PlayStation 6: Sony CEO Totoki Doesn't Name Release Date – Memory Chip Crisis Slows Planning

Sony CEO Hiroki Totoki has clarified in a recent interview: There is currently no concrete release date for the PlayStation 6. He cites the global memory chip crisis as the reason, which is currently causing significant challenges for the entire tech industry.

Why Is the Memory Chip Crisis Slowing Down the PS6?

Globally, RAM and flash memory components are scarce – and the prices for these very chips have recently risen sharply. This is a real problem for Sony: anyone planning a new console generation must calculate hardware costs years in advance, long before the console even hits stores. If memory chip prices rise unpredictably, every forecast becomes unstable, and an announced date too early can quickly become a PR problem. According to Totoki, this is precisely what makes planning and calculating the PS6 so difficult right now. The crisis, by the way, affects not only Sony but the entire tech industry, from smartphones and PCs to graphics cards.

When Is the PlayStation 6 Actually Coming Out?

In short: No one currently knows, and apparently Sony itself isn't entirely sure yet. As long as the memory chip crisis persists, the company does not want to commit to a date. This is unusually open communication, but honest: better no date than one that has to be rescinded later.

For context: The PlayStation 5 was released in November 2020 and has thus been on the market longer than the PS4 was before the PS5 launch. The jump from PS4 to PS5 took a good seven years – so it could easily take a similar amount of time until the PS6, especially now with the chip crisis acting as a hindrance. For anyone currently considering selling their PS5 or saving up for a new console: there's no rush. Without a date, there's no realistic time frame to plan towards, and the PS5 will remain Sony's current platform for the foreseeable future.

Sony traditionally makes official announcements about new hardware via the PlayStation Blog; current business figures and company statements can be found on the Sony corporate website. Until something official about the PS6 appears there, statements like Totoki's remain the status quo.

Source: GamePro

What do you think: Would you prefer a later, but certain, PS6 release date over a rushed announcement? Let us know in the comments!