The next generation of consoles, with PlayStation 6 and the new Xbox at the center of the debateHowever, they could encounter an unexpected obstacle: memory. The sharp increase in the price of RAM and SSD storage is disrupting manufacturers' plans and directly impacting the planned release schedule.
In a context where the expansion of artificial intelligence It accounts for a large part of the memory chip productionCosts have skyrocketed and supply has become unstable. This combination threatens to delay the arrival of the PS6 and the next Xbox in Europe and the rest of the world, or, at best, force a significant increase in their launch prices.
The RAM crisis hits the next generation hard
In recent months, the memory market has undergone a complete transformation: RAM modules have tripled in price compared to the beginning of the year And NAND chips, essential for SSDs, are following the same path. This increase isn't limited to PCs; it threatens any device that relies on memory, including consoles.
Reports from specialized media and leakers like Tom Henderson suggest that the massive demand for memory for data centers and AI This is draining the available supply for other sectors. This creates stock shortages and a scenario where any project requiring large volumes of DRAM, such as the PS6 or the next Xbox, faces exorbitant prices and uncertain delivery times.
The estimates used by manufacturers point to a DRAM and NAND supply crisis that could extend throughout 2026This comes right in the middle of the design and preparation phase for the new generation of consoles. That's why Sony and Microsoft are already considering less optimistic scenarios regarding release dates.
The problem isn't just getting the memory, but paying for it: Production costs have risen so much that they completely determine the final price. which a console could have in the European market. And in a sector particularly sensitive to launch price, any discrepancy could make many players think twice before making the switch.
PS6 and the next Xbox: planned 2027-2028 launch up in the air
Until recently, most analysts took it for granted that The new generation of consoles would arrive between 2027 and 2028That timeframe aligned with the typical lifecycle of the PS5 and Xbox Series X/S, and with internal design, manufacturing, and distribution timelines. However, the escalating cost of memory has cast doubt on that schedule.
Various industry sources indicate that the next generation might not be ready in time If the DRAM situation doesn't improve, the supply is so volatile that planning a mass production of millions of consoles becomes a risky gamble, especially if there are no guarantees of having the necessary memory available at reasonable prices.
Internally, both Sony and Microsoft would find themselves at a crossroads: or they delay the launch until the market stabilizesOr they absorb the impact of the high costs and pass it on, to a large extent, to the final price of the consoles. Neither option is easy, especially in Europe, where the price of consumer electronics has already risen significantly in recent years.
It's widely assumed that the new PS6 and Xbox Next-Gen consoles will require more memory than the current models, both in RAM and storage. This implies that The impact of rising DRAM and SSD prices is multipliedThis is because not only does each gigabyte become more expensive, but more gigabytes will be needed to meet the technical expectations of the next generation.
The new Xbox: a premium product that can cost over 1.000 euros
In the case of Microsoft, rumors have long indicated that The next Xbox would be geared towards a clearly premium profileThere is even talk of a hybrid console between a desktop and a PC, inspired by concepts like ROG Ally, which would allow access not only to the Xbox catalog, but also to libraries from Steam, Epic, GOG and other platforms.
That approach, closer to a high-end computer, already suggested a price potentially exceeding 1.000 eurosA figure that wouldn't go unnoticed in Europe. With the current memory crisis, that amount could fall short or, at best, become the minimum requirement for the most powerful model.
The key is that a machine of this type would need a large amount of high-speed GDDR memory and a very fast SSDThese components are precisely what's driving up the budget. If Microsoft's goal is to offer a near-PC gaming experience without compromise, the cost of these elements will be a determining factor.
Furthermore, committing to such an ambitious product makes it difficult to cut specifications to lower the price. Reducing memory or storage to adjust the cost is a real possibility. This could break the value proposition that Microsoft wants to offer and make the console less attractive compared to a PC with similar specifications.
PlayStation 6: More pressure from massive sales and a memory shortage
On Sony's side, the challenge is no less significant. The PlayStation 5 has already demonstrated that, even under difficult conditions, Millions of consoles can be sold in a very short timeDuring its first four weeks on the market, the PS5 reached approximately 3,4 million units sold, despite the hardware shortage resulting from the pandemic.
