The possibility of Sony considering region-locked PS6 consoles has increased following the recent announcement of a language-locked PS5. Yesterday, I shared what I thought was a “wild” rumor of a region-locked digital PS5. That turned out to be partially true when Sony officially announced a cheaper, Japan-only PS5 digital edition aimed at boosting sales in Japan.
Why Sony might consider region-locked PS6 consoles
I’m in my late 30s, so I have memories of region-locked products from my childhood. When it comes to console gaming, these region locks gradually became a thing of the past. I carried my PS3 from the UK to South Asia without an issue. My PS4 was purchased in the UK. My PS5 was purchased in the USA. My game discs? They’re from all over the world.
But things have changed. Once-stable economies are struggling, currencies are more volatile than ever before, and politics have had some unsavory effects on the costs of living and doing business. At the same time, the world has become a global village, and it’s far easier to travel and transport goods now than it ever was before.
Enter the PS5 and the Japanese market. The console’s price has been hiked several times in the country to the detriment of local gamers. Sony is visibly struggling in its home country, as a result, and there are only so many times it can revise the PS5’s price. It’s no surprise, then, that the company decided to come up with a relatively cheaper variant and lock it to a single language to ensure that the console is only sold to those who understand Japanese.
But is Japan where it will stop? Console gaming has become extremely expensive in South America. I continue to see complaints about console and game prices from Brazilian gamers in particular, and Brazil is not a small market. Turkiye’s Lira, which has been in freefall, has seen PS5 games become almost unaffordable on the country’s PS Store. The list goes on.
Region-locked PS6 consoles might kill two problems with one stone
Sony realizes that there are markets beyond the U.S. and Europe (China is starting to warm up to console gaming, too), and only focusing on two regions isn’t going to pay the bills.
But with weak currencies and cheaper-priced hardware comes the problem of scalpers and buyers from stronger economies exploiting and taking advantage of weaker markets. We saw this happen with the PS Store, as gamers from the West flocked to the Turkish PS Store (among others) to buy games for peanuts, prompting Sony to plug loopholes allowing the exploitation.
Depending on how the market responds to the new Japan-only PS5, I have a strong feeling that Sony will consider region/language-locked PS6 consoles. We’re already expecting pricey next-gen hardware, but just how pricey it will be might depend on your region.
The post Region-Locked PS6 Consoles Not Outside the Realm of Possibility appeared first on PlayStation LifeStyle.
