The latest leaks about Sony's next console paint a very specific picture: a PlayStation 6 focused on digital format, with a 1 TB SSD and no built-in disc driveThere is no official announcement from the company, but information from various insiders and specialized media outlets is already shaping the debate among gamers in Spain and the rest of Europe.
According to these reports, Sony is preparing a powerful machine but designed with an eye on the manufacturing costs, the increased cost of memory and the push of the digital marketThe result would be a console that takes another step towards the disappearance of the physical disc and relies on advanced compression technologies to compensate for storage that, on paper, may be somewhat limited.
A 1TB SSD as the base for PS6
Most rumors agree on one point: PS6 would mount a 1 TB SSD as a base configurationSources such as the well-known leaker Kepler_L2, a regular contributor to AMD hardware and console news, claim that the initial plans to offer 2 TB were scaled back due to the pressure of memory costs.
That terabyte doesn't represent such a big leap compared to approximately 825 GB usable on PS5And that's where the first doubts arise. With current productions already hovering around 100-150 GB—and with the expectation that major next-generation games could easily reach those sizes— 200 GB or more—, many users fear that storage will fill up with just a few titles installed.
In Europe, and particularly in markets like Spain, where Not everyone uses high-capacity expansion unitsThat figure suggests a more aggressive approach to library management: frequently deleting and reinstalling games, or paying to add a compatible SSD.
The explanation being considered is purely economic. The sharp increase in the price of RAM and the NAND Flash memory In recent years, the cost of any device that relies on these components, from PCs to consoles, has skyrocketed. Reducing SSD capacity would be a direct way to cut costs per unit, a crucial factor if, as some estimates suggest, the internal manufacturing cost of the console is already around $760.
A console without a disc drive: a total commitment to digital.
If the issue of storage already generates debate, the possible absence of a disc drive in the standard PS6 model This has further inflamed passions. According to Kepler_L2 and other sources, the new console would follow the path set by the PS5 Digital Edition and, above all, the PS5 Pro, which is officially sold without an integrated optical drive.
The idea would be that the PlayStation 6 It is sold as a standard 100% digital consoleThe system focuses on purchases and downloads through the PlayStation Store and subscription services. Anyone wanting to continue using physical games would need to purchase a separate external disc drive, similar to the one already offered for the PS5 Slim and PS5 Pro.
In the European market, where the Physical format still retains some importance And since there are still players who buy, lend, or resell their discs, this move could be especially controversial. Not only because of the loss of convenience compared to having an integrated disc drive, but also because of the additional cost of adding that accessory to a console that is already expected to be expensive.
The possibility is even being considered that will the current detachable PS5 disc drive be compatible with PS6? Or that Sony might release a specific version for the new console. For now, there's no confirmation, but the question remains: if the console is backward compatible with PS4 and PS5, many users will want to know if they can continue using their physical discs through some official solution.
In any case, the message conveyed by these leaks is clear: Sony would be willing to take another firm step towards a digitally dominated ecosystemreducing the weight of the second-hand market and strengthening its control over the distribution and pricing of games.
Neural Texture Compression: the key to saving space
To soften the impact of offering only 1 TB of internal storage in a console focused on digital downloadsSony would resort to a very specific technological card: Neural Texture Compression (NTC).
This technique, initially developed and promoted by NVIDIA and to which AMD has also dedicated its own efforts, is based on the use of Neural networks to compress game textures much more efficiently than traditional systems. In most current titles, textures are the component that occupies the most disk space, more than videos and audio files.
With NTC, textures are stored in a much lighter format and reconstructed in real time when the game needs it. Preliminary tests cited in several reports mention reductions of up to seven times the original sizeIn other words, a game that currently occupies 150 GB could be reduced to just over 20 GB while maintaining a very similar level of visual detail.
Leaks indicate that the The PS6 development SDK would already support this type of compressionAlthough the console would use AMD hardware —a combination of Zen 6 CPU and RDNA 5-based GPU is mentioned—, the neural compression technology could come from either AMD itself or NVIDIA, whose NTC SDK has been designed to also work on AMD and Intel hardware.
