Sony had previously increased prices for its consoles across various regions.
Recent price hikes for Sony’s consoles, including the PlayStation 5 and PlayStation 5 Pro, may foreshadow a significantly more expensive next generation of gaming systems.
Circana analyst Matt Piscatella noted that while price increases were anticipated, their scale exceeded initial forecasts. According to him, the current market situation introduces considerable uncertainty regarding both the release timeline and the pricing strategy for the next console, PlayStation 6.
Joost van Dreunen, a professor at New York University and an industry researcher, attributes these developments to U.S. economic policies, specifically the imposition of import tariffs. He contends that this has led to a substantial rise in component costs: prices for DRAM and NAND have reportedly surged by 80–90% since early 2026. Van Dreunen believes that the market is moving towards a scenario where $1,000 consoles become the norm, positioning console gaming hardware itself as a luxury item.
Serkan Toto, CEO of Kantan Games, suggests that Sony’s current price adjustments are an attempt to prepare for continued market volatility. He estimates that one version of the PlayStation 6 could potentially cost up to $999. Concurrently, Sony is leaving room for potential discounts should market conditions improve.