The PlayStation 5 Is Getting Another Price Hike in Japan Soon

In an unexpected announcement, Sony revealed through a blog post this morning that the PlayStation 5 and its accommodating accessories will soon receive a price hike in Japan.

Starting September 2nd, buyers are expected to pay up to ¥79,980 ($552) for the standard PlayStation 5 console, ¥13,000 ($90) more than the previous suggested price.

Moreover, the same increase can also be seen with the digital version of the console, with a new suggested price of ¥72,980 ($503).

While often there is more than one factor to be accounted for during a price hike, Sony has explained that they had to take this dreaded decision because of the current economic conditions, stating the following in the blog post.

Unfortunately, accessories like controllers and the PS Portal will be affected by the price hike as well, increasing the cost of already expensive items such as the PSVR 2 headset.

All significant SKUs affected by the price hike are as follows:

This is essentially the third time that Sony has raised the prices for the PlayStation 5, and the effects on the price are likely to reach the West as well if the mentioned economic factors do not come under control soon.

Reason Behind the Price Hike in Japan, and How It Affects the Rumored PS5 Pro

The recent price hike in Sony’s PlayStation line-up can be attributed to the weakening currency of Japan. Yen (¥) has unfortunately seen an all-time low in recent times against USD, leading to rising costs and inflation in the country.

As witnessed in the past, Microsoft is expected to follow suit as well, increasing the prices of their latest generation of Xbox consoles.

The current and upcoming economic factors ultimately also decide the future of the rumored PS5 Pro, which might just be released at an exaggerated price tag, allowing Sony to keep up with the tough competition in the market and the rising costs of manufacturing.