For the studies, this approach would mean being able to Include more content or higher resolution textures without increasing the download sizeAnd for gamers, especially in countries where the connection isn't always symmetrical fiber optic, this would mean fewer gigabytes downloaded, faster installations, and less need to constantly delete games due to lack of space.
AMD architecture and generational leap in performance
Beyond storage and format, rumors place the PS6 within a next-generation AMD architectureThere is talk of a processor based on Zen 6 and a graphics card based on RDNA 5, which would imply a clear leap compared to PS5 and PS5 Pro in both raw power and energy efficiency.
The idea would be to reinforce the console's ability to handle More complex open worlds, more advanced ray tracing, and more stable frame rates at high resolutions. All of this, moreover, takes better advantage of the SSD to load data on the fly and minimize waiting times, something already seen in the current generation but which could be taken a step further with the new hardware.
In this context, the The 1TB SSD remains a central piece of the designIt not only acts as a game storage system, but also as the foundation of a system where high-speed data reading and decompression are key to maintaining smooth performance. That's why the combination of fast storage and neural compression makes so much sense in the strategy that's being leaked.
However, all these specifications remain unofficial. Sony has not yet revealed a single official technical detail Regarding the PS6, although the sources that have revealed details are usually reliable, it is advisable to maintain a certain degree of caution until the company confirms its plans.
Rising prices and a possible launch window
The same leaks that mention the SSD and the reader also point to a high starting price for the next PlayStationEstimates place the internal manufacturing cost at around $760, a figure that, if not aggressively subsidized, could translate into a high retail price for the end user.
Several forks are used: from around $699 as the starting price If Sony decides to assume part of the cost, even in more pessimistic scenarios where the machine approaches, or even exceeds, $900/€900 in the European market, especially if the price of memory and other components continues to rise between now and its launch.
In Spain we have already seen how The PS5 and PS5 Pro have increased in price over time.Moving away from those occasional €349 offers for the PS5 Slim Digital, prices are now considerably higher, with notable differences between models with and without a disc drive. In this context, it's not unreasonable to expect the PS6 to arrive in stores with a price tag higher than what many gamers consider "affordable."
Regarding the schedule, sources agree that The PS6 wouldn't arrive before the end of 2027Some reports place its large-scale production in the middle of that year, with a launch during the Christmas season, while other voices speak of a possible delay until 2028 or even 2029, depending on how the market evolves and the moves of the competition.
Impact on players in Spain and Europe
If this set of leaks turns out to be true, the European player will find himself facing a PS6 clearly geared towards the digital ecosystem, with fewer concessions to the physical format than in previous generations. This has direct implications for how video games are consumed in territories where internet connections are not uniform and where physical collecting is still alive.
On the one hand, the reduction in game size thanks to the Neural compression of textures would alleviate the loadsThis is especially relevant in rural areas or in homes where fiber optic internet is not yet available. On the other hand, the total dependence on an internet connection to purchase titles, update them, and access a large part of the catalog can be a deterrent for some users.
The role of The second-hand market would also be seriously limited.Without a built-in disc drive, and with a potentially expensive external accessory, reselling discs would become less attractive compared to the current model. Meanwhile, Sony would strengthen its digital store and subscription services, key factors in its business strategy.
All of this is happening, moreover, in a context where competition is moving towards different proposals, such as the Microsoft's Project Helix projectThis suggests a machine that falls somewhere between a console and a PC. This diversification could influence how European users perceive the PS6's value for money and which platform they decide to invest in long-term.
Based on the information available today, the picture of the future PS6 is that of a powerful console but with limited storage capacity. with 1TB SSD supported by advanced compression and a factory-installed drive-less designBorn amidst soaring memory costs and with a price that will likely not be low, it remains to be seen how this approach will fit into a market like Spain and Europe, where players accustomed to physical formats coexist with an audience increasingly focused on downloads and digital services.
