PS6 timing remains unclear as Sony weighs memory shortages and next gen costs

Sony has not decided when to launch the PlayStation 6, and memory supply is one of the main reasons.

During its latest earnings call, Sony said ongoing memory shortages are affecting its planning for the next generation PlayStation. The company expects memory prices to remain high next year, so it is looking at new business models and product plans before locking in the timing.

That makes a later PS6 launch more believable. Rumors have already suggested that Sony could push the system to 2028 or beyond, and the company’s comments show that the memory market is a real concern.

The issue does not only affect future hardware. Sony also said it will base PS5 production on how much memory it can secure at reasonable prices. That suggests the company is trying to avoid producing hardware at costs that could hurt margins.

Sony’s gaming business is still strong. The Game and Network Services division remains the company’s largest segment by sales, helped by PlayStation Plus, the PlayStation Store, and third party software. Monthly active users reached 125 million in March, setting a Q4 record.

PS5 shipments also passed Sony’s forecast for the fiscal year. The company shipped 15.9 million PS5 consoles, beating its 15 million target. Total PS5 shipments have now reached 93.7 million units. Still, the latest quarter was weaker than last year, with shipments falling from 2.8 million to 1.5 million year over year.

Here is the main picture:

The biggest weak spot in Sony’s report was Bungie. Sony recorded an impairment loss of nearly $800 million tied to the studio, along with another $121 million in expenses from corrected development cost accounting.

An impairment loss means Sony now believes Bungie is worth less than previously recorded. Sony bought Bungie for $3.6 billion in 2022, when it was trying to expand heavily into live service games. Since then, Destiny 2 has faced pressure, Marathon has raised concerns, and Sony’s broader live service strategy has not worked as smoothly as planned.

Sony still expects first party software to improve in FY2026, and operating income is forecast to rise because the Bungie impairment is not expected to repeat. But the company also said next generation platform investment will weigh on gaming profits, which points to active PS6 development costs.

Sony is in a careful position. The PlayStation business remains healthy, but the next console needs the right timing, price, and supply chain. With memory prices still high and hardware costs under pressure, launching too early could make the PS6 expensive or hard to produce in large numbers.

For now, the PS6 is clearly in development, but Sony is not ready to commit to a launch window. The memory market may decide more than the usual console cycle does.