PlayStation 6 Might Not Release Until 2029 Due to RAM Shortage

The games industry is in a massive transformation of its own. Mix in the ways in which AI is shifting business goals, strategies, and shareholder expectations, and it’s a wonder we’re getting new games at all in 2026. With massive demand for RAM to fuel the growth of data centers supporting AI, everyone from computer companies to electric car makers is sounding alarms about what is being considered a real crisis. Sony is among the corporations signaling that its plans are shifting amid ongoing memory component shortages, according to a new article that claims the next PlayStation console could arrive later than expected due to dwindling parts supply.

In an article by Debby Wu, Takashi Mochizuki, and Yoolim Lee for Bloomberg cover what some are calling RAMmageddon, a growing shortage of RAM that’s driving up prices as data centers and AI are pushing resources to near-scarcity. As a result, many companies across tech and electronics are preparing for a future in which accessing necessary memory components is no longer possible. Via Sony sources from the Bloomberg article, the piece references that “Sony Group Corp is now considering pushing back the debut of its next PlayStation console to 2028 or even 2029.″

Rumors are also spreading that, due to RAM shortages, Nintendo may have to raise the price of its Switch 2 console, which was released less than a year ago. Because the company is aiming to keep costs for consumers as low as possible, the rising cost of components is prompting it to consider raising console prices to recoup losses from the AI data center boom. This is on top of the moves we’ve seen from Nintendo and others to raise prices on certain items, such as accessories, due to the United States’ tariff policy, which continues to shift weekly, leaving companies highly doubtful about their margins of return.

The interesting thread to pull at here is that AI, despite massive investments, is failing to bring profits back to the companies that drive its production and to the organizations that use it to streamline operations. For example, an MIT study late last year found that 95% of organizations reported zero return despite enterprise investments of $30 billion to $40 billion in GenAI. Given the lack of profitability, any continued investment in AI is speculative. One of the largest AI companies, OpenAI, will not reach profitability until 2030, and even then, it would need over $200 billion to meet its growth needs.

The games industry is just one of many impacted by this massive push to turn AI’s potential into a tangible business asset. Everything from manufacturing to school systems is seeing AI rapidly reshape how we think about operations, staffing, and creative endeavors. It stands to reason that for any potential good AI could bring, a whole lot of harm can come with it. With uncertainty the standard right now, particularly in games, I can’t imagine any company like Sony feels good about the decisions it’s making.