Why the PS6 and the next Xbox can't be delayed for too long

Both the PS5 and Xbox Series X/S faced significant supply chain issues with the covid-19 pandemic. What was supposed to be the new and exciting generation of games turned out to be a two-year struggle for both companies and players, as shortages caused the generation to start at a snail's pace. By 2023, supply chain issues had mostly been resolved, meaning the two consoles didn't hit their full stride until years after launch. Now that PS6 rumors and Xbox Project Helix speculation are circulating, many gamers feel that it is too early for a new generation to debut. However, both Sony and Microsoft have short time frames to take advantage of before the new generation feels outdated.

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PlayStation Insider estimates how much it will cost Sony to make a PS6

An insider shares his educated guess on how much it might cost Sony to produce a next-generation PlayStation console.

PS6 and Xbox Project Helix need to act sooner, rather than later, to get the most out of their next-gen products

One place that has been talking a lot about the logistics of the next generation wave has been Reddit. Leaks from the Moore's Law is Dead YouTube channel are sparking some interesting conversations about Sony's future plans, and one comment from Reddit user XJ–0461 really stuck out to me. The Moore's Law is Dead leaks claim that the PS6 is “not many years away”, and XJ–0461 made a solid point about such a bold claim:

Despite global trends, PS6 cannot be delayed too long from the original plan because they have a window on how strong the technology is where they want to release. If they wait too long, it will launch too far behind current technology.

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This is a solid point that really gets to the main reason why Moore's Law is death leaks are probably not that far off from being accurate. Of course, every single leak and rumor should be met with a healthy amount of skepticism, but the technology that both Sony and Microsoft are working on for their next-gen console will only be impressive for so long. The general expectation is that the next-gen console will come out in 2027 or early 2028. This is purely speculation, but it makes sense when you look back at the time between previous consoles.

Since Sony and Microsoft are direct competitors, they have continued to release consoles within at least a year of each other. PlayStation and Xbox consoles have been on the same timeline since 2013 at this point, so it only makes sense that the two would once again be looking at a launch in the same year. If both companies follow past trends, that would make 2027 the perfect target year. Moore's Law is Dead's leaks were specifically about the PS6 and how Sony's work on Power Save Mode is “a Trojan horse” for a PS6 handheld. However, that doesn't mean these leaks aren't just as important to Xbox fans. According to Moore's Law, Dead's source, Sony's PlayGo is a direct response to the Xbox Smart Delivery system. The source even claimed that this is further proof that Sony is deep into the PS6's development:

It allows developers to organize “chunks” of different assets and textures for each PlayStation console so that a given console only downloads the exact files it will use… This would only be done if this “mode” was the entire basis of a new console that might need its own tweaks.

The next generation of award points is the biggest question players want answered

It's no secret that the tech industry as a whole is currently facing some serious problems. Due to the RAM shortage and general economic challenges going on right now, companies like Sony and Microsoft are raising prices. Xbox Game Pass prices went up last year, and this month the PS5 got another price hike. It wasn't a minor change either, as the three models saw price increases ranging between $100 and $150. There has been understandable concern about how the combination of RAM shortages and rising production costs could either delay the new generation or introduce consoles that are far too expensive for the average gamer.

On the bright side, Moore's Law is Dead's source also claimed that Sony is aiming for a console that is cheaper to produce, which would lower the price. Analysts have predicted the next generation of console prices, with Pachter Factor podcast host Michael Pachter even predicting that high prices could end console gaming as we know it. Between Moore's Law, Dead's source's more optimistic view, and other analysts predicting consoles at $1,000 or higher, there's no way to really know what Sony and Microsoft will do.

The next generation may feel like it's coming too soon, but Sony and Microsoft probably disagree

Reports that the next-gen Xbox can play PC games and that the PS6 could potentially be twice as powerful as both its predecessor and the Xbox Series X/S are exciting possibilities, and Sony and Microsoft will want to debut their technological advances as soon as possible. Waiting too long puts the two companies at risk of launching products that simply don't seem as impressive anymore.

The current generation has faced some rocky moments, and the PS6 and Xbox Project Helix can hopefully avoid the same fate. Right now, these next-gen console release dates are being kept under wraps. Only time will tell what Sony and Microsoft decide to do, but it will be on whatever timeline they think is best.