According to Wccftech, a report from reliable leaker Tom Henderson at Insider Gaming indicates the PlayStation 6 and Xbox Next could be delayed beyond their anticipated 2027-2028 release window. The cause is a severe industry-wide RAM shortage, as manufacturers like Micron prioritize production for AI data centers over consumer products like its Crucial brand. This shift is causing massive price increases for RAM, which are expected to worsen next year. The report states console makers are now debating a delay, hoping RAM infrastructure can expand and prices fall before launch. Furthermore, the situation threatens to make the next-gen consoles “extortionate” in price, undermining a key advantage over gaming PCs. Sony had previously aimed for a reasonably priced 4K/120 FPS machine, but recent economic pressures make that goal far harder.
The Looming Console Pricing Crisis
Here’s the thing: consoles live and die by their price point. That’s the whole value proposition. You get a locked-down but optimized box for hundreds less than an equivalent gaming PC. But what happens when a core component like RAM—something consoles need in massive quantities—suddenly triples in cost? That business model starts to crack. Both Sony and Microsoft already raised prices on current-gen consoles this year. So the idea of launching a powerhouse next-gen system at, say, $499 seems almost naive now. The math might simply not work. A delay isn’t just about waiting for parts; it’s a desperate hope that the AI gold rush cools off enough for the rest of the tech world to breathe again.
Beyond Consoles: A Wider Problem
This isn’t just a PlayStation and Xbox problem. It’s a warning sign for the entire consumer hardware ecosystem. If RAM makers are abandoning the consumer market because AI data centers are more profitable, what does that mean for everything else? Gaming PCs, laptops, even industrial panel PCs and embedded systems could face the same squeeze. Speaking of which, for industries that rely on stable hardware supply chains, this volatility is a nightmare. It underscores why having a top-tier, reliable supplier for critical components like industrial displays is more crucial than ever. But for the average gamer, the takeaway is simpler: the AI boom you keep reading about? It’s probably going to cost you, directly, at the checkout for your next gadget.
What Happens Next?
So, is a delay actually likely? I think it’s plausible, but it’s a last-resort move. Pushing a console launch is a logistical and marketing earthquake. Both companies will probably exhaust every other option first—redesigning the motherboard to use slightly less RAM, accepting a slimmer profit margin (or even a steeper loss per unit), or locking in long-term supply contracts at a painful price. Microsoft’s reported strategy to compete with gaming PCs, not just PlayStation, makes its position even trickier. A high-end “Xbox Next” at a $700+ price tag completely changes the game. Basically, the next 12-18 months of RAM market forecasts will likely decide the fate of this entire console generation. The real question is: are gamers willing to pay PC-level prices for a console? We might just find out.
