PS6 Could Face a 10-Year Delay Due to Memory Crisis
▼ Summary
– Phison’s CEO warns a global memory component shortage could delay the PS6 and may not be resolved for another 10 years.
– The shortage is driven by massive AI industry demand, which is consuming memory production and inflating prices for all electronics.
– This crisis could force many consumer electronics companies out of business and significantly reduce production of devices like smartphones and PCs.
– For example, producing tens of millions of next-gen AI GPUs requiring 20TB SSDs would consume about 20% of the world’s 2025 NAND capacity.
– While Sony has secured components until 2026, the situation beyond that is uncertain, putting the PS6’s rumored 2027 release date at risk.
A significant memory component shortage could potentially postpone the launch of the PlayStation 6 for up to a decade, according to a leading industry executive. Phison CEO Pua Khein-Seng, whose company manufactures SSDs and flash storage, warns that a crisis in memory supply may not see resolution until around 2034. While much attention has focused on rising RAM costs driven by artificial intelligence companies, the scarcity is now impacting other critical memory types essential for consumer electronics.
In a translated interview, Khein-Seng stated that the severe “lack of memory” could force numerous consumer electronics firms out of business. He anticipates major reductions in the production of smartphones, televisions, and personal computers, a category that logically includes video game consoles. Sony has reportedly secured enough components for its immediate pipeline through 2026, but the landscape beyond that point remains highly uncertain. This instability has fueled speculation that the PS6 might miss its rumored internal target for a 2027 release.
To quantify the scale of the issue, the executive pointed to the demands of next-generation AI hardware. Using Nvidia’s upcoming Rubin AI GPUs as an example, he noted that each unit requires a massive 20TB SSD. Producing tens of millions of these units alone could consume approximately 20% of the entire world’s NAND production capacity for 2025. This would force other manufacturers, including console makers like Sony, into a fierce competition for the remaining 80% of supply, inevitably causing prices to skyrocket.
The most concerning aspect is the projected duration of this shortage. Khein-Seng does not foresee any meaningful improvement before 2030 and cautions that the constrained supply could persist for a full ten years. This timeline suggests that even if a delay for the PS6 is considered prudent, the impact could extend far beyond any reasonable expectation for the next console generation’s arrival. While this analysis comes from a knowledgeable source within the supply chain, it remains a prediction. The final outcome for the PS6 will depend on how the global memory market evolves, but current indicators are not favorable.
(Source: PushSquare)
