Exploring Reasons for Delaying Anticipation: The Case Against PS6 Before 2027

Key Takeaways

• The PS5 struggled at first with supply chain issues and slow early adoption, but is finally recovering with price drops and plentiful supply.
• Cross-generation releases limited the PS5’s innovation, and new releases made specifically for the PS5 are needed to help the console build a unique identity.
• Launching the PS6 too soon would undo the progress made by the PS5, hurting both consoles in the long run.

Although it’s been four years since the PlayStation 5 hit store shelves, the end may already be approaching for Sony’s ninth-generation console. Not only would this be bad news for PS5 owners, it could also spell disaster for Sony’s next major console.

The PlayStation 5 Just Found Its Footing

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The PS5’s first few years were plagued by an abundance of issues. Even before its release, the PS5 drew criticism for its towering design , hefty price tag, and limited selection of launch titles. Problems continued for the console as supply chain issues prevented Sony from fulfilling consumer demand, which made buying a PS5 a frustrating experience for way too long.

But even if the PS5 wasn’t struck by these early issues, it still would’ve struggled to attract an audience. Since most PS5 games are also available on last-gen systems, many PS4 and Xbox One owners didn’t have a clear reason to upgrade to Sony’s newest console. Many others found the PS5 to be too expensive. New consoles rarely see price drops in their early years but the PS5 saw a price hike in some countries , and its $70 games further raised the barrier to entry.

Despite a rough start, the PS5 gradually overcame these problems in the years that followed. The console’s supply chain issues were reportedly resolved in 2023, and Sony has become more willing to drop the PS5’s price during holidays and sales events. Furthermore, the PS5 Slim addressed some of the criticisms made against the original model with its reduced size, larger storage, and detachable disc drive.

Unfortunately, this recovery hasn’t been enough to restore Sony’s confidence in the PS5. In early 2024, Sony senior vice president Naomi Matsuouka described the PS5 as entering “the latter part of its life cycle” due to its declining sales, according to a report from Bloomberg . It’s possible that Sony is already planning on moving to the PlayStation 6, but this would be a dangerous mistake.

Launching the PS6 before the PS5’s body is cold would only undo the progress made by the PS5. It took time for the PS5 to build its current game library and win over players, and the PS6 would need to start from scratch. Even with backward compatibility for older games, the majority of current PS5 owners won’t upgrade right away, either due to the high cost or the lack of demand for a new system. In essence, the PS6 will have to contend with the same exact problems as its predecessor.

The PS5 will become a better console over time. Its library is constantly expanding with new releases, and its frequent updates have addressed most of the system’s initial problems. There are still some features that could be better or others that are outright missing—including 8K support and custom themes—yet the PS5 has only improved with each passing year. All it needs is time to deliver new games and reach more players.

Next-Gen Features Are Severely Underutilized

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When the PS5 was released back in 2020, it wowed console owners with its ability to deliver stunning visuals, as well as immerse players with the haptic feedback and adaptive triggers of its DualSense controller. Astro’s Playroom, the tech demo included with the console, offered an impressive demonstration of the innovative ways the console’s hardware and controller could be utilized.

Four years later, few games have actually bothered with these features. Plenty of modern shooters use adaptive triggers to simulate firearms, and some games use haptic feedback for environmental effects, but the inventiveness seen in Astro’s Playroom is absent from most other PS5 games.

While it’s disappointing to see the DualSense’s wasted potential , there is a simple reason why the controller’s unique features are so rarely utilized. Most games on the PS5 are multi-platform releases, meaning they also need to be playable on other systems. Since the controllers for the PS4, Xbox One, and Series X|S all lack the unique features of the DualSense, most games don’t bother getting too creative for the PS5 release.

Likewise, the PS5 has not been the technical powerhouse that most people expected. This isn’t the fault of the console itself, but rather the limitations of its games. Although the PS5 is capable of running some of the most visually impressive games in recent years, such as Ratchet and Clank: Rift Apart and Final Fantasy VII: Rebirth, most games on the console are made for both current and last-gen systems. As a result, the PS5 often seems like a slight improvement over the PS4 Pro, despite being capable of far more impressive feats.

Although backward compatibility is a valuable feature, the only games that can support the PS5’s full potential are console exclusives. For better or worse, these will become more common as new games demand better hardware and surpass the limitations of older systems. With upcoming exclusives like Astro Bot and Death Stranding 2 promising creative uses of the PS5’s hardware, we may soon see a new wave of innovative exclusives.

The PS6 Needs a Clean Break

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An early release for Sony’s next console won’t just be a waste of the PS5’s potential, but will also hurt the PS6 in the long run. As the PS5 unintentionally proved, a console needs to run its course before it makes room for a successor. If a system launches too early, it’ll be stuck for years with games that are already available on last-gen platforms, and most consumers won’t see any reason to upgrade to the new console.

Additionally, every console is defined by the gaming trends and technical standards of its era, which helps new systems seem like improvements over their predecessors. Buying a new console should feel like a fresh start, one that brings new games and experiences that wouldn’t have been possible on older hardware. This gives every console its own unique identity, even if they’re from the same line of systems.

The PS2, PS3, and PS4 were all radically different consoles with their own distinctive identities, and this was reinforced by their drastically different games. However, the PS5’s premature launch arrived in the middle of the PS4’s life cycle, forcing it to share much of its library with its predecessor. As a result, the PS5 has consistently struggled to set itself apart from other Sony consoles, and an early launch for the PS6 could see its successor head down the same unfortunate path.

Above all else, consoles need time between releases to take advantage of new tech and improving hardware. A new console should represent a significant leap forward in technical capabilities. At the moment, the PS6 won’t be able to deliver much beyond what the PS5 can already handle. While newer systems might be able to deliver slight graphical upgrades and performance boosts, these minor enhancements are better suited for a potential PS5 Pro rather than the PS6.

For the PS6 to succeed from the start, it needs to become a necessity. Once developers have pushed the PS5 to its limit and players are ready for the next console generation, the PS6 can launch without the need to compete against its own predecessor. By then, the standard hardware for consoles will have surpassed the PS5’s specs, allowing the PS6 to impress audiences with truly next-gen visuals and performance.

There’s no definitive answer on when is the right time for Sony to launch the PS6. Most console generations last between six and eight years, meaning it wouldn’t be unreasonable for the PS6 to be released sometime in 2027. However, the PS5’s late recovery and ongoing issues may require Sony to delay its next console to a later date. For now, Sony should focus on making the most of the PS5 and giving consumers more reasons to upgrade to the current console generation.

The PS5’s Best Days Are to Come

There’s no denying that the PS5 is still suffering from numerous issues that have contributed to its disappointing sales, but a new console won’t solve anything. Sony will have to endure this rough patch for now, but that doesn’t mean the PS5 will be on the decline forever. By refocusing efforts on improving the PS5 and building its library with more exclusives, Sony can bounce back from its slump.

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