In an impossible economy, disrupted by AI’s control over computer components, all hopes of launching the PS6 at an acceptable price seem to be dwindling day by day.
It’s been interesting to follow KeplerL2’s commentary on NeoGAF, a famous hardware leaker that reportedly provides insight into Sony’s plans for the next generation.
In March, he noted that the PS6 cost Sony around $760, potentially opening the door to a subsidized price of $699.99.
But in July, Snooper reported that the bill of materials had risen to around $960, virtually eliminating any chance of the device being affordable to a mass audience by the time it launches.
And now, in a new post, he claims that the console’s memory – so its RAM and SSD – currently costs over $680 alone. This is before adding other aspects such as GPU, CPU, cooling, etc.
It’s a nightmare scenario for the entire industry, as we’re now faced with a barrel of next-gen consoles priced over $1,000, at a time when consumers are struggling to make ends meet.
Some may question the point of releasing the PS6, but with all the research and development already done, the manufacturer may have to release it anyway. After all, there’s no guarantee that things will get better anytime soon.
I guess Sony’s advantage here lies in its current install base, and I suspect we’re going to see a long, long, long cross-gen period with the PS5. I doubt there are any any exclusive games for the PS6 for many years.
Of course, it will be very difficult for the platform holder to illustrate the benefits of the new machine – especially at a time when console graphics are experiencing diminishing returns.
The PS6 will apparently be twice as powerful as the PS5, so we’ll definitely see better-looking games there. And the inclusion of a portable model should bring some added novelty, although it’s unlikely to be cheap either.
I think what’s really unfortunate here is that none of this is necessarily Sony’s fault.
Yes, it has found ways to shoot itself in the foot over and over again lately, but the reason for the rising costs is due to the insatiable demand for AI data centers. As long as this continues, the price of all consumer electronics will continue to increase.
Gn tech
