By the time we’re all huddled around our collective TVs playing Grand Theft Auto VI, the PS5 will be six years old. In fact, the worldwide release of the PS5 happened on November 19, 2020, which is a brilliant coincidence for any GTA fans. Six years is a long time in the life cycle of a console, and it may come as no surprise to many that the PlayStation 6 might just be around the corner. Rest in peace PS5, the future is coming in fast… or is it?
A well-known leaker on NeoGAF has let slip an annual report from the Embracer group. It’s not known if the report is legitimate, but the 200+ pdf covers a lot of future gaming information. One such fact pops up on page 17 and indicates that Sony’s next-gen console may launch a little further away than first expected. If true, Sony is planning to push the launch of the PlayStation 6 from 2027 to 2028 or even as far as 2029. Maybe it’s not quite time to stick your PS5 in the closet just yet then.
The original prediction of PlayStation 6 launching in 2027 was credible, considering the gap between PlayStation 4 and PlayStation 5 was 7 years. Not a trend on its own, but the gap between PS3 and PS4 was also 7 years, making it almost a sure bet that we’d be seeing a new console in 2027. Well, it would seem that if the Embracer group report is correct, the PlayStation 5 is going to break routine and stretch a little bit longer out of the current generation.
Getting eight to nine years out of the current generation of consoles seems like a bargain for gamers and gives us all plenty of time to save up for the PlayStation 6, which will no doubt come with an eye-watering price tag attached. That said, competition drives the gaming industry and if Xbox sticks to their timeline, we can expect Project Helix to launch in 2027. It’s hard to believe that Sony won’t want to compete and get their next console out around the same time.
So many factors play into the launch of a new console and the rising costs of components and the current US tariffs might see Sony press pause on a launch for now. A 2028 launch might give them more time to source parts or wait out the current increasing prices of RAM. Although that might make more financial sense, it’s still hard to believe that they won’t go toe to toe with XBox and try to release their consoles around the same time as each other.
Either way, whether the PlayStation 6 launches in 2027 or the following year, us gamers should still start saving. With amazing games like Grand Theft Auto VI, Marvel’s Wolverine and Control: Resonant still to come this year, we could do with a little extra time to save up for a new console. An extra year to save up for a PlayStation 6? Yes please. If the Steam machine’s price tag is anything to go by, we’ll need as much time as we can get to save every penny.