At the start of last April, Sony carried out the latest price increase for the PlayStation 5. The base models of the console, released in 2020, have since been sold at a price ranging from 599 to 649 euros. An amount that isn’t within reach for everyone and which has had immediate consequences for the company. According to one of the most renowned analytics brands in the United States, the brand has recorded its worst hardware sales figures in the last 25 years in the United States.
The news was confirmed by analyst Matt Piscatella on his social media. “PlayStation hardware sales (in units) have been lower in May 2026 than in any other May since 2000,” he explained. More specifically, he reported a 58% drop in the number of units sold, which translated into revenues 43% lower. Despite the poor figures, Sony’s console was the second best-selling. The first was Nintendo Switch 2 and the third Xbox Series. Of particular concern was Microsoft’s machine, which posted the worst May in its history.
One might think Sony’s poor figures stem from users buying the console en masse before the price increase, but nothing could be further from the truth. PS5 sales in March — after the price increase announcement but before it took place — rose by barely 3% compared to the previous year. This tells us that potential new buyers simply perceive that the console’s value is lower than the price set by the company.
As for XBOX, already in a precarious situation, things could become even worse in the coming months. Although the company has placed greater emphasis on its platform with the return of exclusive games, it has just announced a price increase that will push its flagship console up to $749.
Will GTA 6 Trigger a Change in the Trend?
Although the outlook is bleak, both Sony and Microsoft hold out hope that the trend will shift with the launch of Grand Theft Auto VI. The game will debut exclusively on PlayStation 5 and XBOX Series, obliging users who have not yet migrated to the next generation to buy one of the two consoles if they want to enjoy Rockstar’s open world without waiting for its release on PC or other systems. All told, even this may not be enough given the price levels we’re talking about. Currently, the entry barrier, aside from the Xbox Series S, sits around €680.
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