The future of gaming is nearly here thanks to the release of the PlayStation 5 Pro, but what comes after? Believe it or not, some are already looking ahead to the release of the PlayStation 6.
PlayStation seems to release its base models like clockwork, shortly followed by Slim and Pro variants, before we finally get to the next generation.
Like the changing of the tide, the PlayStation 6 was always inevitable, but with another price hike surely on the horizon, we're worried what it's going to cost.
Sony already faced a baptism of fire due to the PS5 Pro's $699.99/£699.99 price tag, and as well as that not including a disc drive or stand, you're looking at $800/£800 for the full package.
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If you crunch the numbers, there are some clear indicators of where the PS6's price tag is likely heading.
The PlayStation 4 launched in 2013 and was priced at $399/£349, while the PS5 followed in 2020. The PS5 has both the base and Digital Edition, but taking the base version as standard, it launched at $499/£449.
Given the way the PS5 Pro has been priced, it's fair to assume the PS6 could launch at around $600/£600 when it eventually lands.
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For those tempted to splash out on the PS5 Pro, you're sure to be sweating at the idea of having to stump up another $600 within the next few years.
There are plenty of concerns on X (formerly Twitter), with one gamer worrying: "The issue for me is that if the PS5 Pro sells decent? Sony might see this as a way of pricing PS6 at $600+ and no disk drive. That's the bigger worry IMO as a gamer and a console lover."
Another added: "If PS5 PRO costs that much, how much is PS6 going to cost? because I am not paying 800 dollars for a next gen game console with exclusive games that get ported to a PC." Thankfully, the PS6 doesn't sound like it's exactly around the corner.
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Court documents released as part of the UK's Competition and Markets Authority investigation into Microsoft's Activision Blizzard King acquisition suggest that 2027 is one to mark in our diaries.
This matches up with Masayasu Ito, Sony's former Executive VP of Hardware Engineering, who told (the defunct) Game Informer: "Indeed, in the past, the cycle for a new platform was seven to 10 years, but in view of the very rapid development and evolution of technology, it's really a six to seven-year platform cycle."
Considering the PS5 released in 2020, this means we could be getting our hands on the PS6 as early as 2026. Then again, it's possible that the pandemic has slowed things down on this one.
We don't know what Sony has cooking in the kitchen, but either way, you'd better start saving.