Sony Keeps PS5 Price Steady Amid GTA 6 Launch in 2026, Hints at PS Plus Price Increase

Sony has hinted at PS Plus price hike along with a stable PS5 pricing as a part of its strategy for 2026, after its recent earnings call. There have been rumors that with RAM prices going high because of the shortages, Sony might increase prices for the PlayStation 5 console in 2026. But in its recent earnings call, Sony has indicated that an increase in RAM prices would not hit console prices, but the services offered around the consoles would take a hit. CFO Lin Tao has stated that the company has secured the minimum RAM supply required to support PS5 production throughout 2026, and this reduces the risk of production disruption.

PS5 Price Hike and Its Impact on Sales

There has been a lot of buzz around PlayStation 6 launch, but now experts like Jason Schreier are saying that Sony would commit a huge mistake by launching PS6 in 2027, as it has still not lived its life. PS5 is one of the most popular consoles, and Sony would like to bank on its popularity in 2026 with games like GTA 6 launching in November. Sony has projected PS5 console sales as exceeding 15 million consoles in 2026. PlayStation 5 prices have already seen a hike in 2025 owing to some uncontrollable factors, but with consumers getting more and more price conscious, it would not be a good strategy on Sony’s behalf to further increase the prices of their consoles.

Sony also acknowledges the uneven regional pricing trends, where it believes that Europe and United States have seen a price hike of around 15% above the original suggested retail baseline in 2025, while Japan has experienced a PS5 pricing, which is much closer to the recommended level.

According to an article by ‘The Guru of 3D’, “Sony also indicated it may introduce a more affordable entry-level PS5 model as another way to protect demand while component prices remain elevated. A lower-priced SKU would help keep the platform accessible, and it aligns with the standard console playbook: maintain or expand the install base, then monetize through higher-margin software and services.”

Will PS Plus See a Price Hike?

Sony has revealed that an increase in platform costs would be passed on to subscriptions like PlayStation Plus. With this strategy Sony is looking at spreading the burden across the wider PlayStation 5 user base, rather than concentrating it on new PS5 console users.

Sony has very clearly referenced GTA 6 as one of the major catalysts that would bring a huge spike in PS5 console demand. Sony would like to cash in on the opportunity and increasing the price for PS5 at that time would definitely impact the demand for consoles in the holiday season.

The fans are not happy with this decision, as PS Plus prices have also seen a hike in some regions. Some of them believe that the quality of monthly free games on the platform does not match its high price, while some think that purchasing games on sale is better than opting for an expensive PS Plus subscription.

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