Sony just hit PlayStation 5 owners with another price increase, and this one stings. Effective April 2, the standard PS5 climbs to $649.99 (up from $549.99), the PS5 Digital Edition hits $599.99, and the PS5 Pro jumps to $899.99. The PlayStation Portal remote player also gets bumped to $249.99, up from $199.99. That's the second price hike in under a year, and players are not pleased.
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What Sony is actually charging now
Here's the full picture of where prices land after April 2:
The PS5 Pro taking a $200 hit is the number that's doing the most damage online. A console that already felt like a premium ask is now pushing the $900 mark before you add a game or an extra controller.
Why Sony says it had to do this
Sony's official statement points to rising component costs, specifically memory chips, as the driver. The company cited "continued" economic pressures in its blog post, noting that the move was "a necessary step to ensure we can continue delivering innovative, high-quality gaming experiences."
The key here is what's happening upstream. Memory makers have been funneling supply toward AI data center demand, leaving console manufacturers competing for a tighter pool of NAND and DRAM chips. Piers Harding-Rolls, research director at Ampere Analysis, told CNBC that Sony likely had component price protections that expired, forcing the company to absorb costs it had previously locked in at lower rates.
This is Sony's second PS5 price increase in under a year. The previous hike, around $50 in the US, came in August of last year. Microsoft also raised Xbox prices during that same period.
Harding-Rolls also flagged that further pressure could come from ongoing conflict in the Middle East, which analysts expect to drive a new wave of component inflation on top of the existing memory crunch.
How the internet is processing $900 for a PS5 Pro
The reaction has been predictably loud. Social media lit up within hours of the announcement, with the PS5 Pro price point drawing the sharpest responses. Spending $900 on a mid-generation refresh that doesn't include a disc drive puts it in direct competition, price-wise, with a gaming PC that can do considerably more.
The broader frustration isn't just the number. It's the timing and the frequency. Players who bought in last year after the first price hike are now watching the value of their purchase erode in real time. The PlayStation Portal crossing $250 is also getting attention, given that the device streams games from a PS5 you already own.
Sony's framing of the increase as protecting "innovative experiences" hasn't landed well with a community that's watched hardware costs climb while game prices also pushed to $70 and above as a new standard.
Portal now costs $249.99
Where this leaves buyers going forward
The price increases apply globally. The UK sees each PS5 model rise by approximately $120 worth of local currency, and Japan and Europe are facing similar adjustments. Sony has not announced any bundling or trade-in programs to soften the blow.
For anyone sitting on a PS4 and considering an upgrade, the calculus just shifted significantly. The standard PS5 at $649.99 is a harder sell than it was at $549.99, and the gap between the standard model and the Pro is now $250. According to Forbes' coverage of the announcement, analysts aren't ruling out Microsoft and Nintendo following Sony's lead given the same component market pressures both companies face.
The April 2 date is close. If you've been on the fence, you'll want to check current retailer stock before the new pricing kicks in. Make sure to check out more:
