Sony says it will not sell PS6 hardware at significant losses amid rising component costs

A $1,000 Playstation 6? Sony Won't Sell "At Significant Losses" Anymore

A $1,000 Playstation 6? Sony Won't Sell "At Significant Losses" Anymore The PlayStation 6 is shaping up to launch during one of the most challenging periods in recent consumer electronics history. Soaring prices for key components - particularly RAM and high-speed SSDs - have pushed the estimated component cost for the next-generation console close to $1,000, according to recent analysis. Combined with Sony’s latest comments to investors, this suggests that a significantly higher launch price than many had hoped for is no longer out of the question. In a recent investor Q&A session noted by Wccftech, Sony made its position clear: the company does not intend to sell hardware at a substantial loss. A representative stated that absorbing all recent component cost increases is “not realistic,” noting that Sony has already implemented selective price increases outside Japan, as detailed in Sony’s official investor briefing. Importantly, the company reported that these adjustments have not hurt demand so far. "As for pricing, it is not realistic for us to absorb all component cost increases, and we have already implemented some price increases outside Japan. At present, however, sales are proceeding as planned, and we do not believe this has led to a decline in customer demand. As a principle, we do not intend to sell hardware at significant losses. At the same time, we are carefully monitoring the market and continuing to evaluate our approach. We believe it is important for us to make every effort to ensure that customers fully understand the value we provide in relation to pricing." This is a notable shift - as Microsoft and Sony had effectively subsidized hardware for years in order to gain market share. But thanks to elevated component costs due to insane prices, Sony appears unwilling to do that with the PS6. How the hell is an average family supposed to afford a $1,000 gaming console? Sony apparently thinks it can justify higher pricing by clearly communicating the value - performance, features, and ecosystem - that the PS6 will deliver.   Last week we noted that Xbox Series X/S consoles are also set for another price hike.  According to The Game Business:  Xbox Chief Strategy Officer Matthew Ball told The Game Business earlier in the month that there are already supply issues. "I can tell you definitively demand for our console exceeds the supply," he told us. "We are putting them in as many stores as possible. We are producing them as quickly as possible. There is a severe limitation to how quickly we can do that, but it's not a question of appetite. We need to do more, but there are constraints here. And so there are, unfortunately, a number of different markets in which we do not have supply. There are other markets in which we have inadequate supply. That is a privilege as a company it is a challenge for us to figure out." The Verge, meanwhile, reported that Xbox prices will jump starting August 11, with 512GB models increasing by $100 and 1TB models rising by $150. The price hike now means the Xbox Series S starts at around $499.99, while the disc-less Xbox Series X starts at $749.99 and the disc-drive version at $799.99.  Tyler Durden Mon, 06/29/2026 - 13:40

5 hours ago

Sony Sets Expectations Ahead Of PS6: No More “Significant” Hardware Losses

The current generation of gaming has only gotten more expensive lately, and it looks like the next generation of PlayStation consoles will also be a pricy purchase. With concern growing about the yet-to-be-revealed PS6 possibly selling for $1,000 or more when it launches, Sony confirmed that it's not prepared to take a "significant" hit on absorbing some of the costs for its next-gen hardware. When quizzed about hardware pricing and profitability for the "next-generation platform" during a Q&A session at Sony's Game & Network Services division, Sony executives said that they recognize that hardware is ultimately the most important part of a gaming experience, and they want consumers to recognize this. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=PrvZEiWD7ZM "As for pricing, it is not realistic for us to absorb all component cost increases, and we have already implemented some price increases outside Japan," Sony Interactive Entertainment president and CEO Hideaki Nishino said. "At present, however, sales are proceeding as planned, and we do not believe this has led to a decline in customer demand. "As a principle, we do not intend to sell hardware at significant losses. At the same time, we are carefully monitoring the market and continuing to evaluate our approach. We believe it is important for us to make every effort to ensure that customers fully understand the value we provide in relation to pricing." One thing worth noting from Nishino's comments is that sales are still within Sony's projections, even though PS5 consoles have only gotten more expensive with time. Despite that, May was a dismal month for PlayStation in the United States. Spending on PS5 consoles dropped 43% year-on-year, and overall unit sales fell dramatically by 58%, making May the lowest month for PlayStation sales in 26 years. It was also a bad month for Microsoft, as it suffered the worst May performance since the Xbox console first debuted in November 2001.  The ongoing shortage of memory chips and rising costs have also reportedly thrown Sony's PS6 plans into disarray, with some experts believing that it will only launch toward the end of the decade. Earlier this year, Sony increased the price of the PS5, and the company also said that it has yet to determine pricing or a launch date for its next-gen console. Meanwhile, things aren't looking too good at Microsoft either. The Xbox Series X|S consoles are also more expensive than ever, and Microsoft hasn't ruled out the possibility of another price hike in 2027. The Best PS5 Games In 2026 View Images

8 hours ago