Sony has dropped a bombshell on gamers worldwide. Starting April 2, 2026, every PlayStation 5 console will cost significantly more, with price hikes reaching up to $150. This marks the second major price increase in less than a year, and for millions of fans already feeling the squeeze, the timing could not be worse.
What Are the New PS5 Prices in the US and Globally?
10 In the US, the PS5 and its digital edition will now be $100 more expensive, while the PS5 Pro will increase by $150 and the PS Portal will be $50 more expensive.
Here is a full breakdown of the new US pricing:
| Product | Old Price | New Price | Increase |
|---|---|---|---|
| PS5 (Disc Edition) | $549.99 | $649.99 | +$100 |
| PS5 Digital Edition | $499.99 | $599.99 | +$100 |
| PS5 Pro | $749.99 | $899.99 | +$150 |
| PlayStation Portal | $199.99 | $249.99 | +$50 |
5 The system launched in 2020 at $400 for the digital edition and $500 for the disc drive version. That means **the standard PS5 now costs $150 more than its original launch price from six years ago.** 6 Sony also raised prices in Japan, the UK, and Europe. In the UK, each PS5 model will increase by £90 (around $120). 8 UK pricing puts the PS5 at £569.99, PS5 Digital Edition at £519.99, and PS5 Pro at £789.99. 2 The changes are hitting countries around the world, and Canada is no exception, with new Canadian prices taking effect on April 2.
PS5 Pro console price hike 2026 global RAM shortage
Why Is Sony Raising Prices Again?
3 Isabelle Tomatis, Vice President of Global Marketing at Sony Interactive Entertainment, wrote in the PlayStation Blog that “with continued pressures in the global economic landscape,” Sony made the decision to increase prices globally.
But behind those carefully chosen words lies a deeper crisis.
15 The tech industry’s race to build out artificial intelligence infrastructure has pushed memory makers to favor higher-margin data center chips, tightening supply for consumer devices. This is the core of the problem. 18 Memory prices have already surged approximately 90% in the first quarter of 2026 compared to the fourth quarter of 2025, according to research firm Counterpoint Technology Market Research. 23 The market reallocation is stark: data centers claimed 20 to 30% of DRAM in 2022; by 2026, that figure hit 70%. 21 This has encouraged RAM manufacturers like Samsung and SK Hynix to pivot their factories away from making standard consumer memory to prioritize high-profit enterprise chips.
Industry analyst Piers Harding-Rolls of Ampere Analysis confirmed the inevitable nature of this move. 6“It is likely that Sony had price protections for its components for a set period and this may well have come to an end,” Harding-Rolls said.
The bottom line: AI is eating the world’s memory supply, and gamers are paying the price.
The Entire Gaming Industry Is Feeling the Heat
Sony is not alone in this struggle. Every major console maker has raised prices over the past year.
33 Microsoft’s affected consoles, including Xbox Series X and Xbox Series S models, increased in price between $80 and $100 each. These consoles were first released almost five years ago, with the basic Xbox Series S and Series X models costing $299.99 and $499.99, respectively. Now Microsoft recommends prices of $379.99 for the most basic Xbox Series S model and $599.99 for the Xbox Series X. 5 Nintendo raised the price of the original Switch and some of its accessories last year, but hasn’t budged on the Switch 2 since its launch in June. However, analysts are not optimistic that will last. 5 Following Sony’s lead, Nintendo’s new hardware jumping to $500 or beyond feels all but inevitable now. 6 There could be further pressure on component prices due to the war in the Middle East. “A new wave of inflation is expected from the war in the Middle East, and this will compound the effect of the component price increases,” Harding-Rolls said.
“Hardware prices will not fall.” That is the blunt assessment from Circana industry analyst Mat Piscatella, who told GamesRadar+ he is “extremely concerned” about rising console prices heading deeper into 2026.
7 Consoles have always gotten cheaper over time, not more expensive. That long-standing rule of the gaming industry has been shattered.
What Does This Mean for Gamers and the PS6?
The financial pain is already showing up in sales numbers. 15In the key October to December holiday quarter, sales of Sony’s PlayStation 5 fell 16% from a year earlier to 8 million units.
6 During an earnings call in February, a Sony executive said the company aims to blunt the impact of higher memory costs by focusing on monetizing its current install base of PS5 users and further expanding its software and network service revenue. In plain terms, Sony is betting on selling more games and subscriptions rather than more consoles.
The RAM crisis also has big implications for future hardware. 23Intel CEO Lip-Bu Tan, after consulting with key memory manufacturers, stated bluntly in February: “There’s no relief as far as I know. There’s no relief until 2028.”
That timeline helps explain why Sony is reportedly pushing the PS6 launch to 2028 or 2029. Building a next generation console in the middle of the worst memory shortage in history would be both risky and wildly expensive.
14 Additionally, the cost of AAA development continues to skyrocket, with recent reports suggesting that it can cost over $300 million per title. So even if a PS6 arrived tomorrow, the games for it would likely cost more too.
Should You Buy a PS5 Before April 2?
If you have been planning to buy a PS5, you have less than a week to lock in the current price. The new rates kick in on April 2, 2026. That is not a lot of time.
16 The unfortunate truth here is that this is probably not the last time the price of PlayStation 5 consoles will increase. This is because there doesn’t appear to be an end in sight for the ongoing shortages AI is causing.
Here are a few things to consider before April 2:
- Check local retailers and the PlayStation Direct store for current stock at today’s prices.
- The PS5 Digital Edition at $499.99 is currently the cheapest entry point and saves you $100 before the hike.
- Used PS5 consoles may see a price bump on resale platforms as new prices climb.
- Consider whether PlayStation Plus subscriptions will also face increases in the months ahead.
5 PlayStation’s most devoted players were already frustrated over the recent studio closures of Bluepoint Games and Dark Outlaw Games. Now, asking those same fans to pay significantly more for the same hardware feels like salt in an open wound. 5 The PS5 generation has so far had more price hikes and PlayStation studio cuts than new first-party franchises.
For a generation of gamers who grew up watching console prices drop over time, this is uncharted territory. The forces behind these hikes, from AI-driven chip shortages to global tariffs and conflict, are not going away anytime soon. If you are a gamer on a budget, now is the moment to make your move or brace for a more expensive future. We would love to hear your thoughts on this. Drop a comment below and tell us how this price hike affects your gaming plans.
