Shoppers looking to get a PlayStation 5 console should check their local Costco stores to see if Sony’s console is still available at its previous price point. However, interested Costco members wanting to buy a PS5 at a lower price should act quickly, as the increased rates will likely take hold once current inventories are cleared out.
On April 2, Sony increased the price of its current PS5 console lineup for the second time in less than a year. While the August 2025 price increase was due to the Trump administration’s tariffs on global goods, the April 2026 price jump was due to the ongoing DRAM shortage crisis brought on by an order from AI-based companies like OpenAI. In short, the RAM crisis has caused the prices of RAM kits and other essential components to spiral out of control. The PS5 Slim console with a disc drive went from $549 to $649, and the PS5 Pro jumped from $749 to a staggering $899 MSRP.
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PS5 Buyers Should Look to Costco Bundles to Save Money
Though the PS5 is now more expensive than ever, some shoppers can still score a new console at a decent price. A post by Reddit user Yassermasood on the PlayStation subreddit stated that the prices of PS5 consoles at a Costco retail store had not caught up with Sony’s April 2 announcement. Yassermasood took a picture from a Costco store, which showed a PS5 slim console with a disc drive and an additional DualSense Controller priced at $599. Considering that the PS5 Slim was previously priced at $549.99, and that DualSense Controllers range from $69 to $74, Costco’s PS5 Slim bundle is worth a look. Additionally, the PS5 Pro with an additional DualSense Controller was priced at $799.99, which is still a decent deal considering the April 2 price hike. These bundles are exclusive to Costco members, with memberships starting at $65 per year for a Gold Star membership.
The bundles posted by Yassermasood are in line with offers that Costco has used throughout 2025. It is also worth noting that the posted prices are for bundles and not standalone units sold at various retailers. In response, other users pointed out that Costco’s chief competitor, Sam’s Club, has the PS5 Pro and PS5 Slim at their previous price points, as well. Despite Sony’s recent price hike, the ongoing RAM crisis could mean that the PS5 will have a longer lifespan than anticipated, which could lead to more sales and bundles for retailers to consider.
Costco has two tiers of annual memberships: Gold Star and Executive. Gold Star costs $65 per year, while Executive is priced at $130 per year. Each membership tier comes with two cards for subscribers to use. Along with a membership number (received via email), a valid government-issued photo ID is required to obtain membership cards at a Costco retail location.
The PS5’s Price Hike Could Be a Bellwether For the PS6
However, the current price of the PS5 could serve as a harbinger of how much Sony’s upcoming PS6 console could cost consumers. The cost of manufacturing a PS6 was reported to be approximately $760, with a potential subsidized manufacturing cost of $699 also being considered. Considering that the actual MSRP of a console is much higher than the manufacturing cost, Sony’s PS6 could match Xbox’s Project Helix system in crossing the $1,000 threshold.
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Despite the recent pricing woes, the PS5 still has several game releases lined up throughout 2026. With the highly-anticipated PS5 exclusive Marvel’s Wolverine arriving in September, and Grand Theft Auto 6 slated to launch in November, time will tell how many more PS5 consoles will be sold to offset Sony’s prices.
