As the PlayStation 5 approaches its fifth anniversary this November, speculation regarding the unannounced PlayStation 6 is gaining momentum. A notable rumor suggests the next-generation console might feature a modular design, incorporating a detachable disc drive, an innovation potentially carried over from the current PS5 hardware.
Insider Gaming reports that this modular approach could significantly lower Sony`s production and shipping expenses for the PS6. This strategy is also viewed as a safeguard against `uncertain times,` possibly referring to economic instability influenced by tariffs previously imposed by then-US President Donald Trump.
This flexibility would empower consumers to opt for either a traditional PS6 console with a disc drive or a more affordable, purely digital version. Crucially, the digital model could be upgraded later with a separately purchased disc drive. This is a departure from the original PS5 launch, where buyers of the digital-only console couldn`t add a disc drive later. While the slimmer PS5 revision introduced this modularity, and the PS5 Pro also supports an external disc drive, the PS6 would make this a core part of its initial offering.
Over the course of the current console generation, hardware costs have generally risen. Reports indicate `shrinkflation` affecting the PS5 Digital Edition in Europe, with its internal SSD capacity decreasing from 1TB to 825GB. Earlier this year, Sony increased prices for both Digital and Standard PS5 models across Europe, the UK, Australia, and New Zealand. Furthermore, in August, all PS5 console models in the US saw a $50 price hike, attributed by Sony to a `challenging economic environment.`
Another confirmed aspect of Sony`s future console strategy is a continued emphasis on dedicated hardware rather than shifting towards cloud technology. In June, Sony President and CEO Hideaki Nishino affirmed that despite advancements in cloud gaming, consumers still show a strong preference for the `local execution` of games, whether through physical media or direct downloads to the console.