With the PlayStation 5 and Xbox Series X|S generation having entered its sixth year, many are expecting to get the first glimpse of the next generation of consoles soon, in light of the expected 2027/2028 release window for both systems. However, we are living in very challenging times for console manufacturers, who must deal with the current economic situation and soaring RAM prices as they prepare the PlayStation 6 and the next-generation Xbox.
Although neither Sony nor Microsoft has openly addressed the situation, which is expected to remain challenging for a few years at best, it is very likely to impact their next-generation plans significantly. So much so that a known analyst is expecting the PlayStation 6 to be delayed from the expected 2027/2028 release date.
In a new report posted on SandStoneInsights in Japanese, respected Senior Research Analyst at MST Financial David Gibson shared some predictions on Sony's third quarter of the current fiscal year. While the report looks at Sony's entire operation, including the television and music businesses, the observations on the company's Gaming Division are the most interesting.
For the third quarter, Sony's results are "expected to beat market expectations, driven by sales of both in-house and third-party games." These results will likely make it easier for Sony to extend the current console generation, as "Sony expects the PlayStation 5's lifecycle to be extended, with the PlayStation 6 likely to be "delayed longer than many expected."
While a delay of the next console generation isn't something we are hearing this month for the first time, the prediction coming from an expert analyst definitely gives more weight to the prospect. However, a longer delay into 2029/2030 or even beyond would make the scenario very peculiar for the console industry, as Sony, and possibly Microsoft, would be sitting on hardware that will be outdated by 2030.
This wouldn't be completely unprecedented, given that the Nintendo Switch 2 successfully launched in 2025, later than even NVIDIA expected, and without cutting-edge technology, but it would still be new for both Sony and Microsoft. And under current conditions, it will likely be preferable to delay new systems rather than release them at a very high price that wouldn't make them compelling to the price-savvy console audience.
If the PlayStation 5 generation is extended beyond expectations and with no change to the current situation, the outlook is dire for gamers. "The only things that are evolving constantly are the prices: they go up and up and up," said AshenWander on the ResetERA forums, echoing a good portion of the PlayStation community sentiment, torn between wanting to get their hands on the PlayStation 6 and the rumored handheld, and having to pay the exhorbitant price Sony would have to release it for with a launch within the next two to three years.
You can read more details here: "PS6 release date, specs, and pricing roundup"
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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