Global memory shortages have led many analysts to believe that Sony and Microsoft will push back their next-generation console releases by an extra year or two. However, a few recent rumors have indicated that both companies seem fairly confident about a 2027 launch window. Industry insider and known leaker KeplerL2, in a post on the NeoGAF forums, has alleged that AMD has already been spending its time and resources doing validation work for the chips powering the PS6 and Project Helix, which would be a strong indicator of this commitment.
Responding to a post about reports by KeplerL2 and Moore’s Law is Dead comes from both of them breathing “the same copium” with regards to the launch window, KeplerL2 asked, “You think AMD is gonna waste resources doing validation on something they think will get delayed?” One forum user expressed their belief that, while the PS6 handheld may launch in 2027, it would be “impossible, impractical, illogical for a force[d] 2027 launch” for the console, thanks to inflated costs and the fact that “PS5 and PS5 Pro still sell like hot cakes.”
This sparked a response from another forum user, Zathalus, which was “liked” by KeplerL2. In their post, Zathalus noted that the same logic could have also been applied to the PS5, since the PS4 was also selling well around the time of the console’s launch. There was also a component shortage around the same time, thanks to COVID affecting global supply chains.
“You can apply this logic to the PS5 launch,” they wrote. “The PS4 was selling extremely well in 2019, and component costs and shortages were hitting the industry hard due to COVID in 2020. The first interview regarding potential PS5 hardware was in April 2019, while we already had that Amethyst announcement regarding next-gen last year.”
Earlier this month, Moore’s Law is Dead noted recent updates to the PS5’s software development kit (SDK), which further emphasised optimising games for the console’s Low Power mode. While this has been believed to be a “Trojan horse” for Sony to ensure game compatibility with the PS6 handheld, the cadence of updates has indicated that the PS6 is “not many years away.”
“Up until now, devs would have to include PS5 Pro’s higher res textures and higher detail assets in every PS5 download regardless of if a given console was a Pro or not…but no longer,” said a source to Moore’s Law is Dead. “Devs can now specify downloads for PS4 + PS4 Pro, PS5, PS5 Pro, and PS5 Power Saver Mode. Yes, Power Saver Mode is getting its own Asset+Texture Packaging!”
“This would only be done if this ‘mode’ was going to be the entire basis of a new console that might need its own tweaks! You save no energy by using smaller textures.”
Another report from last month has indicated that the PS6 handheld will be more powerful than the Xbox Series S in both raster and ray tracing performance. Its use of more contemporary methods of AI-based image upscaling will also reportedly lead to better-quality visuals than the Nintendo Switch 2, which uses DLSS 2.
