What if players had to wait longer than expected? As the PlayStation 5 approaches its 7-year milestone, eyes are logically turning to its successor, the PS6. But according to a recent report relayed by specialist journalist Tom Henderson on Insider Gaming, the release schedule for Sony’s new console could be seriously disrupted.
The cause: a spectacular rise in the cost of RAM, an essential component of any modern console. This unexpected upheaval could force manufacturers to review their initial schedule, while the date of 2027 seemed until now to be a certainty.
Why RAM threatens the release schedule
The problem does not come directly from Sony, nor from Microsoft. This is a global phenomenon. The skyrocketing demand for RAM, boosted by the colossal needs of artificial intelligence, is leading to shortages among manufacturers and a sharp rise in prices. According to Insider Gaming, this situation could not only impact the design of future consoles, but also cause a delay in their marketing date.
The repercussions are already being felt in the current generation. Sony and Microsoft had to adjust the price of the PS5 and Xbox upwards in several regions. A strategy which had undesirable effects on sales, chilling certain customers sensitive to the price increase. A precedent that manufacturers do not wish to reproduce with the next generation.
Sony and Microsoft facing a delicate equation
Production costs have always been a key factor in choosing the timing of console launches. With this surge in the price of RAM, financial room for maneuver is reduced. Postponing the launch could help smooth out costs, while waiting for prices to stabilize or for RAM producers to increase their capacity.
According to Tom Henderson, manufacturers are now reassessing the advisability of maintaining the initially planned release window. “From what we understand, the situation has caused console manufacturers to consider whether to delay the release of the next generation of consoles, originally planned between 2027 and 2028, in the hope that RAM manufacturers will be able to expand their infrastructure to produce more RAM.”
A seven-year cycle called into question for the PlayStation 6
Until now, Sony had maintained an almost metronomic regularity in its launches: the PS4 in 2013, the PS5 in 2020. A 7-year cycle logic that fans had integrated as a norm. But this time, an external factor could change everything. Dependence on a volatile technology market makes long-term forecasting difficult.
If the scenario mentioned by Insider Gaming is confirmed, the PS6 would not see the light of day until 2028, or even beyond. A delay which would extend the lifespan of the PS5 and could encourage Sony to launch new intermediate models to keep players waiting. It remains to be seen whether this strategy will pay off in the long term, in a sector where rapid innovation is often king.