Some PlayStation 5 users may face higher prices than others on the PS Store, as fans have noticed some discrepancies between accounts. Pricing has been a controversial topic across the gaming industry in recent months, with several companies asking more for consoles and games while many consumers ask for relief amid rising everyday costs. Now, it seems like some PlayStation 5 games may raise or lower their prices on a per-user basis.
Much of the affordability discourse as of late has centered around Sony’s main competitor, Microsoft. Even one of Xbox’s co-founders has criticized Xbox Game Pass’ recent price hike, which came after several similar changes on the hardware side of things. While there’s a lot of noise around Microsoft’s approach to pricing, listings on the PlayStation Store have undergone some changes of their own, and fans think these adjustments may not be the same for everyone.
The PlayStation Store May Be Experimenting With Dynamic Pricing
Back in 2024, Redditor Walking_Immortal shared that they had noticed the price for Astro Bot on the PS Store fluctuating up to 25% between different users. Now, another Redditor by the name of DarXIV posted screenshots showing that Red Dead Redemption 2: Ultimate Edition was listed for $5 less on their spouse’s account than on their own. While the game was one sale across the board, the extent of the discount changed between users, despite them using the same currency and being in the same area. The possibility of per-user dynamic pricing may rub some fans the wrong way, especially in light of Sony raising the price of PS5 hardware earlier in 2025.
Dynamic pricing has appeared elsewhere in the gaming industry before. Embark Studios has reduced the price of ARC Raiders for some users but not others to account for varying economic conditions between countries. However, the PlayStation adjustments seem to be more of a matter of marketing than balancing things according to gamers’ local economy, as differences have popped up between users in the same location. It’s unclear exactly what is driving these per-user discrepancies, but it could be a way to incentivize purchases from users who may be more likely to buy a given game if its price drops.
For now, Sony has not confirmed if it is indeed running dynamic, per-user pricing. Regardless, the differences are a disappointing sign for some users amid the broader game price conversation. Some gamers are concerned GTA 6 could cost as much as $100, so the thought of some fans getting a lower price than others for a game like that may feel unfair to those on the side not receiving a larger discount. There’s always the chance that this trend is a glitch or that PlayStation won’t make it a permanent shift, but without confirmation from Sony, nothing is certain for now.
