RUMOR MILL: As tariffs and the RAM crisis have raised game console prices, many fear that next-generation devices could cross the dreaded $1,000 mark. This seems increasingly likely for the PlayStation 6 as Sony's strategy shifts toward per-user revenue and the company appears to be eyeing the handheld market.
Prominent leaker KeplerL2 recently claimed that the cost of manufacturing Sony's upcoming PlayStation 6 console has increased considerably in recent months. Due to memory shortages, upcoming game consoles could cost twice as much as their predecessors did at launch.
Kepler estimated in March that the PS6's bill of materials (BOM) was approximately $760, so Sony could have conceivably released the console for $699 and recouped its subsidy after selling two or three games per user. However, Kepler now claims that the bill has since climbed by $200, landing dangerously close to four digits.
The PlayStation 5 already received a price hike last year, raising the standard model to $549 and the PlayStation 5 Pro to a staggering $899. Meanwhile, Microsoft increased the prices of its Xbox Series consoles twice last year and is set to do so again on August 1. RAM shortages have multiplied DRAM and NAND prices since last year, leading PC, smartphone, and console manufacturers to raise prices across the board.
