Sony: PS6 launch date, price undecided as RAM costs rise

Sony President and CEO Hiroki Totoki told investors the company has not fixed a launch date or retail price for the PlayStation 6, citing global memory shortages and rising RAM costs. The remarks came during the Q&A of Sony’s Q4 fiscal year 2025 earnings briefing on May 8, 2026.

Totoki said the recent spike in memory prices is already affecting the bill of materials for current hardware and will factor into console pricing plans. He confirmed Sony has secured enough memory to cover production through the end of 2026 and warned that prices are likely to remain elevated into fiscal year 2027 because supply shortages persist while global demand for memory increases. “We have not yet decided on at what timing we will launch the new console, or at what prices,” he said, adding, “So we would like to really observe and follow the situation.” He also noted, “Under that assumption, we must think carefully what we will do.”

Executives are reviewing how to position the PS6, including testing alternative sales and business models. “We would like to think about various simulations, including changing business models, to come up with the best solution and strategy,” Totoki said, without detailing what those models might be.

Outside hardware reports and leakers have pointed to a 2027 release as the most likely target if Sony proceeds on a typical cadence, while some earlier projections extended possible launch timing to 2029. On price, one hardware leaker has estimated the PS6 could be closer to the current cost of a PS5 Pro than a $1,000 console.

Sony’s chief financial officer previously flagged a longer PS5 lifecycle. Microsoft’s next-generation console, codenamed Project Helix, is also reported to be targeting a launch next year, a development that contributes to industry timing and pricing pressures.

Totoki emphasized the company will continue to monitor market conditions and run internal simulations before committing to a launch schedule or price. Sony’s near-term memory needs for 2026 are secured, but forecasts for 2027 and beyond remain subject to reassessment as supply and demand change.