Sony Hikes PS5 Price by £90, Gamers Fume

0:00On March 27, Sony is hiking the price of its PlayStation 5 console by 90 pounds, pushing the standard model's recommended retail price to $569.99, starting April 2nd. This marks the second increase in less than a year, with the company pointing to ongoing global economic pressures. Other products are getting hit too. The disc-free PlayStation 5 digital edition jumps 21% to 519 pounds 99. The new PlayStation 5 Pro rises 13% to 789 pounds 99, and the PlayStation portal handheld goes up 20 pounds to 219 pounds 99. Gamers are fired up online, calling the move insane and embarrassing for hardware that's already several years old. Many say they're rethinking holiday gifts, skipping future Sony consoles, or taking their money elsewhere. In the scenes, a conflict in Iran has disrupted Qatar's natural gas facility, slashing helium exports by 14%.

1:01That gas is vital for making semi-conductors in electronics, like game consoles, driving up costs across the board. Sony remains profitable, with recent quarterly earnings up 11% and a brighter full-year outlook. Rivals like Microsoft have raised Xbox prices too, amid similar market shifts, signaling tougher times ahead for gaming hardware.