The Download
- The PS6 is expected to release in late 2026 or 2027, possibly even 2028.
- The estimated price for the PS6 could be around $600, similar to previous models.
- The PS6 might support 8K gaming at 60fps and come with more advanced hardware and features.
The PS5 arrived in 2020 and the PS5 Pro in 2024, but there’s never a wrong time to discuss what’s coming next. The PS6, though still years away, might come in two versions and could cost about the same as the latest PlayStation.
When Could the PS6 Be Released?
There’s been talk for years that we’ll reach the end of the traditional game console. Could we see Sony downsize to a flash drive-like device that plugs into your TV, perhaps? Possibly. Let’s assume that the PS6 is actually in the pipeline for now.
Sony has released a new PlayStation every several years. Since the PS3, the company has consistently released a new console late in the year, so we expect the same schedule for the PS6.
A Sony executive backs this release cycle: “Indeed, in the past, the cycle for a new platform was 7 to 10 years, but in view of the very rapid development and evolution of technology, it’s really a six- to seven-year platform cycle.”
An indicator that we’ll see this console is that Sony has already secured the trademark for versions up through the PS10. This doesn’t prove anything, of course, but it hints at a future of some kind.
Another signaling event is the relationship between when Sony begins developing a new PlayStation versus when it actually arrives. We shouldn’t take this as proof, but it’s interesting to consider:
- PS4’s development started in 2008. It was released five years later.
- PS5’s development started in 2015. It was released five years later.
- A 2021 job listing from Sony suggests the development of a new console. We can assume that the PS6 release date will be around 2026.
Lifewire’s Release Date Estimate
We think the PS6 will arrive in late 2026 or 2027 (or possibly even 2028). Just in time for holiday shopping! (Assuming Sony can keep up with the demand.)
PS6 Price Rumors
The last few consoles launched between $400 and $500, and the PS5 Pro is $700. There’s no way to predict what kind of hardware, extra features, or upgrades the next-gen PlayStation will bring that could push the price in either direction.
Still, for now, we expect the PS6 to cost around $600.
Pre-Order Information
Pre-orders will start sometime after the console’s official announcement from Sony and will be available through the official PlayStation website. We’ll let you know what to expect when that time comes.
Possible PS6 Features
At this point, any details are just hopes and wishes—Sony hasn’t announced a thing yet. Still, looking at how gaming has evolved, we can make a few guesses about potential features. Just don’t take anything too seriously yet.
- Built-in wireless: Modern PlayStations already connect to the internet wirelessly, but here’s a next-level idea: an area on top of the console—or maybe a slide-out arm—that can wirelessly charge your headphones or smartphone. Using the PS6’s always-plugged-in state to charge your everyday items (and the PS6 controller) would be pretty convenient. Plus, if Sony integrates the wireless adapter for the headset directly into the console, you could finally ditch both the DualSense charging station and that wireless USB dongle.
- VR integration: This is where gaming is going. Right now, we have to buy separate devices to hook up to our existing computers and consoles to benefit from virtual reality games. Maybe the PS6 is when Sony will lump motion controllers and headsets into the same box as the console. You never know!
- Ultimate backward compatibility: We want to buy a game and know that we can play it for a long time. The PS6 should be backward-compatible with older console games. It looks like the PS6 might be able to run PS5 and PS4 games.
- Updated user interface: It’s not uncommon to see a refreshed UI with a new version of any tech, especially with a console that has a life cycle of half a decade. The PlayStation Store should get an update, hopefully with better ways to navigate. Maybe this will include easier access to the built-in web browser seen in older PS consoles (it’s in the PS5, but it’s not easy to find).
- Smaller design: The PS5 is tall. Depending on where it is in the room, you and anyone who glances over it are fully aware it’s there. And maybe you like that, but if not, a smaller console is in store. Hopefully, the PS6 trims down a bit—and it likely will. At the very least, we’re not expecting anything larger, so it should blend in with your setup a little better.
- Modular upgrades: Breaking the PlayStation down into smaller parts would mean that each piece, when an upgrade is wanted or necessary, could be exchanged for a newer one. Much like a standard PC, you could build on the console over the years as hardware improves, without buying everything new every few years. Will this happen with the PS6? We can only hope. There’s no reason to believe we’ll see it anytime soon, but we can hope. Right?
- Game series hubs: Playing a series in order is an unnecessary headache. As suggested by Tom’s Guide, Sony needs to make it easier for players to buy a whole set of games that are in the same series. Or, at the very least, provide the series order in an easy-to-understand list so you can find where you’re at in the mix of remakes and re-releases.
- Digital-only console: Just like phones without a charging port or headphone jack, disc-less consoles (like the PS5 Digital Edition) aren’t everyone’s cup of tea, but we might be heading that way. If you’re someone who loves collecting physical games and movies, a PS6 without disc support would be a letdown. Still, with faster internet speeds and the trend toward streaming everything, dropping the disc drive altogether could start making more sense down the line.
PS6 Specs and Hardware
The PlayStation 6 will surely improve in more ways than the features listed above, but since we’re still years out from launch, it’s not very helpful right now to guess what kind of hardware will be available.
In general, though, expect a PlayStation with an even faster, more capable CPU and more responsive controls. The PS5 Pro features a 2 TB hard drive, which we expect the PS6 to retain. Here are some other possibilities:
- One PS6 leak we’ve seen is about its chip. That source says Sony will “continue its partnership with AMD” for the PS6 and that it will support 4K at 120fps and 8K at 60fps.
- A leak covered by the YouTube channel Moore’s Law Is Dead claims that the console will have twice the 3D rendering performance of the PS5 Pro.
- If you’re not thrilled about the idea of dropping $600 on a new console, here’s some good news—the PlayStation 6 might come in two versions. Sony could follow Microsoft’s lead with the Series X and Series S, offering different hardware options at different price points, one possibly as low as $499. Who knows, we might even see a PS6 handheld down the line. At this stage, anything is possible.
- An entirely made-up, just-for-fun concept video released by DZ Migo is one perspective of the console in terms of design. Similar to the creator’s other far-out concepts, it shows the PS6 as rugged and dark, with elements presumably taken from various versions of the Xbox, starkly different from the PS5. There’s another entirely different render of the PS6 here.
Then again, Sony could go the complete opposite direction and choose something minimalistic, borrowing design aspects from older consoles. At least, that’s the idea with this PS6 concept from Yanko Design.
We’ll know more about the console’s design, games, backward compatibility, controller and headset, and more hardware details as we get closer to launch.
The Latest Gaming News
You can get more gaming news from Lifewire. Here are some of the latest stories:
