Sony has announced an increase in the recommended retail prices (RRP) for PlayStation 5 consoles across several regions including Europe, Australia, and New Zealand, effective from April 14. This decision comes in response to the ongoing "challenging economic environment, including high inflation and fluctuating exchange rates," as stated by the company. The new prices were officially confirmed through a post on the PlayStation Blog.

Here are the updated RRPs:

• Europe:

  • PS5 Digital Edition – €500 (The standard PS5 with disc drive remains unchanged)

• UK:

  • PS5 Digital Edition – £430 (The standard PS5 with disc drive remains unchanged)

• Australia:

  • Standard PS5 with disc drive – AUD $830
  • PS5 Digital Edition – AUD $750

• New Zealand:

  • Standard PS5 with disc drive – NZD $950
  • PS5 Digital Edition – NZD $860

It's worth noting that the price of the PS5 Pro has not been affected by these changes.

These adjustments follow similar price hikes implemented in 2022, making the PS5 significantly more expensive in many regions compared to its launch prices. In Europe and the UK, the PS5 Digital Edition has seen a €100/£70 increase from its original €400/£360. In Australia, the standard PS5 is now AUD $80 more expensive than at launch (from AUD $750), and the digital edition has risen by AUD $150 (from AUD $600). In New Zealand, the standard PS5 has increased by NZD $130 from its launch price of NZD $820, while the digital version has gone up by NZD $210 from NZD $650.

Interestingly, the RRP of the PS5 disc drive is being reduced to €80/£70/AUD $125/NZD $140, providing some relief amidst the overall price increases.