The next generation of PlayStation could take considerably longer than expected. Several reports, spearheaded by an analysis of Bloomberg on the global RAM crisisThey suggest that Sony is thoroughly rethinking its hardware roadmap and is seriously considering postpone the PS6 launch until 2028 or even 2029, moving away from the brand's usual timelines.
This potential delay is not due to a simple strategic whim, but to a much deeper problem: scarcity and extreme price increase of DRAM memory which is shaking up the entire technology industry. The rise of artificial intelligence has skyrocketed the demand for chips and left console, mobile, and PC manufacturers fighting for the same limited resource, with price increases complicating any long-term planning.
A PS6 that breaks Sony's traditional timelines
Historically, the Japanese company has maintained a fairly steady pace: Each new PlayStation usually arrives about seven or eight years after the previous one.With the PS5 launching in 2020, many analysts predicted PS6 on the horizon of 2027, coinciding with leaks from technology partners like AMD who were using that reference date for the new generation.
However, sources consulted by Bloomberg say that this "2027 window" is now under review. Sony is reportedly studying push back the PS6 debut to 2028 or 2029, which would mean a cycle of up to nine years between PS5 and its successorThis is unprecedented for the brand since the days of the PS1 and PS2. Internally, the move is described as a "major setback" for the intergenerational transition strategy, very carefully calculated to maintain user interest without making the current console obsolete too soon.
The calendar change doesn't just affect hardware. A delay of one or two years has a direct impact on agreements with development studios, marketing campaigns, catalog planning, and player loyalty programsLarge AAA projects, which take years to develop and have huge budgets, adjust their roadmap to the new console's release windows; moving the date forces a reordering of releases and betting on PS5 for longer than initially planned.
In Spain and the rest of Europe, where PS5 maintains a very solid market shareThis next-generation shift could translate into a longer and more active lifespan of the current consoleWith more models, bundles and cross-generational games, but also with the feeling for some players that the technological leap is being postponed for too long.
The RAM crisis: AI takes over almost everything
The origin of this earthquake is not in video games, but in the race for artificial intelligence. giants like Alphabet, Amazon, Microsoft u OpenAI They have been stockpiling enormous volumes of DRAM chips for AI data centersThis has pushed the supply available to the rest of the consumer hardware manufacturers to the limit.
According to the data used in these reports, Some types of memory have become as expensive as 75% in just a few weeks.especially between last December and January. Not only is there less stock, but part of the production has been directly redirected to serve those AI server farms, leaving devices like consoles, home computers, televisions, or smartphones in the background.
The case of companies like Crucial (Micron) This illustrates the situation well: They have reduced or abandoned end-user-focused lines to concentrate on high-performance solutions for data centersThe result is a double impact: less supply of modules for general consumption and higher prices for everyone, from those building a gaming PC at home to companies like Sony that need millions of units for their consoles.
The pressure is especially intense in the segments of low and mid-range mobile phones and other deviceswhere RAM can represent up to 30% of the cost of the components. To maintain relatively competitive selling prices, many manufacturers opt for cut memory capacity in new models or accept much tighter profit margins, which is not exactly appealing.
In the case of a next-generation console, the problem is compounded: technical expectations are very high and it is taken for granted that The PS6 will incorporate significantly more memory than the PS5.Previous reports spoke of a configuration around 30GB GDDR7 RAMThis is significantly higher than the 16 GB of the current generation. With current DRAM prices, assembling such hardware could drive the cost per unit to levels that would make it very difficult to offer a reasonable retail price in key markets like Europe.
Sony is protecting the PS5 while extending its life cycle.
While a decision is being made about what to do with the PS6, Sony is making moves to to ensure PS5 production throughout at least all of 2026In the group's latest financial report, CFO Lin Tao confirmed that the company has already begun medium and long-term negotiations with memory suppliers to guarantee a minimum volume of chips that allows them to maintain a stable manufacturing rate.
The objective is clear: avoid repeating the stock problems of the first few years of the PS5 and to have sufficient inventory for key campaigns, especially the Christmas period, when titles like GTA 6 or other major releases This could trigger a surge in demand in Spain, Europe, and the rest of the world. Sony insists it feels relatively well-positioned to cover the next sales cycle, thanks also to its secured memory inventory.
