Analysts are talking about the price of the PlayStation 6, and are indicating that it will likely be a lot higher than consumers would like. It could be a grim time for game fans, as the PlayStation 6 and other consoles may rise above a three-digit figure.
The gaming hobby has been upended due to shortages of parts, made worse by companies that used to manufacture parts for consumer-grade hardware exiting the market. As a result, where prices would typically trend downward as a console gets older, the PlayStation 5 and Xbox Series X have both seen price hikes over their five years on the market. Unfortunately, the next generation could be even worse, price-wise.
Analysts Have a Worrisome Prediction About the PS6’s Price
Now, industry analysts talking with GameIndustry.biz have discussed the upcoming console, and have the concerning opinion that the PlayStation 6 could very well cost $1000 or more. Joost van Dreunen, CEO of analytics firm Aldora, believes that the PlayStation 6 could see a base price of above $1000. Mat Piscatella of Circana had similar thoughts, saying that it’s possible that the price could be $1000. Even those who shared lower numbers didn’t stray that far from four digits.
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Piers Harding-Rolls of Ampere Analysis indicates that due to Sony’s history with electronics businesses, it may be able to navigate the difficulties companies like Valve have been having with supply chains. Manu Rosier of Newzoo suggests that next-generation consoles may roll out with a price under $999, but that it would largely be for marketing and psychological purposes. A three-digit price seems more approachable than four, even if there are mere dollars separating them. With the PS5 Pro currently priced at $899.99, though, it may be difficult to imagine a brand-new next-gen console only adding $100 or less over its predecessor’s price.
All of this is arriving as Valve has finally opened registrations to purchase the Steam Machine, which turned out to be more expensive than Valve was hoping for. The base price of $1049 was eye-watering to plenty of gamers, and is a worrying sign of what’s yet to come. However, it’s worth noting that Valve isn’t subsidizing its hardware like console manufacturers often do, as gaming consoles are sometimes sold for less than it cost to produce them. Companies like Sony, Nintendo, and Microsoft recoup the loss over time by selling games, so compared to Valve, there’s still a small chance of producing a system at a lower price.
However, the future is muddy when it comes to predicting the cost of hardware parts in 2–3 years, when the PlayStation 6 is rumored to launch. If the so-called AI bubble were to pop, it’s possible that the overall cost of hardware parts could drop enough to bring costs down for consumers. But if demand for parts for AI datacenters stays steady or even rises, prices for consoles could be even worse than imagined. Although Sony and Xbox are already looking ahead to the next generation of consoles, it may ultimately be difficult for gamers to move up if the prices are as high as these analysts are predicting.