The PlayStation 5 era got off to a rough start. 2026 will mark six years since the Sony console hit the market, and it was immediately faced with a hurdle. It took a long time for the PlayStation 5 to finally get a stable inventory going because of the supply chain issues caused by the COVID-19 pandemic. Once the supply chain issues were resolved, the standard version of the PlayStation 5 got four solid years on the market before its next evolution hit the scene: the PS5 Pro.
The PS5 Pro’s arrival brought an even more powerful version of the console into the spotlight, but that also means it has a heftier price tag attached to it, too. Whether someone chooses one of the standard PS5 models or the PS5 Pro is completely based on preferences, but gamers who want the best performance possible may want to get the PS5 Pro sooner rather than later. Sony’s future plans for the PlayStation could be shaken up due to two main factors: RAM prices and PC ports. It’s hard to be certain, but gamers who have yet to embrace the current gen or are looking to upgrade from a standard console need to think hard about these details.
Best PS5 Games That Can Keep You Busy For Months, Ranked
Starting each of these PS5 must-play games, prepare for weeks, if not months, of exciting gameplay and memorable stories.
The Ongoing RAM Crisis Could Spell Trouble for PS5 Pro and Other Console Prices
The current RAM supply crisis has been affecting the tech world in general, but it’s already had a big impact on PC gaming. It feels like it’s only a matter of time before it affects console prices, too. There have even been reports suggesting that the RAM prices will delay next-gen consoles. This hopefully doesn’t turn out to be the case, but it’s definitely not off the table at the moment. As RAM companies continue to prioritize AI data centers, it will only get harder and more expensive for other tech products to access memory.
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Could the RAM Crisis Make Consoles More Expensive?
The good news is that Sony CFO Lin Tao has confirmed that the company has enough RAM supply to last through the 2026 holiday season. This at least means that a PS5 Pro price increase is less likely to happen this year. However, 2027 will be a different story if the supply issue isn’t resolved.
August 2025 Already Caused a Price Increase for PS5 Consoles
- PS5 Standard Digital Edition – price changed from $450 to $500
- PS5 Standard Disc Edition – price changed from $500 to $550
- PS5 Pro – price changed from $700 to $750
Another PS5 price increase would anger a lot of gamers. Last year, Xbox console prices were raised by Microsoft twice because of tariffs and inflation. These hikes, combined with the company’s raising the price of Xbox Game Pass, ignited plenty of negative feedback from consumers. Sony may have a plan in place that will hopefully help avoid console price hikes, though. Lin Tao commented on the possibility of increasing PS5 console prices during Sony’s most recent 2025 earnings call. She stated, “We intend to minimize the impact of the increased memory cost on this segment going forward by prioritizing monetization of the installed base to date.” While her wording was vague, the most obvious course of action would be for Sony to make PS Plus more expensive.
Of course, this isn’t a perfect outcome. Sony fans would still have to pay more somewhere, but this scenario at least keeps the console price stable for now. The RAM crisis could last beyond 2026, so Sony, Microsoft, and Nintendo will all be taking this into consideration with future company decisions.
As RAM companies continue to prioritize AI data centers, it will only get harder and more expensive for other tech products to access memory.
Sony is Pulling Back From Its PC Port Plans
A few weeks ago, Bloomberg’s Jason Schreier made waves by hinting that Sony could be pulling back on PC ports. The past five years have seen some of Sony’s biggest exclusives come to PC. God of War Ragnarok, The Last of Us Part 2, Death Stranding, and Ghost of Tsushima are some of the most notable, but future single-player exclusives are likely to remain solely on consoles moving forward.
Sony Exclusives That Were Expected to Get PC Ports But Probably Won’t Now
- Ghost of Yotei
- Marvel’s Wolverine
- Saros
Thankfully for Death Stranding fans, Death Stranding 2 on PC is still happening. That port launches on March 19, but this and the upcoming exclusive Kena: Scars of Kosmora may be some of the last single-player Sony games to get the PC port treatment. So, PC players who have been loving the influx of single-player Sony exclusives may have no choice but to embrace the PS5 and PS5 Pro.
Exclusivity May Be Back in Style, At Least for Sony
The gaming landscape has been evolving and experimenting with new avenues in recent years. Xbox is seemingly moving far away from exclusivity. Halo on PS5 is actually a confirmed reality now, marking the first time the series has been available on a Sony console. Other Xbox staples like Fable, Forza Horizon, and Gears of War have begun to pave the way for that transition, too, but Sony seems to have a different outlook than Microsoft. If Sony is canceling its PC port plans, then console exclusivity will be more important than ever for the company.
Also, with the expectation that the next Xbox console will be a PC/console hybrid, Sony’s exclusivity not only sets it apart from the competition, but also makes the need for a PS5 or PS5 Pro essential to play the company’s newest single-player titles. The next Xbox is being called Project Helix, and new Microsoft Gaming CEO Asha Sharma stated, “Project Helix will lead in performance and play your Xbox and PC games.” Confirming that it plays PC games gives even more weight to the PC/console hybrid theories. So, Sony PC ports could be played on an Xbox down the road, and the former is unlikely to be a fan of that. Whether exclusivity is good for the industry or not is up to the gamer. The future of the industry and its console prices are really uncertain at the moment. However, with the potential threat of price hikes and reports that Sony plans to return to console exclusivity, getting a PS5 Pro now may be the right move.
