A cheaper PlayStation 5? Yes, but don’t get carried away too quickly. Sony has just announced a new 825GB Digital Edition model, priced at just 55,000 yen, or around £270 or $355. A size reduction from the usual £429.99. Problem: this console will only be released in Japan.
Presented at the last event State of Play dedicated to Japanese audiencesthis PS5 Digital Edition will be available from November 21, 2025. However, it will only be compatible with the Japanese languageand its access will be limited to Japanese PlayStation Store.
A dezoned PS5, but far from being universal
At first glance, this version seems ideal to import. She is dezonedwhich means it can technically work anywhere in the world. But be careful: users will have to face several obstacles.
First of all, delivery and customs costs can increase the bill considerably. Next, the console is designed to work only in JapaneseAnd accounts outside of Japan will not be compatible with the built-in PlayStation Store.
Sony has not announced any plans to release this model in Europe or the United States. And if some are hoping for an international version, nothing suggests that it will see the light of day soon.
An end-of-generation strategy for Sony?
While rumors point to a PlayStation 6 for 2027, this cheaper version of the PS5 could be a way for Sony to boost your local sales at the end of the cycle. But Western fans hoped for better.
“I don’t remember another console generation like this, where consoles become more expensive over time,” writes journalist Richard Breslin. And he adds: “I would like to believe that Sony will soon release a cheaper PlayStation 5 in the West, but I don’t really believe in it.” For the moment, you will have to wait – or make do with a Japanese version, provided you speak the language and master the import.