Image: Push Square
Rumour has it that Sony planned to launch the PS6 in late 2027, but the hardware industry is in turmoil right now.
Component costs have soared on the back of AI-led demand, pushing the price of consumer electronics including consoles skyhigh.
Recently, the PS5’s price soared to unprecedentedly high levels; other systems like the Switch 2, Xbox Series X|S, and Steam Deck have also been affected.
While all of the reporting around the PS6 is that Sony designed it with cost cutting in mind, it’s not immune to what’s happening in the industry at large. Exactly how it intends to deploy the device at an affordable price is up for debate.
One option may be to delay it and hope economic conditions improve, and that’s something giant publisher Embracer has acknowledged in its annual report.
It wrote:
“Some analysts believe that Sony is now considering pushing back the debut of its next PlayStation console from 2027 to 2028 or even 2029.”
The issue here is that Sony will likely already have signed manufacturing contracts, and it may be expensive to get out of those.
Furthermore, it’s unlikely it will re-spec the console if it does delay, so the device could end up feeling out of date.
Embracer didn’t include a source so it’s likely just parroting research that’s been publicly available for some time, although it’ll presumably have employed its own analysts to help build this report.
New Xbox CEO Asha Sharma has insinuated Microsoft may be retooling its own next-gen system Project Helix, after it was previously revealed to be a highly expensive piece of hardware capable of running various different storefronts.
I personally think Sony may just have to bite the bullet on all this and hope it can bring costs down over time. I’m not expecting any PS6 exclusive games anyway, so I think it’s going to appeal primarily to enthusiasts first and foremost.
How it markets that in a tough economy remains to be seen, but perhaps it’ll be satisfied simply keeping players within its ecosystem, whether that’s the PS5 or PS6.
As the Editor of Push Square, Sammy has over 15 years of experience analysing the world of PlayStation, from PS3 through PS5 and everything in between. He’s an expert on PS Studios and industry matters, as well as sports games and simulators. He also enjoys RPGs when he has the time to dedicate to them, and is a bit of a gacha whale.