Accusations of gaming greed are flying around amid the latest console generation, and while we know Nintendo has only just released the Switch 2, Microsoft and Sony have been reaping the rewards of the Xbox Series and PlayStation 5 since 2020.
2025 has been a rough one for gaming, but aside from Microsoft laying off thousands of employees as it invests $80 billion in AI, or the industry being rocked by delays and major cancellations, there have also been more than a few raised eyebrows about the general price of things right now.
Nintendo foresaw a worrying trend when it confirmed Mario Kart World would cost a new $80 standard, while we're still in the dark about rumors that GTA 6 will cost over $100.
If that wasn't enough to deal with, the price of the hardware we need to play these games is also creeping up.
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We were already warned that Nintendo was looking at increasing the price of the OG Switch at a time when you might expect a deal, and people flock to the Switch 2.
August 2025 saw the House that Mario built slap an extra $40 on the base console, which seems wild considering it's now eight years old.
Earlier this year, Microsoft confirmed that the Xbox Series line was getting a similar hike, and rounding off the pack, it's Sony's turn to hit us in the pocket.
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Amid concerns about President Donald Trump's trade tariffs, and with no sign of the PS6, it looks like we're trapped.
Hoping to slip a price increase under our noses, a new PlayStation blog confirms the changes in the USA. The gaming giant reiterates how the standard PlayStation will now cost $549.99, the disk-free Digital Edition will set you back $500, and the PlayStation 5 Pro that many will surely be playing GTA 6 on will cost $750.
It's a $50 bump across the board, and while the Digital Edition PS5 is still cheaper than the Xbox Series X, it's hardly the news that gamers were hoping for.
There's a small silver lining because the price of accessories like the disk drive and controllers remains the same.
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Defending the price rise, Sony states: "We continue to navigate a challenging economic environment.
“As a result, we’ve made the difficult decision to increase the recommended retail price for PlayStation 5 consoles in the U.S. starting on August 21."
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Sony supporters are less than impressed, and over on Reddit, one gamer complained: "Remember when prices dropped as old hardware became outdated and lagged behind?"
Calling out President Trump's tariffs, someone else raged: "Thanks Trump. Gird your loins for a WHOLE LOT MORE OF THIS coming soon, brought to you by insane steel and aluminum tariffs!"
Another confused comment read: "Bought the digital edition at launch for $399.99. Crazy how 5 years later, it costs $100 more."
Venting their frustration, a fourth concluded: "Wow. I have literally been on the fence about jumping into buying a PS5 bundle for 2 weeks now. This only makes me not want it anymore. Things that used to be for pleasure are becoming luxuries even middle America can't afford."