Sony has admitted that it has not yet decided on the price and launch date of the PlayStation 6, as the company considers changing business models to counter rising memory costs. The global memory shortage continues to drive price hikes, affecting not only Nintendo Switch 2 but also Sony and Microsoft's next-generation console plans.
Potential Delay Beyond 2027
Based on the typical seven-year lifecycle of past consoles, many assumed the PlayStation 6 and the new Xbox, codenamed Project Helix, would launch in 2027. However, the slow audience transition from the PlayStation 4 and rising RAM costs have led some analysts to predict a pushback to 2028 or later.
Sony's Official Statement
In a Q&A session following Sony's latest financial results, President and CEO Hiroki Totoki addressed these concerns. He explained that the cost of materials and manufacturing would increase due to the memory shortage, potentially impacting consoles significantly. However, for the rest of 2026, Sony has secured enough materials, suggesting the PlayStation 5 price will remain unchanged in the short term.
Regarding the PlayStation 6, Totoki stated: "We have not yet decided on at what timing we will launch the new console, or at what prices. So we would like to really observe and follow the situation. Looking at the current circumstances, the memory price is also expected to be very high in financial year 2027, because there will still be a shortage of supply. So under that assumption, we must think carefully what we will do."
Potential Business Model Changes
Totoki added that Sony is exploring new ways to sell the PlayStation 6, including changing business models. This could point to the long-rumored existence of a new Sony handheld. "We would like to think about various simulations, including changing business models to come up with the best solution and strategy," he said.
Impact of Slowing PS5 Sales
A potential delay could cost Sony as PlayStation 5 hardware sales begin to slow. In its latest financial results, Sony announced the PS5 has surpassed 93.7 million sales worldwide. However, 1.5 million units were sold in the last quarter ending March 31, 2026, down 0.9 million from the same period last year.
Despite falling hardware sales, PlayStation's operating income is up 12% year-on-year, driven by network services and foreign exchange rates. Sony projects a 6% decrease in hardware sales over the next financial year but expects a 30% boost in operating income, partly due to no longer accounting for a 120.1 billion yen impairment loss against Bungie recorded in 2025.
Xbox's Uncertain Path
What Xbox will do with Project Helix is harder to guess. Unlike Sony, Microsoft is in desperate need of new hardware, as sales of the Xbox Series X/S have already plummeted.
