With the next wave of consoles preparing to launch, it looks like the Steam Machine played its part well by getting out there early, as PlayStation is now left scrambling for parts ahead of its 2027 target, and a delay is now heavily anticipated.
Both PlayStation and Xbox are hot on the heels of the Steam Machine, developing the PS6 and Project Helix, respectively, as the two gaming stalwarts are set to go head-to-head in the sales race yet again.
But to hit the shops in 2027, there needs to be an army of prepared consoles, and the likelihood of that is diminishing every day.
Now, thanks to the ‘RAMpocolypse’, it’s looking almost certain that there won’t be enough memory devices to support the PlayStation 6’s plans to launch next year.
According to a report from DigiTimes in Taiwan, the three major providers for RAM components (Samsung, SK hynix, and Micron) are completely sold out until 2028, leaving the upcoming consoles in a very sticky situation.
RAM sales are jam-packed and PlayStation is feeling the pressure
Driven by the AI boom, RAM supply has been ramped up beyond companies’ wildest expectations, as data centres, gaming consoles, hardware manufacturers, and electric car designers are all fighting for the powerful chips.
DigiTimes claims that the memory suppliers have begun signing multi-year contracts with long-term customers to take up a large portion of their sales, and the allocation for 2027 has been sold out.
“The AI wave has driven a reversal in the supply and demand of memory chips. Recently, memory chip manufacturers have successively signed LTAs with major customers and bound them with 3-5 year supply agreements,” the report reads.
“Several leading figures in the memory industry have pointed out that 2027 will be the most severe period of memory shortage. The insufficient production capacity in 2026, combined with the gap that will continue into 2027, will be even larger.”
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The RAM shortages have become a huge problem for the gaming industry in 2026, with the competitive prices for these short-in-supply devices having a direct knock-on effect on how the consoles are priced.
Just last month, Valve claimed that the reason it wasn’t able to follow through on its $750 price was a result of hiked-up RAM costs, and it could continue to see the Steam Machine get more expensive. Xbox also increased the price of its current consoles, as a result of the RAMpocolypse.
PlayStation originally wanted to push the PS6 out in 2027 to undercut Xbox’s Project Helix, but this now looks to be almost impossible unless they find a magical memory supplier.
So far, PlayStation has used RAM from all three of the major suppliers, picking up as many units as they can from the Samsung GDDR6 and SK hynix DDR5 for the PS5 Pro, while the primary provider for the PS5 (base) was Micron.
Not only is it likely that the PS6 will be pushed back to 2028, but the console pricing predictions are making gamers cringe, as we face being priced out of playing our favourite titles to the best capacity possible.
Featured Image Credit: Sony / Samsung