In his statements, Lin Tao explained that the strategy involves "flexibly adjust" hardware sales according to the console's life cycle stage and prioritize the monetization of the installed baseTranslated: The company wants to focus on extracting more economic benefit from the nearly 100 million PS5 units sold, by pushing sales of games, digital content and online services, rather than prematurely embarking on a generational leap that comes with higher costs and risks.
Analysts like David Gibson, MST InternationalThey agree that the short-term impact of memory prices is partially offset by Sony's existing stock. However, they warn that if the situation persists beyond the fiscal year ending in March 2027, The company may be forced to pass on some of the cost increases to the consumer.either through possible price increases, or by reducing margins on some products to compensate.
This extension of the cycle also has another interpretation: PS5 is still considered to be in the "midpoint" of its commercial lifeThe rising cost of AAA developments and the global economic context reinforce the idea that, from a business perspective, Extending the current generation by one or two years might be more sensible than rushing the arrival of the PS6. in the midst of a storm of components.
Nintendo and the domino effect on competition
The pressure on RAM memory is not only felt in Sony's offices. Nintendo is also on Bloomberg's table as one of the companies that are rethinking their strategy in the wake of the components crisis, and all this with Switch 2 already on the market and exceeding 17 million units sold in its first phase of life.
According to sources cited in the same reports, the Kyoto-based company is considering a possible price increase for Switch 2 throughout 2026 to absorb, at least in part, the increased cost of memory and other critical components. This would not, in principle, be an aggressive price hike, but rather "Passive" adjustments, such as the removal or modification of certain packs and offerswhich in markets like Europe have been key to boosting sales.
Chairman Shuntaro Furukawa has preferred to be cautious in public. In his recent appearances with shareholders and specialized media, he has admitted that The increase in memory prices has not yet had a significant impact on hardware profitability.thanks to long-term supply agreements. But it has also warned that if the The situation is lasting longer than expectedPressure on margins will increase, and Nintendo will have to Review both the cost and pricing policy of Switch 2.
Furukawa has emphasized that any decision regarding raising the console's price will take into account the installed base, sales trends and the market environmentThe priority, he assures, is to avoid selling hardware at a loss and to take advantage of the scale economics as the console market grows, even if that means cutting unit margins or adjusting promotions in Europe and other regions.
The overall picture makes it clear that The possible delay of the PS6 to 2028-2029 is not an isolated caseRather, it's a symptom of an industry that has to adapt its plans to a new reality: AI is consuming the same resources as home consoles. And if memory prices remain high, both Sony and Nintendo could be forced to make unpopular decisions, from delaying releases to adjusting retail prices.
What can the player expect in Spain and Europe?
For the European user, and particularly for the Spanish player, the scenario that emerges is quite clear: PS5 and its equivalents in the competition still have a way to go.The continuity of models such as PS5 Pro and the lack of firm announcements about PS6 indicate that The current generation will remain the standard for much of the second half of the decade.
This can be translated into more time to recoup the cost of the consolewith catalogs that will continue to grow and major releases optimized for current hardware. At the same time, there is a risk that The extended lifecycle, coupled with component shortages, will keep console prices high and, eventually, the prices of some new models as well., breaking the traditional trend of making hardware cheaper as it ages.
In fact, this generation has already deviated from the historical script: instead of declining, PS5 and Xbox Series have seen their prices remain the same or even increase at certain timeswith catalog revisions that have placed versions around or above €549,99 in Europe, while The PS5 Pro has established itself as a clearly premium model over €700 in many stores.
If the Transition to the so-called "tenth generation" of consoles is delayedAs Sony's plans for PS6 suggest, it's not out of the question that we might see new price adjustments on current hardwareThis is due both to supply chain tensions and purely commercial decisions. The role of subscription services, digital stores, and cloud gaming may become even more significant in Europe as a way to offset costs and offer value to users without relying so heavily on hardware margins.
In parallel, European development studios and publishers will have to recalibrate their budgets and technologies with the PS5 "reigning" for more years than anticipatedThe temptation to opt for productions that are somewhat less exorbitant in cost, but that make good use of current hardware, could gain traction if the generational leap moves towards the end of the decade.
Taken together, everything points to the fact that The PS6 will not appear in stores in Spain or the rest of Europe before 2028.And that date could even be pushed back to 2029 if the memory crisis persists. Meanwhile, Sony is relying on the PS5, which continues to sell very well, a robust services ecosystem, and more conservative planning, waiting for the components market to stabilize and allow them to launch their next major console without having to raise prices or take excessive risks.
