The PlayStation 5 now costs more in the US than it did at its 2020 launch

Sony's PlayStation 5 gaming console now costs considerably more in the US than when it went on sale in 2020. Late in a console generation, prices usually fall or discounts appear, but the ninth generation has gone the other way. The price rise is linked to an industry-wide shortage of NAND and RAM memory chips.

Prices in 2020 and 2026

In 2020, the standard disc version of the PS5 launched at $499, and the Digital Edition, which has no disc drive, at $399. According to the source, the Digital Edition now sells for $599, while the disc version costs $649 or $650 (the article gives both figures). That is roughly a 30 percent increase for the disc model.

The first increase came in August 2025, when every model rose by $50. Another $100 rise followed in April 2026. The more powerful PS5 Pro started at $700 in 2024 and now costs $900 after the April change.

Inflation only partly explains the gap. Using the US consumer price index calculator, $399 in 2020 equals about $514.90 today, and the disc version's $499 equals about $644.

Why prices are rising

The article names a NAND and RAM shortage across the industry as the main cause. Data center companies have secured huge volumes of high-performance memory, which leaves less supply for consumer electronics. On an investor call, Sony said rising memory prices push up manufacturing costs. The company says it has secured enough memory for its production capacity through the end of 2026 and expects the shortage to continue into 2027.

Will prices fall?

Consoles are generally not sold at a large profit. Sony earns most of its money from games, accessories and subscriptions, and takes a 30 percent cut of almost every transaction on the PlayStation Store. If memory prices fell, temporary discounts could come first, followed by a lower list price. For now, strong demand, especially for the PS5 Pro ahead of Grand Theft Auto 6, suggests prices will remain high.