iWorld
Epic On partners with PhonePe to offer 25% off on subscriptions
MUMBAI: Premium OTT platform Epic On has partnered with PhonePe to offer its subscription at a 25 per cent discount to PhonePe’s over 250 million users. PhonePe users can now get a six-month subscription to Epic On’s diverse mix of multiform content across genres and formats for just Rs 299 and an annual subscription for Rs 499.
With the country being hit by a pandemic and people forced to shelter in place, the digital wave got a massive boost and led to a sudden unprecedented surge in the demand for digital and OTT content. The introduction of new digital technologies at a lower cost had already made new inroads for the digital entertainment sector in India. In the past two years, India’s digital streaming industry eclipsed India’s film industry in size and the OTT industry grew by a whopping 240 percent between 2016 and 2019.
Epic On chief operating officer Sourjya Mohanty said, “Having seen the exponential rise in demand for digital entertainment content and digital payment solutions across India, we are excited to partner with PhonePe to leverage their subscription payment features. This will allow our users to utilise their option of easy payments while providing a 25 per cent discount for enjoying our premium content while subscribing from the PhonePe platform.”
PhonePe director of business development Ankit Gaur said, “In the current times, we have seen a rising demand for quality digital entertainment options that can be enjoyed from the safety of home. In line with this, we launched the Subscriptions category in April this year. Our collaboration with Epic On is another important step in providing our users with a seamless way to buy subscriptions at attractive prices. We are working to add more such entertainment options to our platform in the future.”
To buy a subscription, all that PhonePe users need to do is to log in to the PhonePe app and go to the Recharge & Pay Bills section. Then they just need to go to the Subscriptions category and select Epic On and pay for their subscription using UPI/debit or credit card/PhonePe wallet.
Gaming
Sony raises PS5 prices for second time in under a year
US disc edition jumps $100 to $649.99 as memory costs surge.
MUMBAI: Sony just hit the pause button on affordable gaming because when memory prices skyrocket, even the Playstation has to pay the premium. Sony has announced its second price increase for the Playstation 5 range in less than a year, citing pressures in the global economic landscape and a sharp rise in memory component costs driven by AI demand.
In the US, the PS5 disc edition will rise from $549.99 to $649.99, a $100 hike while the digital edition increases to $599.99. The more powerful PS5 Pro will jump $150 to $899.99. The Playstation Portal remote player will also rise by $50 to $249.99. The new prices take effect on 2 April 2026.
Similar increases have been applied in the UK (£90 per model), Europe and Japan. Sony last raised PS5 prices in the US in August 2025.
“We know that price changes impact our community, and after careful evaluation, we found this was a necessary step to ensure we can continue delivering innovative, high-quality gaming experiences to players worldwide,” Sony said in a blog post.
The hikes come amid an unprecedented surge in memory prices, as manufacturers prioritise supply for AI data centres. Analysts say Sony had likely secured price protections for components that have now expired, forcing the company to protect its hardware margins.
Ampere Analysis research director of games Piers Harding-Rolls told CNBC that further increases from Microsoft and Nintendo would not be surprising, though Nintendo may hesitate to raise the price of its recently launched Switch 2 while establishing the new platform.
The increases arrive eight months before the highly anticipated release of GTA 6, which is expected to drive strong console sales. However, early reactions online have been a mix of disappointment and resignation, with growing concern that premium gaming is increasingly becoming a hobby for higher-income players.
In a sector already grappling with tariffs, inflation and component shortages, Sony’s move underscores a tough reality: even the most popular consoles are not immune to the rising cost of keeping up with the latest technology.
