With Region Lock: Sony Offers Cheaper PlayStation 5 in Japan

Sony aims to expand its PlayStation user base in Japan with a cheaper console model: exclusively in its home market, Sony will launch a PlayStation 5 without a drive for 55,000 yen, equivalent to just under 310 euros. In Germany, street prices for the equivalent PS5 Slim model with 825 GB of storage are usually around 400 euros.

To prevent the Japanese version of the PlayStation 5 from falling into the hands of Japan tourists, Sony is apparently securing the console: according to a report by the Financial Times, the console will be released with a region lock and can only be used with a Japanese account.

Analysts told the business newspaper that the cheaper console could strengthen the user base in the domestic market—especially in light of inflation in Japan. A broader user base could put Sony in a better position, for example, for the launch of “Grand Theft Auto 6” next year. Furthermore, the measure could lay the groundwork for the next generation of PlayStation, which is expected in the coming years.

Prices in Germany Increased Several Times

The move is particularly unusual because it goes against the trend: both Sony and Microsoft have repeatedly increased the prices for their consoles in international markets in recent years. Most recently, Sony adjusted prices in April, increasing the price of the PlayStation without a drive by 50 to 500 euros. The company from Japan justifies the price increase with “a difficult economic environment with high inflation and fluctuating exchange rates.” In 2020, the PlayStation 5 Digital was launched at a recommended retail price of 400 euros, rising to 450 euros in 2022.

Sony announced at the announcement of its latest quarterly figures that 84.2 million units of the PlayStation 5 have been sold worldwide so far.

(dahe)