Warning signs are multiplying in the video game industry. The next generation of consoles, scheduled for 2027, could well see its launch postponed. Neither Sony nor Microsoft have confirmed it yet, but tensions over RAM make a delay increasingly credible. “Neither Sony nor Microsoft have commented on how the RAM crisis could affect their plans for next-generation consoles.”
The link with artificial intelligence no longer needs to be demonstrated. From October 2025, two memory giants have reoriented their production towards the massive needs of OpenAI. “It all started in October 2025, when two major RAM manufacturers agreed to reserve a significant portion of their production for an OpenAI data center expansion project.” Since then, the entire sector has suffered the effects of this decision.
The price of memory explodes, consoles threatened
The situation quickly degenerated. RAM sticks intended for the general public have seen their prices soar. “The price of some consumer RAM modules has more than tripled.” Samsung even doubled its DDR5 production rates, without managing to stem demand. Console manufacturers, who also use chips similar to those of PCs, find themselves caught in the spiral.
According to Micron, things won’t get better right away. “A recent report from Micron indicates that the RAM shortage could last beyond 2026.” This schedule is problematic, since the first productions of the PS6 and the new Xbox are expected from the beginning of 2027. If prices remain this high, the consoles risk being overpriced… or delayed.
A postponement rather than a surge in prices?
Historically, manufacturers sell their consoles at low margins, banking on games to make up for it. But the explosion in costs makes this model difficult to sustain. Postponing the release of the PS6 or Xbox would make it possible to wait for a more favorable market and avoid a price shock for consumers.
Especially since the economic signals are worrying: “Sales of video game hardware reached their lowest level in 30 years in November 2025.” In this context, any additional price increase could slow down purchases even further. It would be better to focus on stability than on haste.
PC gaming already affected, will consoles follow?
The first victims of this crisis are PC gamers, who are already facing unsustainable prices on components. Console manufacturers hoped to escape this thanks to massive contracts and specific components. But reality catches up with them: even the onboard memory of consoles comes from the same manufacturers as that of computers.
Everything indicates that the PS6 and future Xbox will have to adapt to a saturated production line. Without a massive effort by manufacturers to increase capacity, delays seem inevitable. And even if they come out on time, the final price may be steep.