Your next PS5 might get a new tariff-fueled price tag
Sony is considering price hikes for its products, including potentially the PS5, to offset the impact of tariffs imposed by the Trump administration, according to the company’s financial forecast for the next year.
The tariffs are expected to cost Sony around 100 billion yen, approximately $680 million. To mitigate this, Sony’s Chief Financial Officer, Lin Tao, told investors during the company’s earnings call that the company is exploring options such as passing on the costs to consumers or relocating manufacturing to the US.
Tao did not specifically mention the PS5, but CEO Hiroki Totoki discussed the possibility of local production for the console, stating it “can be produced locally” and would be “an efficient strategy” to consider. Sony has already increased the PS5 price in several regions, including the UK, Europe, Australia, and New Zealand, this year.
Sony shipped 18.5 million PS5 consoles in the 12 months ending in March, a slight decrease from 20.8 million the previous year, bringing total lifetime shipments to 77.7 million. Most PS5 hardware is still manufactured in China, making Sony’s gaming business vulnerable to the tariffs.
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The 30 percent tariff on Chinese imports into the US is higher than the 10 percent rate applied to other countries, and game consoles were not exempted. Microsoft has already raised Xbox console prices by up to $100, while Nintendo has maintained Switch pricing ahead of its next-month launch.
Sony’s pricing plans may become clearer with the upcoming announcement of its flagship WH-1000XM6 headphones, succeeding the $399 XM5s.