After two years of supply-chain issues, it’s finally been at least a little easier to get a PlayStation 5. Whereas early adopters had to rely on bots, Craigslist, and pure luck, recently it’s become at least theoretically possible to purchase one at retail price. Sony has also been supporting the console’s user base by announcing new peripherals, most recently the PSVR 2, which got a release window earlier this week.
For many, though, that greater ease will soon be a thing of the past. Sony announced a price hike for the PS5 in “select regions” on Thursday, which affects buyers in Latin America, Europe, Canada, Asia, and the Middle East—basically, anywhere outside the United States. This is the first time Sony has increased the price of one of its consoles, though the move isn’t totally unprecedented; Meta recently raised the price of their branded VR headset due to increased manufacturing and shipping costs.
In a blog post, the company blamed supply chain issues for the price increase. “We’re seeing high global inflation rates, as well as adverse currency trends, impacting consumers and creating pressure on many industries,” the post notes. “Based on these challenging economic conditions, SIE has made the difficult decision to increase the recommended retail price (RRP) of PlayStation 5.”
Some of these hikes go into effect later than others; Japan’s, for instance, starts on September 15. Other regions will see the price go up immediately. The price increases average about USD $30-$80, and affect both the Blu-Ray and digital-only versions of the PS5.