Sony warns of potential PS5 price hike due to U.S. Tariffs

Might explore options to offset Tariff impact

Recently, Sony has raised concerns about the possible PS5 price increase due to escalating U.S. tariffs, as revealed during its Q1 2025 earnings call on May 15, 2025.

With the PS5 selling 77.8 million units globally, closely following the success of the PS4, the corporation is facing a 100 billion yen ($512 million) financial damage from tariffs.

Let’s check out more details about this report and what Sony has to say about the tariff in this article.

Tariffs threaten PS5 price hike

Sony CFO Lin Tao explained that the company is already exploring options to offset the tariff impact.

He states, “We may pass the price [to customers] and also adjust shipment allocation.” This clearly suggests a potential hike in the price, although the final decision has not been made yet.

Tao stressed that Sony is examining market patterns and available data to handle the 100 billion yen shortfall while maintaining consumer affordability and financial stability.

The current price for PlayStation is $499.99 (disc) and $449.99 (digital). This may rise and potentially copy the same pricing as Xbox.

CEO Hiroki Totoki also said that localizing PS5 production in the U.S. could mitigate tariffs. However, the console components, which are sourced globally, might complicate things.

“Whether it’s going to be manufactured in the U.S. or not needs to be considered in such a critical situation,” Totoki noted.

Also Read: PlayStation Plus game catalog May 2025: Sand Land, Battlefield V & more

Industry-Wide price shifts

For now, Sony has only warned about the PS5 price hike.

Meanwhile, Xbox has already implicated and increased its hardware prices in April 2025 due to tariffs, with the Xbox Series X rising to $549.99, per The Verge.

They have also revealed that upcoming Xbox titles might even start from $80 in the future.

Sony’s projected price increase might bring the PS5 price closer to $550-$600, though Tao’s comments suggest a decision is dependent on trade negotiations.

What are your thoughts on this and would this affect your gaming choice regarding the console? Do share your thoughts in the comments section.

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