During its recent State of Play Japan broadcast, Sony announced a region-locked, Japanese language-only PS5 Digital Edition. Releasing on November 21, the new SKU will retail at a very affordable price of 55,000 yen (about $350 USD), which is almost 20,000 yen cheaper than the standard Digital Edition currently available in Japan. Writing for Yahoo Japan’s expert corner, domestic journalist Kawamura Meikou calls the timing of this move by SIE “perfect, if not frightening.”
The “cheaper Japan-only version” method is not only similar to what Nintendo did (and saw success in) with the Nintendo Switch 2, but it also puts the PS5 in roughly the same price range as the Switch 2, which retails at 49,980 yen (about $320 USD) for the domestic version. Kawamura speculates that SIE is targeting the “shortage-driven demand” caused by the Switch 2’s current scarcity, as the console has yet to start regular, over-the-counter sales in most of the country (exceptions being rural areas where supply is able to stay on top of demand).
By taking advantage of that gap with an affordable PS5 model, Kawamura says SIE might have “rekindled the console race in Japan for the first time in a while.” PS5’s performance in Japan has been sluggish in past years (total sales are at 7 million units), and the console has not been directly competitive with the Switch, appealing primarily to core gamers due to its high specs and (comparatively) premium price tag. On the other hand, with its portability and convenience, the Switch has dominated the market, reaching audiences of all ages.
However, with the PS5 now offering a competitive price with its higher performance, consumers could be tempted to purchase it instead, especially while the Switch 2 is still tricky to get ahold of. In this sense, Kawamura considers SIE’s announcement perfectly timed. While it remains to be seen how much the Japan-only PS5 will contribute to the console’s performance picking up in Japan, the move by Sony has been widely praised in the country for showing regard for domestic circumstances.
Related articles: A month later, Japan’s cheap new PS5 rental service is still proving successful, with 200 locations renting out consoles at 100% capacity
