At least one analyst believes the PlayStation 6 won't arrive as soon as earlier leaks and rumors suggested. Sony has not given many hints on what to expect from its next console, other than that it is, in fact, working on one and that the system will use AMD tech. That hasn't stopped leakers and other industry voices from attempting to predict the next PlayStation console release date, but now there's doubt about the accuracy of these estimates.

Up to this point, the theory was that Sony was aiming to release the PS6 sometime in 2027, with multiple leakers pointing to that window. It's also rumored that the company is working on a handheld that will reportedly launch around the same time. After a rocky few months in the console space, though, things look less certain, and a new analysis suggests that fans may not be able to get their hands on a PS6 quite so soon.

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Sony Gives Update on PlayStation 6 Development

Sony gives players a new update on the development of the eagerly awaited PlayStation 6, which still does not have an official release date yet.

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Analyst Believes Sony Has Pushed Back PlayStation 6's Release Date

David Gibson, a senior analyst at MST Financial, has released a report about Sony's Q3 performance and potential future, claiming that the PS6's release date is "likely to be delayed longer than many expected." While he did not offer any specific date ranges, it sounds like the rumored 2027 window may no longer be on the table. In October 2025, Sony's lead console architect, Mark Cerny, said the PS6 would release "in a few years," which seemingly points to a 2027 or 2028 release. If things have changed since then, it's possible the console won't come out until at least 2029, although it's hard to say anything for certain without more specificity from Sony itself.

It's worth noting that in the interview where Cerny teased the PS6's release timeline, he mentioned that the new tech the console will use is still in its early stages. It could be that it's taking time to develop this hardware, leading experts like Gibson to cast doubt over a 2027 or 2028 release. The ongoing RAM crisis may also play a role. Late last year, it came out that Xbox and Sony were reportedly considering delaying their next consoles in light of the memory shortage to avoid excessive expenses and production bottlenecks. Given those rumors, it seems possible that Sony decided on a delay rather than raising end-user prices to account for currently sky-high RAM costs.

rockstar games office fire statement Image via Rockstar Games

The rumor that Grand Theft Auto 6 could delay the next console generation may also carry more weight now. In this new report, Gibson stated that Sony has seen impressive third-party software sales figures and that this trend will continue into Q3 and beyond. If Sony wants to make the most of these third-party game sales, it could push back the PS6 to allow more time for popular games to lift PS5 sales. Whenever the PS6 does come out, it will take a little while for PS6-optimized games to release, so it makes sense to keep supporting the PS5 to capitalize on game sales before PS6-native titles become more common.

PlayStation Portal remote player in midnight black Image via PlayStation

For now, there's no guarantee of when Sony might release the PS6 or why it may choose a certain launch window over another. However, there seems to be plenty of reasons to believe that the console may not come out next year, given Gibson's prediction, the memory crisis, and the GTA 6 theory. Whenever the console does release, though, it sounds like fans will have a lot to look forward to. Leaked PS6 console and handheld specs suggest the platform will offer a substantial upgrade over the PS5, so it could very well be worth the wait.

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PlayStation 5 Pro Tag Page Cover Art
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Brand
Sony PlayStation
Original Release Date
November 7, 2024
Original MSRP (USD)
$749.99
Processor
AMD Ryzen Zen 2 (8 cores, 16 threads, 3.5GHz)
Resolution
Up to 8K
HDR Support
Yes
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Source: Sandstone Insights