When will PS6 release? The PS6 may be a long way away, but there’s already been plenty of chatter – some of it even coming from official sources – surrounding the potential time frame in which Sony’s next-generation console will launch. In this guide, we divulge everything we know about the potential PS6 release date so far.
For those of you who have been able to snag Sony’s current-gen console – the PS5 – there’ll be hopes that the next hardware release will continue the backward compatibility trend, so both the best PS5 games and the best PS5 accessories will carry over. Additionally, we can expect both hefty spec upgrades, as well as competition from the next-gen Xbox release date, which should arrive around the same time. For our full rundown of expectations, as well as that all-important PS6 release window, read on.
PS6 release date window
The PS6 release date is currently expected to arrive in November 2028. This launch window comes courtesy of court documents from the now-settled legal battle between the FTC and Microsoft that took place over the acquisition of Activision Blizzard. Furthermore, with both the PS4 and PS5 landing in November, Sony has set a precedent.
2028 certainly seems a little late by Sony’s traditional mainline console release cadence. The PS3 launched in November 2006, the PS4 in November 2013, and the PS5 in November 2020, leaving seven years between each. This is likely the result of the worldwide pandemic giving the PS5 (and Xbox Series X|S) a false start, so to speak, as there were severe stock shortages for almost two years of its life cycle.
Nevertheless, with the PS5 now entering the “latter half of its life cycle”, with no major exclusives until 2025, it’s clear that the focus is shifting towards the next generation. And with the PS5 Pro release date expected to land near the end of 2024 for a prime GTA 6 position, there’s certainly a few years before the next generation arrives. However, with demand for PS5s falling, Sony could jump the gun and move the PS6 launch forward slightly.
The PS5 launched in both disc and digital formats, and in a singular colorway – albeit with interchangeable panels on the sides. We can certainly imagine that the trend of releasing two versions will continue, but the likelihood of one of them coming with a physical disc drive seems low as gamers turn to physical copies of games less and less.
A smart design compromise made by Sony comes in the form of the PS5 Slim, which rather than doing away with the disc drive entirely makes it a modular extra. As such, the PS6 could sport a sleeker chassis by default, with players having the option to bulk up their console with a drive for physical media.
PS6 possible specs
While the next generation Xbox will perhaps be looking to its extensive library of high-quality Xbox Game Pass games, we expect Sony to continue pushing the needle with its first-party titles – as we’ve seen from the PS5 exclusives – offering plenty of jaw-dropping experiences around the console’s launch to drive sales. As such, the PS6 is going to need the power to facilitate the games of the future.
The PS6 is expected to get a solid specs upgrade from the PS5, and it’ll most likely have some form of AMD chipset at its heart. With the PS5 boasting both a custom Zen 2 CPU and RDNA 2 GPU, we can imagine the PS6 will follow a similar cadence, and utilize hardware of a similar generation relative to its release date. For reference, Zen 2 dropped in Summer 2019, while RDNA 2 arrived around the same time as the PS5 in November 2020.
Whether or not Sony will opt to upgrade the 16 GB RAM modules to a heftier 32 GB remains to be seen. The memory capacity of current-gen consoles is certainly sufficient, though we can see those requirements gradually increase over time, as we’ve already shifted from 8 GB to 16 GB between the PS4 and PS5.
In terms of storage, we hope to see an increase from the PS5’s 1 TB M.2 module to something with greater capacity, reducing the reliance on extra storage solutions we currently have with PS5 SSDs. Should storage prices stay as low as they are right now, then being able to store more of the best games on our systems without having to shell out for extra space would be eagerly welcomed.
PS6 price prediction
Based on the expected PS6 specs and pricing of current consoles, The Loadout believes the PS6 price will be around $499.99 / £479.99. While the PS6 could be priced in excess of $500, Sony would risk losing ground to Microsoft’s offering – we expect the next-gen Xbox to sit around the $350-$400 mark should Microsoft do away with its two-console lineup.
Sony could always offer players a cheaper, less powerful version of the PS6, just as Microsoft has done this generation with the Series X and S. However, Sony had no interest in doing that with the PS5, so what it’ll do next generation is currently up for debate.
PS6 potential features
We expect the PS6 to once again target 4K 60 FPS gameplay, with 120 FPS support at 1440p. Although 4K 120 FPS would be great to see, with an increasing number of the best PS5 TVs and best PS5 monitors supporting 4K 120 Hz, we can imagine the demands of future games will be too taxing on Sony’s hardware to consistently achieve this standard.
Our eyes are also on the second generation of the DualSense controller – should Sony continue with that naming convention. Here we’d expect to see improved battery life, alongside some of the modularity boasted by the DualSense Edge – check out our DualSense Edge review if you’re currently in the market for one, as well as our PS5 controller deals to find the best possible price.
Of course, there’s a long time to go until the prospective PS6 launch. As such, there are likely to be new and exciting advancements on the feature front between now and then.
And that’s all we have on the PS6 release date for now. Until we get to hear more about the PS6 or get our mitts on it, be sure to check out the new PS5 games that are hitting screens soon while you wait. It’s going to be a long one, so make sure you don’t get bored in the meantime.