Should you buy a PlayStation 5 now or wait for the PS6?

Truth be told, the PlayStation 5 is now six years old, nearing the end of its current lifespan, and based on the models of older generation consoles, Sony usually releases a new console before the end of the 7th year of the current one. But this time, technically, it could be different. Analysts have suggested that Sony is considering pushing back the next PlayStation console (likely the PlayStation 6) to 2028 or 2029.

Given the risk of Sony’s next-gen console being delayed, you’re probably wondering if buying a PlayStation 5 Pro or the base model in 2026 is worth it, or if you should just wait until the next launch. As someone who sometimes buys a console early to mid-life cycle and within the first year after launch, my answer is that you should definitely buy the hardware currently available if you already like what you see. Mainly because there’s no guarantee when the PlayStation 6 will launch, what features it will have – backwards compatibility has been a sore point with this company – and whether any of the very few launch titles are actually worth it.

RAM and memory in today’s market are significantly more expensive than usual, and there is no indication that this will recover in the next couple of years (despite some drops). Building a new PC is also an ongoing problem, as even a pre-built PC might be more cost effective. Times are tough for consumers and technology companies alike. Companies feel pressured to either absorb manufacturing costs to develop new technologies or raise prices. Sony is no exception to this rule either.

Unfortunately, not all companies will subsidize their consoles like Xbox, recouping costs through game sales or subscriptions. Either the retail price increases to reflect covered expenses or other components are degraded to keep prices stable. Moreover, companies can even keep it at a higher level if there is no competition, thereby reducing the pressure. Sony will have to decide how to handle the memory crisis once its inventory runs out. If PlayStation 6 launch prices are too high, for example if they cost closer to $900 instead of US$600, people might be reluctant to pay if they can still use the PlayStation 5.

I’m someone in this boat. It’s extremely rare that I buy a new console purely for exclusives, unless it’s for Nintendo. Unfortunately, exclusivity remains inconsistent between Sony and Microsoft (it had declined before, but is now reappearing), which makes me much less likely to rush out and buy one for exclusives, unless Sony’s PC port reversal actually works.

Here’s my secret: About 90% of the time, I continue to play last-gen games for about two or three years past the lifespan of a new console. Even though I own next-gen hardware, it’s rare that I’ll go out of my way to pay for a next-gen console game when I can just load my PlayStation 4 disc into my PlayStation 5. I like to get the most out of my PlayStation 5 games, so I’d still play them even on the PlayStation 6 (assuming it launched with backwards compatibility, since the PS3 didn’t unless you owned a special launch model that mimicked them).

So, the question that needs answering: why even buy a PlayStation 6 at launch? As it stands, Sony is still expected to support the PS5 at least halfway through the next generation, given how it has treated previous consoles. PS4 support slowed down by shutting down some apps and games to focus on the newer platform, while Sony continued to support online play on PS2 until 2016. Basically, you have time to wait, even if you only buy the PS5 now – and let’s say the PlayStation 6 was supposed to be released in 2028 and continue to be supported for another four years after its debut (2032), you You’d get six years of mileage from your purchase, which is pretty good.