PS5 Prices to Rise: Sony CFO Says Tariff Costs Will Be 'Passed On' to Consumers

Bad news loves company - just as Sony released its latest financial report and projections, which confirmed the impact that the Grand Theft Auto 6 delay has had on the company's sales forecast, the industry-leading console manufacturer also confirmed another unfortunate bit of news: PlayStation 5 price hikes are coming.

Sony CFO Lin Tao spoke to investors as part of the company's latest earnings call, revealing that it's contemplating "passing on" the impact of the tariffs to consumers to minimize its effect on the company's bottom line. Tao didn't specifically mention which products will be affected first, but given that the PlayStation is one of the company's best-performing products, it doesn't take an expert to tell.

Tariff-induced price hikes have unfortunately been common in recent months following the implementation of tariffs by US President Donald Trump earlier this year. Nintendo and Xbox were the first to the party and others are expected to follow suit. While not tariff-related, Sony has also previously increased the price of the PS5 this year, although not to the same extent as the Xbox Series S/X and only in select territories such as UK, Europe, Australia, and New Zealand.

The PS5 Pro, which retails for $700, could get a lot more expensive before the year ends. This means that now is as good of a time as any to get your hands on the most powerful console to date. GTA 6 is currently delayed to May 26, 2026. However, waiting until then to get a PS5 Pro means that you might end up paying $800 as opposed to $700 (or less if you can get it on a discount at your local retail store).

Already, certain variants of the less powerful Xbox Series X are more expensive than the PS5 Pro. This is telling of the potential pricing trajectory of the mid-cycle console refresh. Various companies adopting price increases to offset tariff costs have implemented said price increases globally to 'dilute' the effect - amplifying the misguided policy of one nation everyone's problem.

The second GTA 6 trailer did an excellent job showcasing the improvements Rockstar Games has made to the game since the release of the first GTA 6 trailer back in December 2023. Considering that the latest GTA 6 footage was taken straight out of the PS5, it isn't unreasonable to expect even more improvements on the PS5 Pro.

So, if you're still playing Grand Theft Auto V The Definitive Edition on the PlayStation 4, this is your sign to get an upgrade. Aside from preparing yourself for the best version of GTA 6 (at least until the PC and PS6 versions come out), getting a PS5 Pro now lets you enjoy Grand Theft Auto V Expanded and Enhanced and all the exclusive features that come with it, including GTA+.

Rockstar might also re-release an updated version of Grand Theft Auto 4 and make it exclusive to next-gen consoles, leaving you out of the Liberty City party if you don't upgrade asap. So, if you needed another reason to get a PS5 or PS5 Pro to enjoy GTA 6, Sony just gave you one more.

Otherwise, you might have to wait longer or "settle" for an Xbox Series S to enjoy GTA 6.