PlayStation 5 prices to rise in the U.S. starting this week, Sony says

PlayStation 5 video game consoles are about to get pricier — at least in the U.S.

Starting Aug. 21, the PlayStation 5 will cost $549.99 in the U.S., up $50 from its current price of $549.99, Sony Interactive Entertainment, which makes the device, said Wednesday in a company blog post. 

The company attributed the price hike to the "challenging economic environment." Pricing for the console in markets outside the U.S. will remain the same, the Sony said. 

A Sony PlayStation 5 (L) and 5 Pro (C) on display at the Sony headquarters building in Tokyo on Nov. 27, 2024. RICHARD A. BROOKS/AFP via Getty Images

As of Thursday, a PlayStation 5 Digital Edition, which lacks a disk drive, will cost $499.99, while the more powerful PlayStation 5 Pro will run $749.99. Sony said it isn't raising the price of PS5 accessories.

Other gaming console makers have also recently boosted their prices. Microsoft, which makes the Xbox, in May hiked the price of its Xbox Series X by $100 to $599.99. Nintendo, which makes the Switch, in August announced new pricing for its original console in the U.S. that it said was based on "market conditions."