Following a couple of credible reports published earlier this year, console gamers have begun to worry that Sony and Microsoft's next-generation consoles might be delayed beyond the anticipated late 2027 release window.
The first report was published in January by MST International analyst David Gibson, who noted that the PlayStation 6, at least, was likely to be delayed longer than many anticipated, likely due to the ongoing memory and storage crisis. Then, in February, Bloomberg posted its own report, corroborating that Sony is evaluating whether to delay the PS6 to 2028 or even 2029. Meanwhile, no such rumors emerged about Microsoft's Xbox Next (codenamed Project Helix), but the official confirmation from GDC that Alpha developer kits will be distributed in 2027 made some fans worry about a delay of the console launch into 2028.
However, Take-Two CEO Strauss Zelnick is not worried in the least. In a recent interview with The Game Business (the same one in which he once again reiterated that no AI could create a game like GTA 6), when asked whether the component pricing and availability issues could impact the arrival of the next-generation consoles, the executive simply replied:
We don't see it affecting the delivery of consoles to the market.
A brief statement, but also a meaningful one coming from the CEO of what could soon become the largest publicly traded US third-party publisher (provided that EA's announced $55 billion buyout by a consortium gains regulatory approval). Zelnick would likely be privy to at least a rough outline of the release windows of Sony and Microsoft's next-generation consoles.
If you're interested in learning more about them, we've published individual info roundups for the PlayStation 6 and Xbox Next (Project Helix), as well as a comparative one that directly weighs one console against the other based on official and leaked/rumored details.
About the author: With over two decades of experience in gaming journalism, Alessio Palumbo has led the gaming vertical at Wccftech since August 2015. He started working at a young age for Italian websites like Everyeye.it, Gamestar.it, Nextgame.it, and Multiplayer.it before kickstarting the indie English-language publication Worlds Factory as its founder and Editor in Chief. In the last decade, he has coordinated the overall output of Wccftech's gaming section, managed PR relations, assigned reviews, produced daily news coverage, edited gaming content as needed, and delivered game reviews. Arguably, his trademark content is the long series of exclusive developer interviews that have been cited by Wikipedia and by the biggest news media and gaming publications. His passion for technology also makes him knowledgeable when it comes to gaming hardware and tech. His favorite genres include RPGs, MMORPGs, and action/adventure games.
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