Insider reports indicate Sony is committed to a 2027-2028 PlayStation 6 launch, with manufacturing booked and investments made, countering delay rumors due to GDDR7 memory costs.
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Despite talk of a possible PlayStation 6 release delay to 2029 due to rising memory costs, new insider data suggests the opposite. According to blogger Moore's Law Is Dead, a delay would actually cost Sony more than simply paying extra for the more expensive GDDR7 memory.
The company has reportedly already booked manufacturing capacity with TSMC for a 3-nanometer process in the second quarter of 2027. Canceling these contracts could not only shift the timeline but also cause Sony to lose its priority status with the Taiwanese manufacturer, potentially pushing it back in the queue for years. Furthermore, tens of millions of dollars have already been invested in developing the custom Orion APU.
The insider emphasizes that rising memory prices are not a unique situation. During the PlayStation 5 launch, the cost of GDDR6 also increased significantly, yet this did not cause a console delay. In fact, the PS5 launched at the height of the pandemic, when Sony even resorted to expensive air freight to speed up deliveries but still kept the release schedule unchanged.
However, a minor schedule adjustment cannot be completely ruled out. The source indicates a possible shift from late 2027 to early 2028, which would have minimal consequences since mass production is still set to begin in the second quarter of 2027. The final launch date decision, it is claimed, will be made closer to the start of production.