Sony considers PS6 delay to 2029 as AI chip shortage forces gaming industry to rethink strategy

Sony weighs PS6 delay to 2029 as AI chip shortage upends gaming

Sony is weighing a significant delay for the PlayStation 6, potentially pushing the console's launch to 2028 or even 2029, according to Bloomberg. The delay would stem from an unprecedented global memory chip shortage driven by surging demand for artificial intelligence infrastructure, forcing major gaming companies to rethink their hardware strategies. The AI-driven chip crisis has left the three major memory manufacturers -- Samsung, SK Hynix, and Micron -- prioritizing high-margin AI chips over consumer electronics. Micron's business chief Sumit Sadana told CNBC in January that the company is completely sold out for 2026, with industry forecasts indicating data centers will consume 70 percent of global memory chip production this year. If the PS6 does not arrive until 2029, it would mark nearly a decade since the PS5's November 2020 debut -- the longest gap between PlayStation generations in the company's history. Bloomberg's sources describe the potential postponement as a major upset to a carefully orchestrated strategy to sustain user engagement between hardware generations. Capital expenditures on AI infrastructure by tech giants like Alphabet, Amazon, and Microsoft are projected to reach $650 billion in 2026, squeezing memory supply for gaming consoles. The shortage has already prompted warnings from executives at Apple and Tesla about its impact on profits. Nintendo is also feeling the pressure. The company launched the Switch 2 at $449 in June 2025 but is now contemplating raising the price in 2026 as RAM costs have increased 41 percent compared to initial projections. Nintendo President Shuntaro Furukawa acknowledged the challenge earlier this month, stating that while there is no immediate impact on earnings, "the volatile memory market is something we must monitor closely." Analyst firm Niko Partners predicts Nintendo may discontinue the $449 standalone option and offer only a $499 or higher bundle SKU. Neither Sony nor Nintendo responded to Bloomberg's requests for comment. The chip shortage represents a broader shift in semiconductor priorities, with AI workloads commanding premium pricing and supply allocation. For gaming companies, this means longer console cycles and potential price increases for players, reshaping expectations for the next generation of hardware.

Report: PS6 may be delayed to 2028 or 2029 due to 'parabolic' rise in chip demand

TL;DR: AI-driven demand for memory chips is causing a global shortage, delaying Sony's PlayStation 6 release to 2028 or 2029. Rising chip costs impact production and profitability, prompting Sony to optimize hardware with AMD's advanced AI chip technologies like Neural Arrays, Radiance Cores, and Universal Compression for enhanced performance. AI could be the reason that the PlayStation 6 is delayed until 2029, sources tell Bloomberg. AI continues to accelerate faster and faster, and companies are struggling to feed teeming datacenters. AI has driven up the prices of consumer electronics to all-time highs, as critical chips like RAM, flash storage, and GPU/CPUs are being diverted to lucrative AI contracts. As a result, entertainment companies like Sony, Microsoft, and Nintendo may now have to pay more to produce their unreleased next-gen gaming systems--and possibly even raise prices again in the meantime. New reports from Bloomberg indicate that Sony may push back the release of its next-gen PlayStation 6 console by multiple years due to market conditions. Sony could release the PS6 in 2028 or even 2029 because of the AI chip squeeze. The simple explanation is that Sony wants to make the PS6 as profitable as possible, preferably at launch too. Sony has gotten used to making a profit from its PlayStation hardware, and while PS5 profits have been impacted as of late due to the chip disruptions, and the PS5 Pro which has a higher BOM (Bill of Materials) than the other platforms, Sony always aims to make a profit on its games hardware. If the PS6 were to be delayed, the plan is essentially to navigate these uncertain waters carefully, perhaps similarly to how it handled the PS5's launch during COVID-19. Over the years since the PS5 launched in 2020, Sony has released a multitude of console revisions that made the PS5 more profitable on a per-sale basis with each iteration, e.g. making the systems lighter to significantly reduce things like shipping and freight costs. Sony is currently co-developing the PlayStation 6's new chip technology with AMD as part of the ambitious Project Amethyst initiative. The PS6 will utilize new advanced AI technologies right on the chip, and Sony recently highlighted three of these new developments: