Sony has announced a new 'Midnight Black' digital PlayStation 5 console for the Japanese market, priced at 55,000 Yen, approximately $350 USD. This console is set to launch on November 19, coinciding with the release of Grand Theft Auto VI.
According to a PlayStation blog post, the console can only be used with a PlayStation account that has its system language set to 'Japanese' and the country/region set to 'Japan.' This effectively limits its use to Japanese users, although workarounds for highly dedicated individuals may exist.
This is not the first time Sony has offered a lower-priced digital PS5 exclusively in Japan. In November 2025, a similar 55,000 Yen digital PS5 was released for the Japanese market. However, the current hardware market has seen significant price increases throughout 2026. These increases, partly attributed to demand from AI data centers, have already led to price hikes for the PS5 and PS5 Pro in the US, with used PS5 Pro units reportedly fetching around $1,400.
Given the current economic landscape and hardware costs, a similarly priced PS5 is unlikely to be released in the US or Europe soon. While a black PS5 is available in the US through Gamestop, it is not the same 'Midnight Black' colorway announced for Japan. The author expressed a desire to see this new colorway released in the US, even if it came with the standard PS5 price.