[UPDATE - February 22, 2026] We've now launched a comprehensive PlayStation 6 overview page bringing together all the latest leaks, insider reports, and official hints in a single, regularly updated hub. Head there for the full picture on Sony's next console.
[ORIGINAL STORY] If you have been following tech news over the past few months, you are well aware of how the widespread adoption of AI is causing many issues for consumers, with prices of components such as RAM and SSDs skyrocketing in a matter of days.
These price increases and the limited availability of components for anything that is not supposed to be used in an AI data center is making things difficult even for console manufacturers, so much so that Sony is planning to "monetize" the PS5 install base to minimize impact on hardware and is reportedly actively considering a delay of its PlayStation 6 system.
In a new report posted today on Bloomberg, according to people "familiar" with the company's thinking, "Sony Group Corp. is now considering pushing back the debut of its next PlayStation console to 2028 or even 2029."
While this isn't the first time we have heard of a possible delay for the PlayStation 6 beyond the expected 2027 release window, the number of reports in the past few weeks suggests this is no longer a last-case scenario but a concrete possibility.
Things are not any easier for the manufacturers who managed to release their hardware before this chip crisis showed its ugly head. According to people familiar with the company's plan who spoke with Bloomberg, Nintendo is also contemplating raising the price of the Nintendo Switch 2 in 2026.
Again, this isn't very surprising. Back in November, Nintendo President Shuntaro Furukawa revealed that the Nintendo Switch 2 price was expected to remain stable in the immediate future unless "significant changes in external factors, such as a shift in tariff assumptions, or other unexpected event." Still, this is an unfortunate turn of events that will eventually price many gamers out of current-generation systems.
The PlayStation 6 may not be the only next-generation console to see a consistent delay over its expected release window. The next-generation Xbox may launch in 2027, but that is reportedly a best-case scenario, and with the Magnus APU being more expensive than the chip powering Sony's systems, the system would be commercially doomed if it launched at a very high price that would be in complete contrast to the concept of affordability that makes consoles enticing to consumers.
About the author: Francesco De Meo has been covering video games and technology since 2012, starting his career at small outlets like Gamersyndrome and GeekSnack. After joining Wccftech gaming section in 2015, he quickly expanded his video gaming coverage with in-depth reporting, interviews with iconic industry figures such as Grasshopper Manufacture founder and No More Heroes creator Goichi "Suda51" Suda, Resident Evil series creator Shinji Mikami, Team NINJA's president and Nioh series director Fumihiko Yasuda, and Silent Hill creator Keiichiro Toyama, reviews and on-the-ground coverage of major industry events such as Gamescom and E3. When he's not reporting or reviewing, Francesco can be found playing the genres he loves most, spending time with his six cats, reading, writing music, playing guitar and drumming for his progressive rock band.
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