PS6 price warning: skyrocketing production costs point to a premium‑priced console
The days of affordable consoles seem to be well and truly over
📈 The PlayStation 6 production cost has reportedly exceeded $900, up $200 from earlier estimates
🚀 Rising memory and storage costs, alongside broader component supply issues, are driving up manufacturing expenses for new consoles
💰 Sony historically subsidizes hardware, but with manufacturing costs potentially hitting $1,000, the retail price for the PS6 may likely start at $800 or more
😔 Consistent with rising consumer electronics prices, industry trends suggest affordable console pricing is becoming increasingly unlikely
It’s impossible to predict the price of the PS6, which is still tipped to launch in 2027, but all signs suggest that Sony’s next console won’t be cheap.
According to a post shared on Resetera from insider Kepler_K2, who has previously leaked technical specifications and prices for console parts accurately, the bill of materials (BoM) for the PS6 has risen by $200 since March 2026.
Previously, the estimated BoM for the PlayStation 6 was around $760. But as we’ve heard directly from Xbox CEO Asha Sharma, memory and storage costs continue to rise, making each new unit more expensive to build.
With Lenovo stating that the component crisis will lead to permanently higher prices in the years to come, it’s hard to see the PS6 costing anything less than $1,000 to manufacture, even if you factor in economies of scale.
Historically, Sony and Microsoft have sold hardware at a loss and subsidized consoles at around $100 to $200, recouping the losses with software sales and subscriptions. If the PS6 costs $1,000 to make, it’s unlikely Sony would sell it for anything less than $800.
Things are only getting worse
We’ve already seen the PS5 price steadily increase from its $499 launch price in 2020 to $649 today, and it’s likely another price hike will occur soon. After all, Microsoft just announced that its Xbox consoles are going up in price yet again, with the Xbox Series X to cost $799.99 from August 1, 2026.
Valve also revealed the Steam Machine will cost $1,049 for the 512GB model without a Steam Controller. Initially, it had hoped to launch the entry-level SKU for $750, but market conditions have led to a steep price increase.
As prices continue to climb across consumer electronics, there’s no doubt that the PS6 launching for $499.99 like the PlayStation 5 is practically impossible. All signs point to a PS5 Pro-rivaling price of at least $899.99, if not more, especially if the PS6 launches in 2027 as many predict.
Up next: Xbox Series X25 Limited Edition price: it just got more expensive before launch
Adam Vjestica is The Shortcut’s Senior Editor. Formerly TechRadar’s Gaming Hardware Editor, Adam has also worked at Nintendo of Europe as a Content Marketing Editor, where he helped launch the Nintendo Switch. He also runs a retro gaming YouTube channel called Game on, boy! Follow him on X @ItsMrProducts.
It would would be useful if Sony didn’t incinerate obscene levels of cash chasing live service which would probably have yielded a fraction of the amount wasted. But with the way the corporate west has been egregiously farming gamers, it’s to be expected that Sony’s attempts have not landed well. Bunjie anyone? This industry is in desperate need of a giant factory reset slap. Especially Microsoft.