PS5 Price increase collapses PlayStation console sales in Japan, with Xbox gaining

Analysts have wondered how the significant PS5 price increases may hurt PlayStation console sales. Courtesy of Gematsu, Famitsu has provided the first glimpse of the impact in Japan. For the week ending on April 5th, some models sold 80% fewer units than in the prior 7 days. However, support for the unaffected region-locked digital system limited the damage.

A troubling sales report for Sony

As in other countries, Japanese gamers saw the PS5 and PS5 Pro price rise on April 2nd. After previous increases, the disc version of Sony’s base machine rose again to ¥97,980, which is approximately $616. The language-restricted discless alternative introduced in November is still ¥55,000, or $346. Meanwhile, the PS5 Pro now demands ¥137,980, or roughly $887.

The Famitsu data includes several days before the unwelcome announcement. Even so, buyers are already shying away from PlayStation consoles that are straining wallets . The PS5 with optical drive moved 558 units, down from 2,801 sold the week before. Not faring any better, adoption of the Pro went from 4,662 to 840.

Fortunately for Sony, its digital consoles actually experienced a slight bump, notching 12,141 sales. Still, the more affordable region-locked option likely accounts for much of that revenue.

The Switch 2 gains an even larger advantage

The domestic dominance of the Switch 2 is unwavering. Once again, it led the way with a weekly total of 59,543 units. Sony risks falling further behind its Nintendo rival. Also, the Xbox Series X nearly matched the mark set by the PlayStation systems targeted by the PS5 price increase.

Approaching half the price of the next-cheapest option, the single-language model is an even better bargain. Launched to compete with Nintendo’s own region-specific handheld, owners are only able to access Japanese PSN accounts. It may be hesitating to make adjustments so soon after launch, but the memory shortage shows no signs of abating.

Sadly, for gamers in other markets, there is no budget-friendly SKU. Some retailers continue to list the PS5 and PS5 Pro at their original prices until stock runs out. Regardless, fans are even more anxious to see if console sales outside of Japan show a similar monumental shift.