A PlayStation hardware insider has warned that the PS6 could end up costing somewhere between $700 and $800. This past week, Sony once again increased the price of the PS5. This is the third global price increase since the console’s launch in 2020, and the second price increase in the United States. Normally, consoles are supposed to get cheaper over time, but thanks to runaway inflation, soaring oil prices because of war, massive component shortages, and substantial shipping delays, everything is getting more expensive, including producing video game consoles.
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The bad news is some of these things could be alleviated and improved in the future, but some of these things are only going to get worse, yet Sony — and others — are supposed to ship a new console in 2027, supposedly, according to reports and leaks that is. Of course, Sony is not going to eat all of this increase in cost. It will eat some, but it will pass a good amount onto the consumer. In highly competitive markets, manufacturers and producers eat the majority of spikes in cost, but the video game console market is not competitive, especially with Xbox faltering as it has been. To this end, be prepared to drop a grand at launch for a PS5, an extra controller, and a PlayStation Plus subscription. And then you will have to buy $80 games, as the standard price for AAA games is going to rise again soon.
New Report About the Price of the PS6
The new report comes from NeoGAF user KeplerL2, a well-known and fairly reliable source, who notes that the bill of materials estimate for the PS6 is around $760, which leaves a $700 price point open through subsidy; however, it also opens the door for a $800 price point. A Sony being pushed by Xbox would probably opt for the $700 price point, but Xbox’s hardware business has simply collapsed.
If this BOM estimate is correct, what will probably happen is what happened this generation, which is that there will be an all-digital PS6 for $700, and then a version with a disc drive that will cost $800. And then in a few years, the PS6 Pro will come out and cost over $1000.
Here’s the big problem for Sony; there is no way the upgrades the PS6 will offer will justify such a price point. And if the PS5 base stays the majority console for years to come, then games are going to target it rather than the PS6, further undermining the new console’s existence. What Sony should do is wait out this bad period and hope things improve in 2028 or 2029. Even wait until 2030 if they have to. The PS5 is more powerful than the Switch 2; PC gaming is not going to be affordable for years, and even if Xbox releases a new console, it will be isolated and stranded in an awkward period coming of two generations that have proven demand for Xbox hardware is dying. In other words, Sony does not need to rush to the market.
All of that said, remember to take all of this with a grain of salt. In the meantime, and as always, feel free to leave a comment or two letting us know what you think, or join the conversations over on the ComicBook Forum.
