In November 2025, Sony Interactive Entertainment (SIE) unveiled a Japan-only, cheaper 'PS5 Digital Edition' priced at ¥55,000 which is about $357. However, this price reduction is only for the users who are in Japan, as Sony has now made a bold decision and takes action in the Japanese market to compete with Nintendo. If you don't know about Nintendo, it's a Japanese video game company that makes Nintendo Switch (the console) and several games like - Mario, Zelda, Pokémon, Animal Crossing, etc. We already know that these games are extremely popular in Japan and Nintendo sell millions of consoles there. In short, Nintendo dominates the Japanese market and Sony wants to do the same.
Future Plans of Sony:-
These might be Sony's plan to push its products in the market (based on available reports):
First, the introduction of the cheaper PS5 came during a "State of Play Japan" stream and this signals a stronger, more localized marketing effort. While not explicitly confirmed, Sony’s renewed Japan-focused hardware strategy may go hand-in-hand with more investment in Japanese game studios or IP (this is reported by analysis of Sony’s broader platform business strength). Although the cheaper console cuts margins, Sony is likely calculating that volume plus increased engagement will pay off after sometime.
While the risks are real, Sony appears willing to accept lower margins and tighter regional focus for the chance to strengthen its presence in Japan. What do you guys think of this strategy and move made by Sony to acquire a huge gaming marketplace in Japan? Let us know your opinion on this in the comments.