All products and promotions are independently selected by our experts. To help us provide free impartial advice, we will earn an affiliate commission if you buy something. Click here to learn more
If you've been thinking about buying a PlayStation 5 — you'll need to dig a little deeper in your pockets.
Sony has unexpectedly increased the price of its PS5 console in the UK, mainland Europe, New Zealand, and Australia starting today (April 14, 2025). The price rise is due to a "challenging economic environment," according to a new blog post from Isabelle Tomatis, Sony Interactive Entertainment VP of Global Marketing.
The latest price hike marks the second time Sony has been forced to increase PS5 prices in these markets since the original launch of the console in 2020.
In the UK, the Sony PS5 Digital Edition will now cost £429.99 — up from £389.99. That's an increase of £40.
When the PlayStation 5 was released in late 2020, the "Digital Edition", which ditches the disc drive to play Blu-ray movies and series as well as physical game releases, cost £359.99.
Amazon resists PS5 console price increase — save £85
Amazon UK has resisted the call from Sony to increase the price tag of the disc-less PlayStation 5 Digital Edition up to £429.99 — the second increase in its history. Prime members can enjoy next-day delivery on the console at no extra cost, so you could be playing the latest PS5 games this time tomorrow!
Sony PS5 Digital Edition
$429.99
$344.50
EE also resists PS5 console price increase — limits 1 per customer
EE has followed its Amazon's footsteps and not adjusted the price of its PlayStation 5 Digital Edition console. In fact, the mobile carrier has cut the cost by £10 compared to the previous RRP— meaning you'll now save £50 compared to the new price tag announced by Sony. Unsurprisingly, the gaming firm has been forced to limit consoles to one per person.
Sony PS5 Digital Edition
$429.99
$379
In the last five years, the cost of this console has increased by £70, although it has been redesigned with a slimmer profile during that time. In the UK, the price tag of the standard Sony PlayStation console with disc drive remains unchanged at £479.99.
It's worth that Sony now sells refurbished versions of its latest console, which is consistently the most affordable way to buy a PS5. These are limited to one per customer due to the demand. Sony offers the same 12-month hardware warranty on its refurbished consoles, which are serviced by the company itself. However, Sony warns that "Certified Refurbished products may have minor cosmetic imperfections".
If you've purchased the disc-less PS5 Digital Edition, you can add the missing optical drive back with the official Disc Drive for PS5, which is sold separately by Sony for £69.99. The accessory previously cost £99.99, so Sony has dropped the price tag by £30 in the wake of the latest shake-up.
Sony sells refurbished PS5 Digital Edition consoles at record-low price
Avoid the latest price rise and pay less than the original RRP of the Sony PlayStation 5 Digital Edition by buying a Certified Refurbished model. Checked and repaired by Sony's own engineers, these models might "have minor cosmetic imperfections," but will arrive with the same 12-month hardware warranty as a brand-new console sold by Sony. These are limited to one per person due to constrained supplies
PS5 Digital Edition (Certified Refurbished)
$429.99
$299
Buying the PS5 Digital Edition and the optical drive add-on separately costs £19.99 more than buying the standard Sony PS5 console with the disc drive built-in.
For other regions, the new prices are:
Sony Interactive Entertainment (SIE) VP of Global Marketing, Isabelle Tomatis penned in a blog post: "With a backdrop of a challenging economic environment, including high inflation and fluctuating exchange rates, SIE has made the tough decision to raise the recommended retail price (RRP) of the PlayStation 5 console in select markets in Europe, Middle East and Africa (EMEA), Australia and New Zealand."
According to Sony, some additional markets outside of Europe, the Middle East, and Africa may also see price increases, but specific details weren't provided. At the moment, PlayStation fans in the United States will not see a change in the price of the console.
This is the second time Sony has decided to increase the cost of its PS5 in these regions. If you've been waiting for prices to drop before purchasing, this trend may be concerning.
Sony redesigned its flagship PlayStation 5 console last year with two new models — the Standard model with an optical disc drive to play games and Blu-rays (pictured above) and the Digital Edition, which drops discs in favour of a slimmer design SONY PRESS OFFICE The good news is that PS5 Pro prices remain unchanged across all regions, so if you were eyeing Sony's premium console, you will not be affected by today's increases.
LATEST DEVELOPMENTS
- Hidden Sky Store deal makes Sky Stream even more affordable
- Best VPN deals
- How to watch BBC iPlayer from anywhere with a VPN
- Watch Sky Q? Two channels were axed from your box overnight
Experts suggest similar price increases could follow in other markets, including the United States.
Serkan Toto, CEO of Tokyo-based games consultancy Kantan Games, told CNBC: "I would be very surprised if Sony was able to keep the PlayStation prices in the US stable."
He added that now might be the "right time" for Sony to implement such changes as "user backlash would be comparably limited." Global financial markets have been particularly volatile following recent announcements about potential tariffs affecting international trade.
