Playstation Plus Price Rise

 

PlayStation Plus subscribers will be hit with price rises in some regions, the gaming company has said, citing "market conditions". A basic monthly subscription to the gaming service will rise by £1, $1 (75p), and €1 (87p) to £7.99, $10.99, and €9.99 respectively. Meanwhile, a basic three-month subscription will go up by £3, $3, and €3 to £21.99, $27.99, and €27.99 respectively. PlayStation did not specify where the rises would apply, but said they do not apply to current subscribers, except in Turkey or India, unless the existing subscription changes or lapses. The video game industry has been hit with supply problems due to the US-Israel war with Iran and the price of memory chips has skyrocketed because of the artificial intelligence (AI) boom. In March, PlayStation, which is owned by Sony, the PlayStation 5's price would rise by £90 in the UK and by $100 in the US due to "continued pressures in the global economic landscape" PlayStation's rival Nintendo also announced this month that it will hike the price of its Switch 2 console $449.99 to $499.99 in the US, and €469.99 to €499.99 in most European countries. For the year to March 2027, the game division is expected to enjoy higher profits despite falling sales, Sony said in its results.

BBQ - Will a price rise cause Playstation to lose any customers?

Playstation Plus

Cheaper Doritos Boosts Sales

Cutting the cost of Doritos and Lays crisps helped PepsiCo win back snackers after a backlash over rising prices. The food and drinks giant said on Thursday sales had jumped 8.5% in the first three months of the year to $19.4bn (£14.4bn). It followed a series of price cuts ahead of the Super Bowl, some worth as much as 15%, on products including Doritos, Lays (known as Walkers in the UK), Tostitos and Cheetos. PepsiCo chief executive and chairman Ramon Laguarta said the "affordability initiatives" had helped improve the firm's performance. The company had been struggling after angering customers with a series of price hikes in response to its own soaring costs in 2022. To win back snackers, it launched its latest wave of price cuts to coincide with the Super Bowl on 8 February, one of the most lucrative days of the year for snack makers. As well as a jump in sales, the company on Thursday said operating profit rose by a quarter to $3.2bn. PepsiCo's shares jumped by 2% in early trading on the results. The boost also comes as PepsiCo grapples with the rising use of appetite-suppressing weight-loss jabs, which are driving changes in eating habits and portion sizes.

BBQ.- How could you apply PED to this story?

Cheap Doritos

Netflix Raises UK Subscription Prices

 

Netflix has increased its subscription prices for all UK plans. The most affordable plan with ads now costs £5.99 per month, a £1 increase. The popular Standard plan, offering ad-free viewing on two devices, has risen by £2 to £12.99.The Premium plan, which includes 4K resolution and four simultaneous streams, is now £18.99, a £1 increase. The streaming giant says the price hike is necessary to fund investment in new content and improvements to its platform. This change comes alongside new fees for account sharing outside of a single household. The move has prompted discussion among subscribers, with some expressing frustration while others remain loyal. The price increase and the crackdown on password sharing raise questions about Netflix's long-term strategy and its ability to retain subscribers in an increasingly competitive streaming landscape.

BBQ - How does price elasticity of demand affect Netflix's decision to raise prices?

Netflix