With PS6, internal and market expectations could be even higher, but the Lack of memory and high costs complicate the idea of ​​a mass launch From day one. Producing enough units to meet global demand with such expensive and hard-to-obtain DRAM and NAND is a real puzzle.
In fact, some recent moves suggest that Sony is already making decisions to to contain memory costs in their current productsOne example is the reduction in storage capacity in certain versions of the PS5 Slim, which have gone from 1 TB to 825 GB in some markets to avoid further increasing the price of the console.
If this trend continues, it wouldn't be surprising if the PS6 arrives with very measured memory configurationsSeeking a balance between performance and price. However, severely limiting RAM or SSD capacity could hinder the generational leap many gamers are hoping for, especially in Europe, where the rising cost of living means any price increase will be noticeable.
Memory, the new "Achilles' heel" of console costs
To understand the magnitude of the problem, one only needs to look back at current consoles. An Xbox Series X, for example, incorporates 16 GB of GDDR6 memory and a 1 TB SSDOn a large scale, these components already represented a significant part of the manufacturing cost, but the recent situation has changed the rules of the game.
At the beginning of 2025, it was estimated that Each GB of GDDR6 cost between $2,5 and $3 When purchased in bulk, the 16GB of RAM in the console cost approximately $40 to $48. With the price increases throughout the year, the rise is around 60%, bringing the cost of RAM alone to approximately $72-$88.
Storage is not exempt either: A mid-range 1TB SSD has gone from around $50-$90 to between $70 and $120Adding both components together, we go from an initial cost of around $114 for memory and storage to a base cost close to $175, and that's without counting new increases planned for 2026.
If we extrapolate this scenario to a future PS6 or Xbox Next-Gen, with more RAM and SSD capacity and possibly even faster memory, it's easy to understand that Memory could become the most expensive component of the entire consoleIn a model that sold for $499 (or €599 in Europe after adjustments), the fact that memory alone represents more than a third of the total cost is a serious problem.
Impact on current consoles: rising prices and capacity cuts
The effect of this memory crisis is not limited to the future. Consoles already on the market may also be affectedeither through direct price increases, or by cutting specifications to maintain the same RRP.
In Europe, we've already seen some PS5 and Xbox Series models adjust their official prices and promotions. The pressure of RAM and SSD costs could lead to... additional increases in the coming monthsespecially if manufacturers decide not to sacrifice so much profit margin.
Another avenue that companies are already exploring is offering versions with lower storage capacity at the same price, leaving the user the option to expand memory with external SSDs or proprietary cards. This is a way to pass on part of the cost to the consumer without significantly increasing the base price of the console.
All of this, combined with the European economic context and the general increase in the price of electronics, means that Upgrading your console or buying a new one is becoming increasingly expensive.And, with the next generation still to be finalized, more than one person will think twice before taking the plunge.
AI, computer science, and other sectors are also putting pressure on the market.
The problem doesn't originate with the consoles themselves, but with the entire technological ecosystem. expansion of artificial intelligence, data centers and the cloud This has driven demand for DRAM and NAND to levels that the current supply cannot absorb without becoming strained.
PC and laptop manufacturers, such as Lenovo and HP have already begun delaying models and revising their launch plans. Precisely because of this lack of available memory at affordable prices. In the PC gaming sector, price increases have also been observed in graphics cards and RAM kits, in addition to the first signs of shortages in some European stores.
Even products like SD cards or external SSD drives Prices have risen sharply, with some manufacturers warning of increases of over 100% in the short term. All signs point to a market where memory has become an expensive and highly sought-after resource, ultimately impacting any device that requires it.
In this context, consoles are no privileged exception. While other sectors are already postponing launches or revising pricesIt's logical to think that Sony and Microsoft will be forced to do the same with their next machines, especially if they want to avoid repeating stock problems like those experienced with the PS5 and Xbox Series at the beginning of their commercial life.
Given this scenario, the future of PS6 and the next Xbox points to a delicate combination of potential delays, higher starting prices, and highly calculated memory configurationsFor European gamers, this translates into preparing for a next generation that, barring a sudden shift in the RAM market, will be more expensive than many expected and could arrive somewhat later than initially planned.