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Sony Group is increasing the global retail prices of its PlayStation 5 consoles, including a $100 jump in the US, marking its second revision in under a year.
The Japanese tech giant is currently struggling with the soaring costs of essential components, such as memory chips.
The tech industry’s intense push to expand artificial intelligence infrastructure has led semiconductor manufacturers to prioritise high-margin data-centre chips, thereby restricting the supply available for consumer electronics.
By the end of next week, the cost of a Sony PlayStation will be about 30% more than it was at this time last year.
“We know that price changes impact our community, and after careful evaluation, we found this was a necessary step to ensure we can continue delivering innovative, high-quality gaming experiences to players worldwide,” Sony said in a blog post on its website.
Effective 2 April, the new US pricing will set the standard PS5 at $649.99, up from $549.99.
The Digital Edition will rise to $599.99, while the premium PS5 Pro will be priced at $899.99.
Additionally, the PlayStation Portal remote player will increase to $249.99 from $199.99.
Similar hikes will hit Europe and Japan following what Sony termed a "careful evaluation" of global supply chain pressures.
Industry analysts suggest these price increases may stifle video-game market growth this year. Epic Games, the developer of "Fortnite," recently cited lacklustre console performance as a factor in its decision to eliminate 1,000 positions.
Last month, Sony reported that its profit in the October-December quarter surged 11% to 377.3 billion yen ($2.4 billion), prompting the Japanese entertainment and electronics company to raise its full-year profit forecast to 1.13 trillion yen ($7.2 billion).
During the vital October-December holiday period, PlayStation 5 shipments dropped 16% year-over-year to 8 million units. The hardware has now been available for roughly six years.
The PlayStation console celebrated its 30th anniversary in North America and Europe last year.
Sony previously implemented a $50 US price hike last August, following similar upward pricing adjustments by Microsoft for its Xbox consoles.
Sony unveils new TV and soundbars
Sony introduced a new midrange 4K television and several home theatre audio systems on Thursday, maintaining its typical business operations even as it nears a deal to sell a majority stake in its home entertainment division to China’s TCL Electronics Holdings Ltd. Although the two competitors have not yet signed a definitive agreement, Sony is moving forward with its scheduled hardware reveals. However, consumers may have reason for caution, as it remains uncertain how TCL will manage software updates and long-term technical support for legacy Sony models once the transition occurs.
The new television, branded as the Bravia 3 II, does not match the peak picture quality of Sony’s premium sets because it utilises older, less versatile backlighting technology. Despite this, it offers one significant advantage over more expensive units: it is the first Sony TV featuring four HDMI 2.1 ports. This allows users to connect gaming consoles like the PlayStation 5 and enjoy fluid gameplay with a 120-hertz refresh rate across all inputs. Previous Sony models typically offered only two HDMI 2.1 ports, with the remaining two restricted to a 60-hertz rate.
The Bravia 3 II starts at $600 for a 43-inch screen and reaches $3,100 for the 100-inch version.
Sony also debuted the $870 Bravia Theatre Bar 7 and the $350 Bravia Theatre Bar 5 soundbars, alongside new subwoofers and rear speakers.
These products will ship later this spring.
English (US) ·