The PlayStation 5 had a strong sales week recently, with weekly sales of Sony's platform reaching new heights for the year so far. What caused the uptick in PS5 sales for the week that ended April 4?
The growth in sales no doubt was attributable, at least in part, to the fact that Sony raised the price of the PS5 on April 2, so it seems people were motivated to buy a console before prices went up.
Circana's Mat Piscatella shared this information, saying the surge in sales for the PS5 came "as price increases loomed." The increased spending on PS5 help drive weekly hardware sales overall in the US--covering all platforms--to double compared to the same week a year ago.
Piscatella also cheekily confirmed that the PS2--a very old system that Sony no longer produces--sold precisely zero new units in the US for the past week.
The PS5 price hike on April 2 was just the latest increase for Sony's flagship console, as the company previously raised prices in August 2025. Through the multiple rounds of price hikes, the PS5's cheapest model has now gone up by $200 this generation. The PS5 Pro, the highest-end version of the console, now sells for a whopping $900.
Sony said it was raising PS5 prices due to the "global economic landscape," and that was likely a reference to the ongoing chip and memory shortages, fueled in part by AI-based demands. Microsoft has raised Xbox prices, while Nintendo raised the price of the Switch 1 and some Switch 2 accessories.
Nintendo also recently made changes to its pricing strategy for games, with experts believing the changes are meant to push players to the more margin-rich digital games over physical. Beyond this, many expect that it's only a matter of time before Nintendo raises the price of the Switch 2.
Some stores are still selling PS5s at the older, less-expensive prices, so if you're trying to buy a new PS5 and don't want to pay top dollar, be sure to poke around for the best deal. You can consult GameSpot's buying guide to learn more, or find links to popular stores below.
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The growth in sales no doubt was attributable, at least in part, to the fact that Sony raised the price of the PS5 on April 2, so it seems people were motivated to buy a console before prices went up.
Circana's Mat Piscatella shared this information, saying the surge in sales for the PS5 came "as price increases loomed." The increased spending on PS5 help drive weekly hardware sales overall in the US--covering all platforms--to double compared to the same week a year ago.
Piscatella also cheekily confirmed that the PS2--a very old system that Sony no longer produces--sold precisely zero new units in the US for the past week.
The PS5 price hike on April 2 was just the latest increase for Sony's flagship console, as the company previously raised prices in August 2025. Through the multiple rounds of price hikes, the PS5's cheapest model has now gone up by $200 this generation. The PS5 Pro, the highest-end version of the console, now sells for a whopping $900.
Sony said it was raising PS5 prices due to the "global economic landscape," and that was likely a reference to the ongoing chip and memory shortages, fueled in part by AI-based demands. Microsoft has raised Xbox prices, while Nintendo raised the price of the Switch 1 and some Switch 2 accessories.
Nintendo also recently made changes to its pricing strategy for games, with experts believing the changes are meant to push players to the more margin-rich digital games over physical. Beyond this, many expect that it's only a matter of time before Nintendo raises the price of the Switch 2.
New PS5 pricing:
- PS5 -- $649.99 (was $550)
- PS5 Digital Edition -- $599.99 (was $500)
- PS5 Pro -- $899.99 (was $750)
- PlayStation Portal -- $250 (was $200)
Some stores are still selling PS5s at the older, less-expensive prices, so if you're trying to buy a new PS5 and don't want to pay top dollar, be sure to poke around for the best deal. You can consult GameSpot's buying guide to learn more, or find links to popular stores below.
PlayStation Direct
- PS5 (Launch Edition, Refurbished) -- $400
- PS5 Slim Disc Edition - Ghost of Yotei Gold Limited Edition Bundle -- $600
- PS5 Slim Digital Edition - Fortnite Flowering Chaos Bundle -- $400 ($500)
- PS5 Disc Drive Add-on -- $80
Amazon
- PS5 Disc Drive Add-on -- $80
Best Buy
- PS5 Slim Disc Edition -- $550
- PS5 Slim Digital Edition -- $500
- PS5 Disc Drive Add-on -- $80
Walmart
- PS5 Slim Disc Edition -- $550
- PS5 Slim Digital Edition -- $500
- PS Portal -- $200
- PS5 Disc Drive Add-on -- $80
Target
- PS5 Slim Disc Edition -- $550
- PS5 Slim Digital Edition -- $500
- PS5 Pro -- $750
- PS Portal -- $200
- PS5 Disc Drive Add-on -- $80
GameStop
- PS5 Slim Disc Edition - Ghost of Yotei Gold Limited Edition Bundle -- $600
- PS5 Slim Digital Edition - Fortnite Flowering Chaos Bundle -- $400 ($500)
- PS5 Disc Drive Add-on -- $80
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