PlayStation 5 sees huge price increase of almost 40% since launch and gamers are furious

THE PlayStation 5 is one of the priciest consoles on the market and it’s about to get more expensive.

When it launched, it saw immediate scarcity, meaning that many people waited until they were readily available to buy one.

Dennis Cortes via Unsplash

This price increase follows one for Xbox consoles[/caption]

Stock opened up last year, but some people still waited to purchase their new consoles.

However, there have been a number of price increases which have left people hesitant to buy new hardware.

Most recently, Xbox saw a huge price increase in Japan, which usually indicates that similar price changes could come to other regions.

Xbox consoles saw a price hike of around 11-12% in the region, but the PlayStation price increases will be far steeper.

From September 2, the price of the disc-based PS5 will go up from ¥66,980 ($465/£350) to ¥79,980 ($550/£420), for a price increase of 20%.

The digital-only console will also increase in price from ¥59,980 ($420/£320) to ¥72,980 ($510/£385), an 18% increase.

Other PlayStation accessories, such as controllers and the PS Portal, have also become more expensive.

This recent price hike in Japan follows a previous worldwide one, meaning that the PS5 has seen a price increase of 38% since it launched in 2020.

There is no evidence that other regions will see a similar price increase, despite the fact that there was an earlier worldwide increase.

The Japanese yen has seen a dramatic devaluation since 2022, with a massive gap in value compared to the US dollar.

This is likely what is encouraging the recent dramatic price hikes, which is why experts believe other regions shouldn’t worry about the prices of consoles increasing.

Despite this, we have seen global price increases on other products, such as the price increase for Xbox Game Pass.

People are still worried about the possible changes to console prices with one social media user writing: “This is the worst console generation in history.”

Another person added: “This doesn’t make sense. As time passes, consoles are supposed to be cheaper, not more expensive.”

Others aren’t worried about the news, saying: “To put it in context, the yen lost a third of its value. In other territories it’s fine.”

If you want to read more about PlayStation, check out our Star Wars Outlaws review.