Talking Point: PS6 Is Coming in a Few Years - How Are You Feeling About It? 3

Recently, PlayStation and AMD released a video in which they discuss new technologies in their joint venture, Project Amethyst — and it sounds as though Sony's next console will implement these innovations in its hardware composition.

During the video, Mark Cerny says he hopes to bring the tech to a future console "in a few years' time", effectively giving us a rough idea of when to expect the PS6.

Further reports and rumours have planted the flag in 2027 as a potential release year for the next-gen console, arriving when PS5 is about seven years old; that's a time frame consistent with previous console handovers.

So, if all of this is accurate, we could have PS6 consoles flanking our TVs in about two years.

Again, that lines up with the cadence at which Sony has launched new consoles in the past, but that being said, we can't help but feel like PS6 talk is happening a little too soon.

The PS5 generation has been an unusual one to say the least. It launched in the throes of the COVID-19 pandemic, when game production slowed, shortages made consoles hard to manufacture, and demand for at-home entertainment was at an all-time high.

It took PS5 a few years to really get through that tricky period, and while it's been a categorical success for Sony, it's difficult to argue the machine has had the same momentum as PS4 did during its heyday.

Talking Point: PS6 Is Coming in a Few Years - How Are You Feeling About It? 1
Image: Push Square

Speaking of which, PS4 has stayed the course for PS5's entire lifespan. There have been many fantastic games released only for current-gen machines, of course, but there has been a much greater emphasis on cross-gen releases than ever before.

Games like Gran Turismo 7, God of War Ragnarok, and Horizon Forbidden West were all brilliant showpieces for PS5, but were also developed for the machine's predecessor, taking advantage of a massive install base.

The regularity of cross-gen releases over the last five years has, in some ways, robbed PS5 of the opportunity to truly stand on its own. It has some excellent games that aren't on PS4, like Returnal, Astro Bot, and Ratchet & Clank: Rift Apart to name just a few, but the refusal to let the older console go has led to a feeling, at least among hardcore fans, that PS5 has yet to come into its own.

Talking Point: PS6 Is Coming in a Few Years - How Are You Feeling About It? 4

With only an alleged "few years" until PS6 is the new hotness, then, it's possible that PS5 simply won't have its moment to really shine. The PS4 still looms over it, and soon it'll be in the shadow of a newer, more powerful machine.

We suppose the silver lining of all this is that the PS5 will likely be supported post-PS6 in much the same way as PS4 has been.

There will always be early adopters of new consoles, but more than ever, we can easily imagine many people being satisfied with a PS5, and upgrading to a PS6 when ready — perhaps years into its existence.

This more gradual transition seems to be what's kept PS4 in the running, and we expect it'll be similar for PS5. Perhaps the days of a new console wholly superseding its predecessor are over.

Talking Point: PS6 Is Coming in a Few Years - How Are You Feeling About It? 2
Image: Push Square

Anyway, as for PS6 itself, we don't know a whole lot about it yet, though there's been no shortage of rumours. Between "leaked" tech specs and multiple reports of a handheld version to complement the home console, exactly what Sony's 10th generation hardware will be like is very much up for debate.

That's to say nothing of potential price points, which are likely to be high — though apparently not quite so pricey as whatever Xbox is cooking up.

All that being said, we're curious to know how you're feeling right now about the impending next generation of PlayStation. Are you excited about PS6? Will you be buying one? What are your expectations? Do you think the timing is right?

We'd love to hear your thoughts, so please answer our polls and leave your thoughts in the comments section below.

Are you excited for the arrival of PS6? (2,512 votes)

  1. Absolutely, I can't wait!13%
  2. Sure, new consoles are always exciting32%
  3. Eh, I can take it or leave it13%
  4. Not really, to be honest28%
  5. No, not at all14%

Are you getting a PS6 at launch? (2,476 votes)

  1. 100%, sign me up!16%
  2. I probably will, yes19%
  3. I'm not sure14%
  4. Unlikely, maybe sometime after launch39%
  5. No, I'm not interested12%

What's the most important factor of PS6 for you? (2,378 votes)

  1. Hardware/technical power19%
  2. Games47%
  3. Price point15%
  4. An optional portable form factor4%
  5. Visual design  0.3%
  6. Backwards compatibility14%
  7. Other  0.8%