The global RAM memory crisis is putting Sony and Microsoft's plans for their next generation of consoles in check, and everything indicates that PlayStation 6 and “Project Helix” will arrive with prices well above what we are used to. Artificial intelligence literally ate the world's memory production, and now gamers are going to pay the bill.

Why RAM suddenly became so expensive

The explanation has its own name and is called artificial intelligence. Semiconductor companies are redirecting their DRAM and NAND production capacity toward data center hardware that powers AI models, leaving less and less memory available for consumer devices. Microsoft confirmed it without filters in its official statement, where it admitted that storage and memory prices for consoles have already risen more than 2.5 times in a few months, and that another doubling is expected for the fall of 2027.

Joost Van Dreunen, an analyst specializing in the industry, pointed out that DRAM and NAND prices increased between 80% and 90% only in the first months of 2026. That same expert dared to say that the next generation will arrive “with a price point 50% higher” than that of the current generation, blaming directly the tariffs in the United States and the boom in AI data centers.

How much the PlayStation 6 could cost

Kepler_L2, one of the most respected leakers on PlayStation hardware, estimated that the materials cost of the PS6 would be around $743, which would place its launch price close to $749 under stable market conditions. Sony executives have already acknowledged internally that manufacturing the console will cost them close to $1,000, which practically forces the retail price to be even higher.

If tariffs remain in place and trade tensions continue into 2027, that final price could rise another additional 30%, pushing the figure to nearly $950, with some projections rounding directly toward $1,000. Dr. Serkan Toto, CEO of Kantan Games, was blunt when saying that “$999 for a variant of the PS6 is not impossible.” There is a more optimistic scenario where, if components stabilize, Sony could keep the PS6 in the $600 to $800 range, although even that would already represent a significant jump compared to historical PlayStation prices.

How expensive the next Xbox could be

The outlook for “Project Helix”, codename for the next Xbox, does not look very encouraging either. Leaker Moore's Law Is Dead estimates that this console could be positioned around $1,200, surpassing even the most pessimistic projections for the PS6. This figure makes more sense if you take into account that Microsoft has already raised the price of the Xbox Series

The striking thing is that Microsoft and Sony have not yet confirmed official prices for their next consoles, so all that is circulating for now are estimates based on market trends and internal leaks. Analysts agree that, if the memory crisis continues beyond 2027, both companies would be forced to delay their launches or launch more limited versions to maintain affordable prices. What is clear is that the era of consoles under $500 dollars is coming to an end, and both the PS6 and the next Xbox will mark a before and after in how much we are willing to pay to play.