Sony announces Japan-only Midnight Black PS5 for November

Sony has announced a Midnight Black PlayStation 5 Digital Edition for Japan, with the console scheduled to go on sale November 19 for 55,000 yen. The launch is planned for the same day as Grand Theft Auto VI, though Sony’s announcement did not identify the game as a reason for the hardware release. The console is restricted to Japan. Product details specify that it requires a Japanese PlayStation Network account and Japanese country and language settings. Sony has not announced whether the model will be sold in other markets. A matching Midnight Black external disc drive will be sold separately for 11,980 yen, allowing buyers to play physical games. The console itself is a digital edition and does not include a disc drive. The announced prices are in yen; reports’ approximate currency conversions vary with exchange rates. The product details also describe a change to PlayStation game releases: games released from January 2028 onward will be digital-only, while disc games released before then will remain playable. Sony’s announcement frames the drive as an optional accessory for the new console. The announced release date is clear, but reports differ on when preorders will begin.