The PlayStation 6 is a much-talked-about machine despite lacking an official announcement from Sony, and a report by an industry analyst suggests that we might not see this new console until after 2028, as Sony is looking to extend the PS5's lifespan.
A Japanese-language report from MST International senior analyst David Gibson (per IGN) looked into Sony's overall performance and potential future. According to Gibson, "Sony expects the PS5 lifecycle to be longer than that of previous console generations" and that there is a "high likelihood that the PS6 launch will occur after 2028."
Recent console cycles have lasted around seven years, with the PS3 launching in 2006 before the PS4's release in 2013; the latter then had the limelight until the PS5 launched near the beginning of the COVID-19 pandemic in 2020. This pattern led to assumptions and predictions that a PS6 would come to markets in 2027, but Gibson believes there are a few reasons not to expect it so soon.
Gibson's report, which comes before Sony's Q3 financial report on February 5, claims that the company's earnings will exceed forecast. Usage data shows that "PS5 user activity continues to set all-time record highs," Gibson said, which is leading Sony to focus more on retaining active users than expanding hardware sales." In 2025, Sony CFO Lin Tao even suggested that the PS5 is only halfway through its lifespan.
Outside of the PS5's user engagement and financial performance, another big factor that could lead to a later PS6 launch is the ongoing shortages and rising prices of components like GPUs and RAM. These increasing memory costs, along with general economic conditions worldwide, are already predicted to lead to price hikes for devices like Nintendo Switch 2.
If the PS6 were to arrive in 2029 or 2030 instead of the initially expected 2027, we're in for a longer news cycle approaching its inevitable launch. Rumors and reports have already made several claims about the yet-to-be-announced console, including its potential specifications and a PlayStation handheld launching alongside it.
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A Japanese-language report from MST International senior analyst David Gibson (per IGN) looked into Sony's overall performance and potential future. According to Gibson, "Sony expects the PS5 lifecycle to be longer than that of previous console generations" and that there is a "high likelihood that the PS6 launch will occur after 2028."
Recent console cycles have lasted around seven years, with the PS3 launching in 2006 before the PS4's release in 2013; the latter then had the limelight until the PS5 launched near the beginning of the COVID-19 pandemic in 2020. This pattern led to assumptions and predictions that a PS6 would come to markets in 2027, but Gibson believes there are a few reasons not to expect it so soon.
Gibson's report, which comes before Sony's Q3 financial report on February 5, claims that the company's earnings will exceed forecast. Usage data shows that "PS5 user activity continues to set all-time record highs," Gibson said, which is leading Sony to focus more on retaining active users than expanding hardware sales." In 2025, Sony CFO Lin Tao even suggested that the PS5 is only halfway through its lifespan.
Outside of the PS5's user engagement and financial performance, another big factor that could lead to a later PS6 launch is the ongoing shortages and rising prices of components like GPUs and RAM. These increasing memory costs, along with general economic conditions worldwide, are already predicted to lead to price hikes for devices like Nintendo Switch 2.
If the PS6 were to arrive in 2029 or 2030 instead of the initially expected 2027, we're in for a longer news cycle approaching its inevitable launch. Rumors and reports have already made several claims about the yet-to-be-announced console, including its potential specifications and a PlayStation handheld launching alongside it.
Source