PlayStation Raises the PS5 Price Again
New Price Changes for PS5, PS5 Pro, and PlayStation Portal remote player by Isabelle Tomatis on the PlayStation Blog
"With continued pressures in the global economic landscape, we’ve made the decision to increase the prices of PS5, PS5 Pro, and PlayStation Portal remote player globally. 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."
We once again no longer live in that world where a Xbox Series X cost more than a PS5 Pro.
I still cannot believe that I bought these consoles at their cheapest at launch. The PS5 Pro was not cheap!
| Console SKU | Price This Week | Price Next Week |
|---|---|---|
| PlayStation 5 Digital Edition | $499.99 | $599.99 |
| PlayStation 5 | $549.99 | $649.99 |
| PlayStation 5 Pro | $749.99 | $899.99 |
| PlayStation Portal | $199.99 | $249.99 |
And to keep the tradition alive, here is an all inclusive table of the current consoles with their launch prices versus their current prices.
| Console SKU | Price at Launch | Price in April 2026 |
|---|---|---|
| Nintendo Switch Lite | $199.99 | $229.99 |
| PlayStation Portal | $199.99 | $249.99 |
| Nintendo Switch | $299.99 | $339.99 |
| Nintendo Switch OLED | $349.99 | $399.99 |
| Xbox Series S 512GB | $299.99 | $379.99 |
| Series S 1TB | $349.99 | $429.99 |
| Nintendo Switch 2 | $449.99 | $449.99 |
| PlayStation 5 Digital Edition | $449.99 | $599.99 |
| PlayStation 5 | $499.99 | $649.99 |
| Series X Digital | $449.99 | $549.99 |
| Series X | $499.99 | $599.99 |
| Series X 2TB | $599.99 | $799.99 |
| ROG Xbox Ally | $599.99 | $599.99 |
| PlayStation 5 Pro | $699.99 | $899.99 |
| ROG Xbox Ally X | $999.99 | $999.99 |
The Switch 2 is looking like a better and better deal for people who want a console with the latest titles, great exclusives, and a fair price. If these were the prices when I was in a kid, I'd have stayed a Nintendo kid my entire life.1
In whipping up this piece, I was reminded of my expertly timed piece Where Did the Price Drops Go from April 2025.
"It seems to me that the base price of the launch models of consoles is now a fundamental part of its identity. The price cannot drop for whatever reason these companies have."
The price can go up though, unfortunately.
I was nervous re-reading that piece given the stark jump announced this morning. Upon said re-read, I am not nervous, but I am sad. Even though the breadth of accessibility and entry into the market, the high-end goes higher and higher. My advice today would be to shop used or wait for some major holiday sale. While I do believe this sort of price increase is temporary given the RAM and storage shortages, it makes me more inclined to pick one console going forward if the initial investment is so high.
The last time this happened I did have this to say about Xbox;
"It's hard to imagine a future where I buy Xbox hardware. Without the exclusives, I don't see how a next-gen Xbox would convince me to stay in that ecosystem."
Since then, Xbox has had a wake up call and is doing a whole lot of saying of the right thing. We shall see if they deliver. Why I brought this quote up though was that comment on exclusives. Both Xbox and PlayStation are reportedly reconsidering their multi-platform release strategy. It seems the return on investment in these ports is not as high as the accountants hoped. Of course, Nintendo wisely never abandoned their exclusive strategy and remain the titan of said exclusives.
While one should never buy hardware on the promise of software, consoles are somewhat the industry exception to that rule. While I do suspect casual consumers wait for a specific title before jumping on board with a new console, I wager the vast majority of consumers do buy into a platform with the hope for a new Super Smash Bros. or a Gran Turismo or a new Halo. As the console price ascends, these exclusives will become even more and more important to making sure customers pick your box over the competition. If I can get Halo alongside the new Wolverine game on my PS5, why would I buy an Xbox?
I wonder if these price increases and parts shortages will help solidify the extension of this generation too. Rumors are swirling about internal dates sliding back for PS6. Project Helix is reportedly shipping dev kits next year. This uncertainty feels like an added layer to decision making consumers may have to face.
These price increases will be a black spot on the generation for sure. One marred by live service pursuits and billions spent in acquisitions. It will be an all-timer generation and not always for the right reasons. Kind of like an inverse of the PS3 lifecycle: started bad at $599 and ended at $250~.
Footnotes
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Who am I kidding? I still am. ↩