Sony Announces Midnight Black PlayStation 5 Variant for Japan

Sony Interactive Entertainment has announced a new Midnight Black model of the PlayStation 5 Digital Edition. The console is scheduled for release in Japan on November 19, according to an official PlayStation Blog post. This variant features black panels for the casing and the bundled DualSense controller.

Unlike standard versions, this system locks the language to Japanese only. It can also only be used with a PlayStation Network account registered in Japan. This follows a region-locked version first revealed in November 2025.

Buyers can purchase a standalone Midnight Black disc drive to attach to the console for physical games. The separate drive costs 11,980 yen when released alongside the system. In regions where the full unit is not sold, users may buy black covers instead.

Sources report different dates for when pre-orders will begin at online stores. One outlet states sales open on October 20, while another indicates October 30. The console itself remains set for a November 19 launch regardless of the variance.

Sony aimed to shield its Japanese hardware business from recent price increases with this pricing model. SIE president and CEO Hideaki Nishino previously noted that exchange rates drove consoles overseas. The strategy attempts to grow the local userbase in a market currently dominated by Nintendo.

During the same announcement, Sony reiterated plans to end physical game disc production in January 2028. Games released after that date will only be available as digital versions from the PlayStation Store. Discs issued before the deadline will remain playable for users with existing drives.