Regardless of whatever valid reason Sony might have come up to excuse its recent price increase of the PlayStation 5 in Japan, it can’t have expected this decision to benefit its main competition.
The price hike, set to take effect on September 6, will see the PS5 disc edition jump from 66,980 Yen to 79,980 Yen, while the digital version will increase from 59,980 Yen to 72,980 Yen, forcing Japanese gamers to turn to the Xbox Series X.
Following the recent panic buying wave as consumers rushed to purchase the PS5 at the current price, the Xbox Series X has emerged as an unexpectedly popular choice.
In a traditionally PlayStation and Nintendo-dominated landscape, it feels strange to see Xbox top Japanese sales charts, but that’s exactly what’s happening, according to Automaton Media.
The Xbox Series X, priced at 66,790 Yen, has become a significantly more affordable option. This price difference, equivalent to approximately $100 USD, attracts budget-conscious gamers. Many also show interest in the Xbox Series S, priced even lower at 49,900 Yen, as a more affordable entry point into current-gen titles.
The impact of the PS5 price hike saw the Xbox Series X jump from outside the top 100 best-selling items on Yodobashi, one of Japan’s largest retailers, to securing the 8th position.
Interestingly, Black Myth: Wukong—a game that isn’t on Xbox because of a “memory leak” issue but also probably because of a secret exclusivity deal—might have also caused the Xbox Series X sales surge in Japan. The recent release of the chart-topping game boosted console sales in China. It’s believed this contributed to stock shortages as the weak Yen meant many Japanese gamers started reselling local stocks to other markets, particularly China, as a side hustle.
Regardless of other factors, this sudden interest in Xbox consoles comes at a crucial time for Microsoft, as the company prepares to release new models of the Series X and Series S in time for the holidays.
As for Sony, the PS5’s pricing could end up hurting its potential sales by the time the year ends. Although given the rising costs of manufacturing electronic goods, Sony might have already factored that into their decision.
If the PlayStation 5 Pro is indeed as expensive as some are suggesting, Sony might be willing to trade lower sales figures for higher profit.
Between Black Myth: Wukong, Death Stranding 2, and several other upcoming first-party titles expected to drive sales for the PS5 next year, as well as third-party releases like Grand Theft Auto 6, Sony can afford to take the risk.
For now, Microsoft can at least celebrate that it has finally started penetrating the Japanese market, even if it isn’t by its own design. Square Enix also seems keen on the Xbox platform, believing that releasing more Final Fantasy games on Xbox could help boost its anemic sales figures following years of partnering closely with PlayStation.
