Get ready to shell out a little more for your next DualSense controller. Sony has quietly raised the price of most of its DualSense models, leaving many gamers scratching their heads.
While Sony hasn’t officially announced the price hike, gaming enthusiast Wario64 spotted the change on several online retailers, including PlayStation Direct, Best Buy, and Target. The standard DualSense controllers, including color variants, are now priced at $75, while special edition options like the Sterling Silver or Astro Bot controllers, which were previously $5 more, are now priced at $80.
This isn’t the first time Sony has increased prices on its PlayStation products. The PlayStation 5 Slim, released last year, saw a jump in price for the discless version from $400 to $450, despite only offering a size reduction. The PlayStation Plus subscription service also received a hefty price increase in 2023, with the Premium tier now costing $160 per year. Sony attributed this price hike to “continue bringing high-quality games and value-added benefits to your PlayStation Plus subscription service.”
With the recent price increases and Monday’s announcement of a technical presentation on the future of the PlayStation 5, which is widely expected to be the reveal of the PlayStation 5 Pro, it’s clear that Sony is taking a more premium approach to its gaming offerings. Given the expected increased power and capabilities of the PlayStation 5 Pro, a higher price tag seems likely, further solidifying Sony’s strategy of focusing on premium products and services.
For gamers, the question remains whether these price increases are justified by the value and quality of Sony’s products and services. Only time will tell if these price hikes will deter players or if Sony’s continued focus on premium will pay off in the long run.
