Sony will pass on tariff costs to U.S. consumers by hiking PlayStation 5 prices
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Sony will pass on tariff costs to U.S. consumers by hiking PlayStation 5 prices

August 20, 2025
05:08 PM
3 min read
AI Enhanced
economyfinancialtechnologyconsumer discretionarymarket cyclesseasonal analysiseconomic

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The PlayStation 5 is currently the most popular gaming console in America.

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personal finance

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August 20, 2025

05:08 PM

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economyfinancialtechnologyconsumer discretionarymarket cyclesseasonal analysiseconomic

Economy·Fortune IntelligenceSony will pass on tariff costs to U.S. consumers by hiking Playstation 5 pricesBy Dave SmithBy Dave SmithEditor, U.S

NewsDave SmithEditor, U.S

NewsDave Smith is a writer and editor who previously has been published in Insider, Newsweek, ABC News, and USA TODAY.SEE FULL BIO Girts Ragelis—Getty ImagesSony announced Wednesday it will raise PlayStation 5 console prices in the United States by $50, citing economic challenges and the financial strain caused by recent U.S. tariffs on electronics imported from China

The move affects all versions of the console and goes into effect August 21, with the standard PlayStation 5 retailing at $549.99, the Digital Edition at $499.99, and the PS5 at $749.99

Accessories and game prices remain unchanged, according to Sony’s press release. “Similar to many global es, we continue to navigate a challenging economic environment,” Isabelle Tomatis, vice president of global marketing at Sony Interactive Entertainment, wrote in the Wednesday presser. “As a result, we’ve made the difficult decision to increase the retail price for PlayStation 5 consoles in the U.S.” The decision comes as the U.S. government, under President Trump, imposed new tariffs on ducts from key manufacturing countries, notably China, Japan, and Vietnam

Current tariff rates have reached their highest levels in decades, driving up consumer prices across commodities, with electronics and gaming hardware being particularly affected

Data from The Budget Lab at Yale University shows overall consumer prices rising by 1.8% in the short term due to tariffs, and analysts warn that hardware manufacturers are passing on these additional costs to consumers

And while Trump initially insisted U.S. companies “eat” the tariff-related costs, Amazon and Walmart have already begun raising prices on their ducts, many others

How all of this will affect inflation in the months ahead is still a mystery

Tariffs hit the gaming world Sony is not alone in its response to the tariffs

Microsoft raised U.S. prices for its Xbox Series X and S consoles earlier this year, and Nintendo enacted multiple accessory and console price increases at the beginning of the month, including its original Switch and new Switch 2 consoles

These adjustments underscore a broader trend in the gaming industry, with manufacturers citing higher duction costs and economic pressure from tariffs that threaten fit margins and growth

Sony also noted that price hikes are not confined to the U.S

This adjustment s similar increases in other countries earlier in 2025, such as the UK, Europe, Australia, and Latin American , where both console and PlayStation Plus subscription prices rose between 8% and 21%

Sony executives attributed these changes to global inflation and fluctuating exchange rates, as well as trade tensions whose impact is felt worldwide

The price increase signals what’s to come for U.S. consumers, who are ly to increasingly encounter higher costs for electronics and entertainment ducts as global trade continues to shift

For this story, Fortune used generative AI to help with an initial draft

An editor verified the accuracy of the information before publishing

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