Why AI data centres might push the PlayStation 6 launch to 2029 | Technology News
2 min readFeb 18, 2026 01:40 PM IST
Sony Group Corporation may delay the launch of its next PlayStation console, with fresh reports suggesting the PS6 might not arrive until 2028 or even 2029.
According to a Bloomberg report, the company is rethinking its timeline because of the ongoing global memory chip shortage. If delayed, the current PS5 generation could last longer than any previous PlayStation cycle, going well beyond the usual seven-year gap between consoles.
The main reason behind the possible delay is the sharp rise in demand for memory chips, driven largely by artificial intelligence (AI). Major tech companies are spending enormous sums of money building AI data centres.
Consequently, semiconductor manufacturers are now concentrating on the production of memory for AI servers rather than consumer electronics. This has resulted in a reduced supply of chips for the production of gaming consoles, laptops, and smartphones. The prices of DRAM memory have also risen considerably in recent months.
Other gaming companies also affected
Sony is not the only company facing this challenge; Nintendo is also feeling the impact of rising memory costs. There are reports that the company may review pricing for its next-generation Switch console if the situation does not improve.
The world’s top memory manufacturers, Samsung Electronics, SK Hynix and Micron Technology, have been increasing production of high-bandwidth memory used in AI systems. These chips are more profitable, but this means there will be fewer regular DRAM chips available for gaming hardware.
Industry insiders think the shortage will not be resolved anytime soon. It takes years to construct a new chip factory, and the demand for AI hardware is still rising at a rapid rate.
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This could mean two things for gamers: that the price of the console will rise and that they will have to wait longer for the next PlayStation generation. There has been no official word from Sony about a delay.
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