PlayStation Price Hike Hits April 2 — Second In Under A Year!

by Misty White, and Vicky Stewart-Ferguson

Sony has officially confirmed a global price increase for the PlayStation 5 console family and the PlayStation Portal remote player, effective April 2, 2026. This marks the second major price hike for the hardware in less than a year.

For the U.S. Market, the price of the PS5 base model increases by $100 and the PS5 Pro by $150. For other regions, similar adjustments are being implemented. For instance, in the U.K., prices for each model are increasing by approximately £90.

Sony has cited "continued pressures in the global economic landscape" as the primary reason for these adjustments. Industry analysts and reports point to several specific factors, such as a significant surge in the price of RAM and memory chips (DRAM and NAND flash) due to massive demand from the AI data center sector, general inflationary pressures, global supply chain costs, and residual economic impact from international trade tariffs.

However, while the new official pricing takes effect on April 2, some retailers may still offer stock at pre-hike prices or through various bundles. For example, the PS5 Pro is currently available at FlexShopper for $969.99, and at Mac Star Cameras & Electronics for $849.99. Retailers like ShopSimon are offering the PS5 Pro 2TB Digital Console with additional accessories and a $25 PSN card for $899.99, and $949.99 respectively, with specialized retailers like uShopMall.com offering upgraded 3TB Digital Edition versions for $1,099.99.

Our take? This is a historic reversal of console pricing norms. With component costs rising and AI hardware demand exploding, the PS5 generation is becoming the most expensive PlayStation era ever — and it raises big questions about what the PS6 might cost.