Another heavy blow for gamers – New PlayStation delayed as AI data centres hoard memory: report
Sony is weighing a significant delay to the PlayStation 6, with the console’s launch now set to slip to 2028 or even 2029 due to ongoing memory shortage issues, Bloomberg reports.
The shortages stem from the memory industry’s pivot toward AI priorities, with suppliers like Samsung, SK Hynix, and Micron shifting capacity to high-margin HBM for AI servers. TrendForce estimates show DRAM prices surging (e.g., 16GB modules up dramatically), with forecasts of further sharp increases in Q1 2026.
The crisis is described as structural rather than cyclical, with AI demand creating a ‘super-cycle’ in data centre investment. This squeezes availability for standard DRAM used in phones, PCs, cars, and gaming hardware.
The fundamental driver is the massive buildout of AI data centres. Companies like Alphabet (Google), OpenAI, and others are gobbling up an increasing share of chip production by purchasing millions of Nvidia AI accelerators, which require huge allotments of high-bandwidth memory (HBM) and DRAM to run large models and applications. This leaves a dwindling supply for consumer electronics makers.
Sony is not the only games console manufacturer to be directly affected. PC company Valve has also warned that the memory shortages will mean that its popular Steam Deck handheld will only be available intermittently.
“Steam Deck OLED may be out-of-stock intermittently in some regions due to memory and storage shortages. Steam Deck LCD 256GB is no longer in production, and once sold out, will no longer be available,” it said in an official statement on its website this week.
The update comes shortly after Valve previously delayed announcements on other hardware due to similar shortages.
