Sony has announced an increase in the recommended retail prices (RRPs) for PlayStation 5 consoles in Europe, Australia, and New Zealand, effective from April 14. This decision comes in response to the challenging economic conditions, including high inflation rates and fluctuating exchange rates, as detailed in a post on the PlayStation Blog.
Here are the new RRPs:
Europe:
- PS5 Digital Edition: €500 (The price for the standard PS5 with a disc drive remains unchanged)
UK:
- PS5 Digital Edition: £430 (The price for the standard PS5 with a disc drive remains unchanged)
Australia:
- Standard PS5 with disc drive: AUD $830
- PS5 Digital Edition: AUD $750
New Zealand:
- Standard PS5 with disc drive: NZD $950
- PS5 Digital Edition: NZD $860
It's worth noting that the price of the PS5 Pro has not been affected by these changes.
These adjustments follow previous RRP increases in 2022, making the PS5 significantly pricier in many regions compared to its initial launch prices. In Europe and the UK, the PS5 Digital Edition is now €100 and £70 more expensive, respectively, than at launch (originally priced at €400 and £360). In Australia, the standard PS5 has risen by AUD $80 from its launch price of AUD $750, while the digital edition has increased by AUD $150 from AUD $600. In New Zealand, the standard PS5's price has gone up by NZD $130 from NZD $820, and the digital version by NZD $210 from NZD $650.
However, in a contrasting move, the RRP for the PS5 disc drive is being reduced to €80/£70/AUD $125/NZD $140, offering some relief amidst the general price hikes.