> ## Content Index
> Fetch the complete content index at: https://birchtree.me/llms.txt
> Use this file to discover other available public pages before exploring further.

# Console prices are insane now
- URL: https://birchtree.me/blog/console-prices-are-insane-now/
- Published: 2026-03-28T00:21:05.000Z
- Updated: 2026-03-28T00:21:05.000Z
- Author: Matt Birchler

***All prices in this post are adjusted for inflation.***

In 2000, Sony launched the PS2 for $561\. By 2006, they had a $209 model that was thinner, but had all the power and features of the original model. This was how the world went: consoles launch, and then get cheaper over time, often with hardware revisions that make the device more efficient.

In 2020, Sony launched the PS5 for $501\. Today, [Sony announced](https://thisweekinvideogames.com/news/sony-increases-playstation-5-ps5-console-prices-for-second-time-in-12-months/?ref=birchtree.me) that they were bumping PS5 to a starting price of $600.

See [my recent post](https://birchtree.me/blog/switch-2-sales-estimates-drop-and-why-i-think-console-gaming-is-currently-in-decline/) about reasons why game consoles don't have the long tail of unit sales like they used to, but I don't think the price is helping.

Oh, and the PS5 Pro was bumped from $750 to $900\. It seems like it might actually be reasonable to expect a $1,000 console by the end of 2026\. See also my [2026 is going to be a very painful year in tech](https://birchtree.me/blog/2026-is-going-to-be-a-very-painful-year-in-tech/).