PS5 Price Hike In Japan Leads To Massive Xbox Sales Increase

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Abdullah Waseem

At T4G, my task is to cover the latest news around the gaming globe ASAP and with the utmost precision. I adore all the games and respect all the devs behind the amazing games that we get all year. So, whether it’s a PC or a Console game, I got it all covered. 

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Sony recently increased the PS5 prices in Japan, leading to a massive fan uproar. This has led to a big difference between the pricing of Sony and Microsoft’s top offerings. Consequently, the new price has resulted in an enormous surge in Xbox sales in Japan.

Why it matters: The PS5 was outselling the Xbox Series S|X consoles globally by a big margin. While the price increase won’t damage that lead too much, it will significantly affect sales in Japan.

The Xbox Series S|X sales could increase even further as the price hike hasn’t been implemented yet. From September 6, the PS5 disc edition will go from 66,980 Yen to 79,980 Yen, while the digital version will change from 59,980 Yen to 72,980 Yen.

Compared to this, the Xbox Series X is priced at 66,790 Yen, and the Series S is 49,900 Yen. This translates to almost a $100 price difference, which is huge considering both the Series X and PS5 are equally powerful.

Following the price hike, many rushed out to buy existing PS5 stock at the current prices. This led to stock running out, and most gamers then picked the Microsoft consoles. As reported by Automation Media, the Xbox Series X is now out of stock in various retail stores.

Some players commented that the major reason they were looking to buy a PS5 was for Monster Hunter. However, because the PS5 is now out of stock, many have been encouraged to get an Xbox Series X, which will also receive Monster Hunter.

The price hike seems to be hurting Sony for the time being. In later cycles of a console generation, prices typically go down, so Sony’s decision to inflate the cost doesn’t make much sense. This is also the third time prices have gone up.

With the Xbox Series X still selling at a competitive price and PS5 Pro obviously coming at an even higher price than the base variant, we might see Xbox sales in Japan reach a new high soon.

Abdullah Waseem

News Reporter

Abdullah is an avid gamer who primarily plays single-player titles. If you can’t find him anywhere, he’ll probably be at his desk playing The Witcher 3 for the millionth time. When he isn’t playing games, he’s either reading or writing about them.