Gaming has become more expensive in a way that would once have seemed unthinkable. Consoles were traditionally a product line that got cheaper over time, not pricier. But the PlayStation 5 is a clear example of how that rule is breaking down.
When the PlayStation 5 launched almost five and a half years ago, it cost £449 in the UK. Today, the recommended retail price is £569.99 for the standard model and £789.99 for the updated Pro version. Sony has now raised the price of its console by another £90, adding to a sequence of increases that has caught the attention of players and industry watchers alike.
This is unusual because gaming hardware has long followed a familiar pattern: launch high, then gradually become cheaper as components get older and production becomes more efficient. That has been true right up until consoles reach retro status, when they can become collectible items instead. The shift in direction now feels like a reversal of that long-standing trend.
So why is it happening? One major factor is artificial intelligence.
AI systems rely on huge data centres that require vast amounts of computing power. That demand does not stay contained within the AI industry itself. It spills outward into the broader technology supply chain, increasing pressure on the prices of memory and storage components such as RAM and storage drives. Those parts are used in gaming hardware too, which means the effects are felt by consumers buying consoles and other devices.
The source material points out that AI is not the only force behind higher prices. Global economic disruption linked to the wars in Ukraine and Iran has also played a role, and inflation has reduced profits across many companies. But AI stands out because it is a driver that feels more direct, more visible, and in many ways more avoidable than the others.
That is part of why the issue has become such a talking point. When prices rise because of war or inflation, the causes can feel distant and difficult to challenge. AI, by contrast, is a technology being rapidly deployed across industries, often with consequences that reach well beyond the services it is meant to improve. In this case, the fallout lands partly on gamers, who are paying more for consoles as demand for key components rises elsewhere.
The result is a strange and frustrating moment for the games industry. A product category that once became more affordable over time is now moving in the opposite direction, and consumers are being asked to absorb the cost. The broader trend raises awkward questions about who benefits from the AI boom and who ends up paying for it.
For players, the immediate reality is simple: buying a console now costs more than it did at launch, and in Sony’s case, more than it did after earlier increases. For anyone hoping that newer hardware would become easier to afford with time, the opposite has happened.
And if the explanation sounds absurd, that is because the modern technology economy often is. The same AI infrastructure that helps generate text, images and answers online is also helping drive up demand for the parts that make gaming hardware work. In that sense, the price of play is increasingly tied to the price of artificial intelligence.
The change may be unwelcome, but it is no longer difficult to see. Gaming is getting more expensive, and AI is one of the clearest reasons why.
