It Would Cost More to Delay Than to Pay Extra

The PlayStation 6 will reportedly stick to its 2027/early 2028 launch window despite rising component costs, as the financial penalty for delaying TSMC 3nm production far outweighs the current “RAMmageddon” price hikes. Despite recent rumors suggesting a push to 2029, insider Moore’s Law Is Dead argues that Sony’s production contracts with TSMC and the massive development costs already sunk into the system’s Orion APU would make a significant delay extremely problematic.

According to the report shared in a new YouTube video, Sony has reportedly already secured its 3nm manufacturing allotment from TSMC for Q2 2027. Pulling out now would be a massive issue for the Japanese company, as it wouldn’t just result in a short delay but would also make it lose its priority status, potentially bumping it behind other TSMC customers for years.

“Paying extra for RAM is not worth delaying something,” Moore’s Law is Dead said in the video, highlighting that Sony has spent tens of millions over several years designing this specific APU. Paying more for GDDR7 memory simply wouldn’t be comparable to the cost of stalling a multi-billion dollar production cycle.

Launching the PlayStation 6 Amidst Price Increases Would Be Nothing New for Sony

While the current RAM situation is indeed dire, it isn’t the first time prices have skyrocketed. When the PlayStation 5 launched, GDDR6 prices increased considerably, yet Sony did not delay the system.

In addition, the PS5 launched in the middle of a global pandemic, and Sony went out of its way to pay for expensive air shipping to have as many systems as possible available for purchase. While availability remained low due to component shortages, the company did not change its plans, so it seems unlikely that a company that navigated such troubled waters in 2020 wouldn’t do the same seven years later.

A Small PlayStation 6 Delay is Still Possible

While a significant delay may cause more trouble for Sony than simply paying more for RAM, the PlayStation 6 could still see a minor shift from a late 2027 release window. According to the leak, an early 2028 launch is still possible without major consequences, as manufacturing could still begin in Q2 2027, allowing Sony to build inventory while waiting for the best possible deal on RAM before final assembly.

A final decision on the PlayStation 6 launch window won’t be made this year, however, but only in early 2027 right ahead of the beginning of production.

While the PlayStation 6 may not be massively delayed and launch in the same timeframe as the more powerful Xbox Project Helix, there’s no denying that the current RAM high prices are impacting gaming system’s launches. Valve’s Steam Machine, poised to be Sony’s biggest competitor, has yet to receive a firm launch date, though that delay is expected to be minor.

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