inflation and fluctuating exchange rates.”

The recommended retail price for a PS5 Digital Edition will go up to 499 euros ($570) in Europe, according to a post Sunday on the official PlayStation blog. That's up from 449 euros in a previously announced pricing update in 2022.

In the United Kingdom, the new price will be 430 pounds ($565), up from 389 pounds previously while in Australia the price will increase to 749 Australian dollars ($474) from $649. The price in New Zealand will rise to 859 New Zealand dollars ($504).

The PS5 Digital Edition is a slimmed-down version of the console that comes without a disc drive.

Sony said the price in Europe and the U.K. for the standard PlayStation 5, which was released in 2020 and comes with a Blu-ray Disc drive, will remain unchanged, as will the price for the PS5 Pro version, which was released last year.

U.S. President Donald Trump's move earlier this month to impose tariffs on nations around the world has roiled global manufacturing supply chains. News on the weekend that imports of electronics like smartphones and laptops are getting a temporary reprieve until the administration figures out a new tariff approach specific to the semiconductor industry has added to the confusion for exporters.