Fresh reports suggest the PlayStation 6 release date may no longer land within the widely expected 2027 to 2028 window, as rising RAM prices and supply shortages force console makers to rethink their launch plans. According to multiple industry sources, the ongoing AI-driven demand for memory components is creating serious uncertainty around the next generation of hardware.
RAM shortages linked to AI demand
The latest claims come from Insider Gaming, with reporting by Tom Henderson indicating that major console manufacturers, including Sony and Microsoft, are actively discussing whether delays would be the safer option.
At the centre of the issue is RAM. Since late 2025, prices for DDR5 memory have surged, in some cases by several hundred percent, as AI companies rapidly buy up global supply to power data centres, model training, and enterprise infrastructure. That shift has pushed consumer hardware further down the priority list.
Memory makers are responding to where the margins are. Micron, which reportedly supplies around 30 percent of the consumer RAM market, has announced plans to exit consumer sales in 2026 and focus almost entirely on AI and enterprise clients. Other brands, including Kingston, have warned that component costs have jumped dramatically since early 2025.
PS6 plans may move beyond 2027
Leaks and reports over the past year have pointed to Sony targeting PS6 manufacturing in mid-2027, with a potential launch later that year. However, Insider Gaming claims console makers are now debating whether pushing launches further back would give RAM manufacturers time to expand production and stabilise prices.
In a recent podcast, tech analyst Moore’s Law Is Dead said it is still too early to know if the shortage will extend deep into 2027. He noted that the industry is racing to increase output and introduce new manufacturing processes, though shortages in 2026 now appear likely regardless.
That uncertainty leaves Sony and Microsoft facing an uncomfortable choice. Delay their next consoles and wait for costs to normalise, or launch on schedule and risk dramatically higher retail prices.
Higher prices already hitting current consoles
The RAM crunch is already being felt across the current console generation. Sony has raised PlayStation 5 prices in several regions, while Microsoft has increased Xbox Series X pricing multiple times. In some markets, the PS5 now costs more than it did at launch, a rare reversal in an industry where hardware prices traditionally fall over time.
Microsoft’s 2TB Xbox Series X has reportedly climbed as high as US$800 in some regions, a move that analysts say has contributed to falling Xbox hardware sales. Meanwhile, Nintendo has launched its Switch 2 at a higher price point than the original Switch, while also increasing prices on older models.
If RAM prices remain elevated, estimates suggest the PS6 and next Xbox could debut anywhere between US$800 and US$1,000, and potentially more in certain regions. Even at those prices, manufacturers may still be selling hardware at a loss.
Players are not rushing the PS6
Interestingly, many PlayStation fans appear comfortable with the idea of a delay. Reaction across social platforms suggests players would rather see the PS5 enjoy a longer life cycle than rush into another generation.
Comments shared on Reddit described the delay as “a blessing in disguise”, with players arguing that the current generation still has plenty of headroom and that developers are not yet hitting hard technical limits.
Some also point out that this generation was never expected to follow the traditional five to seven-year cycle, thanks to stronger launch hardware and long-term features such as advanced upscaling technologies.
Wider impact across the gaming industry
The pressure is not limited to Sony and Microsoft. Reports suggest the same memory shortages could affect pricing for other hardware, including Valve’s upcoming Steam Machine, as Valve is reportedly unwilling to subsidise costs in the way console makers often do.
With AI demand showing no signs of slowing and global consumer purchasing power already under strain, the next generation of consoles may arrive later, and cost more, than gamers have come to expect.
For now, the PlayStation 6 remains officially unannounced, and Sony has not commented on the reports. But if RAM prices fail to ease, it looks increasingly likely that PS5 owners may be sticking with their current consoles for a while longer.