PS5, PS5 Pro’s Price Hikes Might Lead to PS6 Costing 50 Percent More, Say Analysts

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Following Sony’s recent announcement of a price increase for the PS5 and PS5 Pro, experts predict other next-generation consoles may also become more expensive. Mat Piscatella of Circana told GamesRadar that while a price increase was expected, “this jump is larger than I predicted.”

Joost van Dreunen, a video game professor and industry researcher at NYU, argues that recent economic issues are largely due to US policies meant to reshape the global economy. He notes that increasing costs for video game hardware were apparent as early as 2024, following actions like the implementation of import tariffs.

As a gamer, I’m not surprised at all to hear that the US government’s attempts to shake up the global economy are actually hurting things. Back in 2024, console makers were already warning us that tariffs would drive up prices, and now it’s happening. The cost of key components like DRAM and NAND memory has skyrocketed – we’re talking an 80 to 90 percent increase since the beginning of 2026! It’s exactly what everyone predicted.

According to Kantan Games CEO Dr. Serkan Toto, Sony’s recent price increases suggest the company is positioning itself for more price changes down the line. He points out this also allows Sony to offer discounts or sales if market conditions improve. Dr. Toto predicts at least one version of the PS6 will cost $999. Analyst Laurent van Dreunen agrees, stating that $1,000 consoles are becoming increasingly common, and gaming on consoles is likely to become a luxury for many.

The company is hesitant to increase the price of its consoles, as they typically sell them at a loss to attract customers. Their profits primarily come from game sales. I expect the next generation of consoles to cost about 50% more than the current ones.

Okay, so I’ve been reading up on the PS6, and apparently, even people in the know like Piscatella think Sony’s plans are still up in the air. He’s saying the timing of the release and how much it’ll cost are probably going to change, because things are just too unpredictable right now. Basically, don’t expect a solid release date or price just yet!

He acknowledged that prices could potentially exceed $1,000, though he expressed a strong preference against that happening. When asked about a timeline, he said it could be as early as 2027 or as late as 2028, or even later. Ultimately, he stressed that the current market is too uncertain to make any firm predictions, and conditions could either improve or worsen, making it difficult to know what the future holds.

Sony announced price increases for its PlayStation products last week, impacting the US, UK, Europe, and Japan. The standard PS5 will cost $100 more, the PS5 Pro will be $150 more expensive, and the PlayStation Portal will see a $50 price increase. These new prices take effect on April 2nd.

Following Sony’s price increase, analyst Piers Harding-Rolls from Ampere Analysis suggested Microsoft and Nintendo may do the same for their Xbox Series X/S and upcoming Switch 2 consoles. He believes Sony acted to maintain its profit margins on the consoles, especially with ongoing high demand for AI technology keeping component costs up. He anticipates similar moves from Microsoft and Nintendo soon.

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2026-03-30 18:11