Sony has announced a new PlayStation 5 Digital Edition console in Midnight Black, set to launch on November 19, 2026, the same day as Grand Theft Auto 6. However, the console is a Japan-only release, meaning it is region-locked and can only be accessed by PlayStation Network accounts registered in the country.
Pricing and availability
The Midnight Black console will cost 55,000 yen (£262), while a standalone Midnight Black disc drive, also releasing on the same day, will retail for 11,980 yen (£57). This makes it significantly cheaper than the current £519.99 UK price for the region-free PlayStation 5 Digital Edition. It is unclear if the console will be launched outside of Japan, but Midnight Black covers for existing PlayStation 5 consoles are available in the West for £44.99, suggesting it might be a Japan-only incentive.
Background and previous Japan-only release
Sony first launched a Japan-only PlayStation 5 console in November 2025. That model was designed to drive sales in Japan and help offset worldwide price increases, with Sony selling it at a loss in the country. PlayStation CEO Hideaki Nishino confirmed the move was also intended to stop people outside Japan from importing the console at a cheaper price.
Speaking to Famitsu (via machine translation) last year, Nishino said: ‘We were aware that, due to exchange rate fluctuations, there was a trend of PS5 consoles being exported from Japan to overseas markets. Given this situation, we decided that it was crucial to ensure that the PlayStation 5 was delivered properly to our Japanese customers.’
Digital-only future and GTA 6 timing
In the same blog post, Sony reiterated its decision to stop producing physical discs after 2027, suggesting there are no plans to reverse it. ‘PlayStation games released from January 2028 onwards will only be sold as digital versions from PlayStation Store and other retailers,’ the blog reads. ‘Disc versions of games released before January 2028 will continue to be playable.’
The timing around GTA 6 is no accident, as Sony is clearly hoping Rockstar’s epic will drive PlayStation 5 console sales over the Christmas period. That makes the lack of any console bundle so far odd, but it could still be announced in the run-up to launch. However, it’s possible that Sony fears it won’t have enough stock, due to the component crisis. Although that doesn’t quite explain this new Japanese edition.
While there’s no GTA 6-themed PlayStation 5 console yet, there is a special DualSense controller which is also set to launch on November 19, 2026.
