Sony is reportedly experimenting with a new pricing model on the PlayStation Store. The Japanese tech giant is said to be testing a dynamic pricing model that shows different prices for the same game to different users. A report suggests that the company is testing dynamic pricing and personalised discounts across several regions, raising questions about how digital game prices could change in the coming days.
According to research by the price-tracking website PS Prices (via Polygon), Sony may be running experiments that adjust the prices of certain PlayStation games. The site said it had “detected unusual offer structures containing experiment identifiers” while analysing responses from the PlayStation Store API.
Dynamic pricing for PlayStation games: What it means for users
Dynamic pricing involves adjusting item prices based on your location, how hungry you are to make a purchase, and what you have previously purchased. This pricing model is commonly used in the travel and retail industries.
By monitoring these identifiers, the researchers found that Sony appears to be A/B testing prices for a number of games. These reportedly include first-party titles such as God of War Ragnarök and The Last of Us Part 2.
The tracking data suggests the experiment involves 139 games across 68 regions. Reported price differences ranged between about 5.3% and 17.9%.
However, the price changes observed in the test have so far only been reductions, not increases. The experiment also reportedly does not include users in the United States. Sony has yet to respond to requests for comment regarding the findings.
PS Prices also reported that the PlayStation Store has displayed personalised sale prices to different users. One example involved Helldivers 2, where some players reportedly saw the standard 25% discount, while others received a 56% discount. The report said the experiment has been running for at least three months.
Sony has previously indicated that it is looking for ways to increase revenue from its existing PlayStation user base as PS5 hardware sales begin to slow. Dynamic pricing could help the company encourage more purchases by offering targeted discounts rather than lowering prices for everyone.
Sony recently introduced another PlayStation Store feature that shows the lowest price a game has had in the past 30 days, which may help users decide whether a current price is worth paying.
