Sony launches a "Midnight Black" PS5 Digital Edition at 310€, Japan-only

Sony Interactive Entertainment announced on October 13 a new PS5 Digital Edition in a "Midnight Black" finish, priced at 55,000 yen including tax (roughly 310€ at current exchange rates). Pre-orders open October 20 at Japanese PlayStation retailers, ahead of a November 19 launch. A matching Midnight Black disc drive is sold separately for 11,980 yen, bringing the total to around 67,000 yen for a setup that can also play boxed games.

A Japan exclusive, not just a color

This isn't just a cosmetic variant sold everywhere: it follows the same model as a previous Japan-only PS5 Digital Edition launched last year. The system language is locked to Japanese, and the console only works with PlayStation Network accounts registered in Japan. Sony explicitly advises against using it outside the country, since it only meets Japanese domestic safety standards. No release has been announced for Europe, the US, or the UK.

What it actually offers

Technically, it's a standard PS5 Digital Edition: an 825GB SSD, 4K up to 120fps, HDR, PS4 backward compatibility, and DualSense haptic feedback and adaptive triggers. Nothing new on the power or feature side, just the black finish and a more aggressive price than the standard multilingual Digital Edition sold in Japan.

The context: less discs, not more

This announcement comes as Sony reiterated its plan to stop producing physical discs for PS5 games releasing after January 2028. Games already released on disc before that date will remain playable as normal. Selling the disc drive as a separate option on this new edition fits that same push toward digital, without forcing it outright just yet.

Sources

• Gematsu: PS5 Digital Edition Midnight Black Japan-only model launches November 19
• IBTimes UK: Sony Announces a New Digital-Only PS5 Console That Requires System Language in Japanese

The bottom line

At 55,000 yen (roughly 310€), this Midnight Black PS5 Digital Edition is cheaper than models sold elsewhere, but at the cost of being fully locked to the Japanese market: Japanese language forced, a Japan-registered PSN account required, no international release announced. A good deal only if you live in Japan, or are willing to work around those restrictions.