Sony Says It Hasn't Decided When to Launch PS6, Nor How Much It Will Cost, With Memory Shortages Set to Continue

Sony has said it has yet to determine erstwhile to motorboat the PlayStation 6, nor however overmuch it volition cost, arsenic representation shortages proceed to deed hard.

In an investor-focused Q&A meeting, Sony said it sold 1.5 cardinal PS5 units successful the 4th fourth ending March 31, 2026, down from the 2.8 cardinal it sold the aforesaid 4th the erstwhile year. PS5 is present adjacent the 100 cardinal sold mark, though it continues to lag down the PS4. Sony's projections for the PS5 successful the existent fiscal twelvemonth are based connected the measurement of representation it tin unafraid astatine “reasonable prices,” the institution added.

All this comes arsenic the PS5 nears its sixth birthday, and with the motorboat of guaranteed strategy seller GTA 6 successful November getting ever closer. GTA 6 launches connected console only, and is expected to thrust a surge of hardware income contempt caller terms increases. The question for Sony and Microsoft is whether they tin capitalize connected GTA 6’s motorboat by having capable consoles to conscionable demand.

Sony, it seems, does not expect a large GTA 6 bump, forecasting yearly ‌sales astatine its gaming concern down 6% to 4.42 trillion yen (approx. $28 billion) owed to little hardware sales. However, it expects gaming nett to emergence 30% owed to higher first-party bundle sales, and the lack of a immense impairment nonaccomplishment it recorded against struggling Marathon developer Bungie. Insomniac’s Wolverine crippled is owed retired this fiscal year, and volition surely marque a important publication to Sony’s performance.

Interestingly, Sony said its nett forecast incorporates concern successful its "next-generation platform," which we of people expect to beryllium PS6. Sony raised the terms of the PS5 by $100 successful the U.S. earlier this year.

During the Q&A, Sony brag Hiroki Totoki said assorted factors were impacting the outgo of consoles, but insisted that Sony has capable materials to spot it done the remainder of 2026. It’s inactive moving retired what to bash with PS6, Totoki added, due to the fact that representation prices are expected to stay precocious during the 2027 fiscal year. Demand for PlayStation gaming remains strong, Totoki said, with a increasing fig of progressive users connected the platform, truthful the institution has a definite magnitude of breathing country earlier it has to present the adjacent console.

Perhaps the astir absorbing enactment from the Q&A was the proposition that Sony is looking astatine caller concern models and products to woody with the representation situation. It's hard to cognize what this could involve, exactly, but it's worthy noting that Sony is heavy rumored to beryllium moving connected a cheaper handheld PlayStation 6.

It’s besides worthy noting caller reports that Sony whitethorn person to hold the merchandise of the PS6 to 2028 oregon adjacent 2029 arsenic a effect of the AI-fueled spot crisis. In January, an expert study suggested that Sony whitethorn propulsion the motorboat of the PS6 beyond 2028 and lengthen the PS5 lifecycle. David Gibson, elder expert astatine MST planetary who focuses connected crippled and tech companies, predicted that “rising representation prices volition not interaction short-term show acknowledgment to Sony’s existing inventory.” However, helium noted that accrued representation costs could go an contented for Sony successful the adjacent fiscal twelvemonth (ending successful March 2027), saying “Sony mightiness walk aboriginal outgo increases onto consumers.”

Microsoft, meanwhile, has gone up and announced Project Helix, its next-gen Xbox console, though it isn’t expected to motorboat for immoderate time.

Wesley is Director, News astatine IGN. Find him connected Twitter astatine @wyp100. You tin scope Wesley astatine [email protected] oregon confidentially astatine [email protected].