Sony is set to jack up the price of the PlayStation 5 Console in Australia but not in the USA. Microsoft has responded claiming they will not follow Sony’s lead.
Ther Company that has been fined in the past for dodgy warranty claims appears to be quite happy price gouging consumers in Australia and markets like Japan where the price of their gaming console has been jacked up 20% while leaving the USA
Overnight Sony said that the price a PlayStation 5 will increase in select markets across Europe, the Middle East, Africa, Asia-Pacific, Latin America, and Canada.
They have not explained why they are price gouging Australians but not US console gamers.
Management claims the price increase was necessary due to the current global economic environment and inflationary pressures weighing on the entertainment sector, the company said.
As one observer said ” The PS5 is the same console sold in the USA as it is Australia so why are Australians and the rest of the world being asked to carry the cost of price increases”.
Currently the cost of a PS 5 in Australia for $749 for a Disc version and $599 for an online only version.
This year Sony sales have slumped this year.
Sales of PlayStation games fell 26% in the second quarter from a year ago, according to the company’s earnings released last month.
Sony introduced the PlayStation 5 in 2020. In the fiscal year ended March 2022, Sony said it sold 11.5 million units of the machine, falling short of the previous target of 14.8 million.
The price hike comes as Sony’s games business has been squeezed by supply chain snarls feeding into hardware shortages, with the conglomerate trying to boost PS5 production for the year-end shopping season.
In several markets including Australia Sony has been selling their limited supply of PS5 gaming machines direct bypassing retailers.