PS5 prices up, PS Plus up, next they’ll charge $5.99 to turn on console, user says as Sony raises prices due to market conditions

Sony has announced an increase in the price of its PlayStation Plus subscription service, citing “ongoing market conditions”, just weeks after raising the cost of its PlayStation 5 consoles.

The new pricing will come into effect on Wednesday, May 20, for new customers in select regions. The subscription service provides PS4 and PS5 users access to online multiplayer gaming, monthly downloadable titles, and discounts on the PlayStation Store.

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Monthly and quarterly subscription costs increased

Under the revised pricing structure, the one-month PlayStation Plus subscription will increase by $1, rising from $10 to $11. The three-month plan will go up by $3, from $25 to $28.

Sony stated that new pricing in some regions will begin at $10.99 USD / €9.99 EUR / £7.99 GBP for monthly plans and $27.99 USD / €27.99 EUR / £21.99 GBP for three-month subscriptions.

The company has not provided specific details on the market conditions driving the price adjustment.

Impact limited to new users, with exceptions

Sony clarified that the price revision will primarily affect new subscribers. However, existing users in Turkey and India will also be required to pay the revised rates upon their next subscription renewal.

The company said the changes will not apply to current subscribers unless their subscription lapses or is modified, with the exception of users in the two affected regions.

Essential tier primarily affected

Although not explicitly stated, the price increase appears to apply mainly to the PlayStation Plus Essential tier, which is required for online multiplayer access and includes a selection of monthly games.

The PS Plus Extra and Premium tiers, which offer access to a larger game library, remain unchanged at $15 and $18 per month, respectively.

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Industry-wide pricing pressure continues

Sony had earlier increased prices across its PlayStation 5 console lineup in March. Other major gaming companies have also announced price adjustments, with Microsoft revising Xbox console prices and Nintendo expected to raise the cost of the Switch 2 in September.

Analysts attribute the broader price hikes to a global shortage of computer memory components, driven by rising demand from artificial intelligence data centers, which has increased the cost of RAM and solid-state drives.

User reactions

The price hike has triggered strong reactions from users online.

Some users criticised the decision, with one saying, “Blaming market conditions is insane. It should be free to play online games without paywalls in 2026.”

Another user highlighted layered costs in gaming, writing:
“Pay for internet
Pay to play online
Pay to buy game
Pay for cosmetics
Pay to win
Pay to lose
Pay for DLC
Gaming is FUN and RELAXING.”

A third user commented on affordability concerns, stating: “Due to economic conditions for consumers, we will unsubscribe.”

Another reaction read: “PS5 prices up, PS Plus up, next they'll charge $5.99 just to turn on the console ‘due to ongoing market conditions’ Lmao.”

However, one user defended the increase, noting: “Obviously, I'm not a fan of prices going up, but why are people pretending like it doesn't cost money for servers? Also, what weirdos are paying per month/every 3 months?”