Sony is raising hardware prices again in response to “pressures in the global economic landscape,” a recent PlayStation Blog has detailed. The changes come into effect on April 2 and will increase the cost of the PlayStation 5, PlayStation 5 Pro, PlayStation Digital Edition, and PlayStation Portal by around 10-20%.
The overall pricing trend in gaming hardware has long been studied by the likes of analyst Matt Priscilla, revealing a sharp rise in Average Sale Price (ASP) beginning in 2019 shortly before the COVID-19 pandemic and reaching a new peak in 2025.
An analysis of hardware purchase demographics also shows that a majority (53%) of PlayStation owners earn more than $100k annually; the share of buyers earning less than $50k has likewise dipped to its lowest point (19%) as of Q4 2025.
New price increases come in the wake of RAM shortages precipitated by the rise of AI as well as the ongoing U.S. war against Iran and subsequent closure of the Strait of Hormuz driving up the cost of oil.
