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Hardstuck-Platinum on 03 September 2025
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Kyuu said:

I agree with you on the prediction. I disagree on the implications.

Sony alone is not capable of influencing a large chunk of the market to design their games around their consoles specs as the "base spec" of sorts. If they launch an ultra powerful PS6 with no weaker versions, the console would still be held back because the vast majority of players would still be playing on popular weaker systems like the PS5, Switch 2, weaker gaming PC's, Xbox Series and mobile phones. PS4 and Switch 1 also might continue to be supported by some smaller developers for a while. The industry is gravitating towards weaker hardware due to diminishing returns, high costs, and a high percentage of low-end hardware gamers. Hardware upgrades will still matter of course, but the transition process is getting slower, and developers are targeting a weaker average compared to old generational transitions.

PS5 vs PS6 handheld should be interesting. PS5 will have the CPU, bandwidth, and rasterization advantage, but I suspect PS6 handheld's larger RAM and advanced ML and RT features to push it ahead in many cases. As far as "holding back" goes, I'd be more concerned about Switch 2, Series S, and comparable PC's if I cared (which I don't anymore). For more demanding games that skip these lower-end systems, I think most of them will support PS5 and comparable hardware. PS6 is getting held back regardless of specs. It's just the state of the industry, and a profit-centric Sony can do nothing about it.

I disagree with what I put in bold. I think most devs will completely drop support for XBSS/X when next gen starts because it's selling like Wii-U, and PS5 will become the new base. The Switch 2 apparently can't run Elden Ring as well as a base PS4 so I don't think devs will support that either. The PS5 will be the only console on the market that is both technically able and successful. PC is a different market and doesn't influence the console market. It's the other way around actually. The devs develop for the lowest spec console and then scale up for PC

Louie said:

From what I've read on gamefront, there will be three SKUs.

  • PS6 handheld, able to be docked, roughly 2/3 as powerful as a PS5.
  • PS6 budget console, same power as the docked handheld.
  • PS6 main console, focus on power, definitely more powerful than PS5 Pro. 

The handheld and budget versions are supposed to be compatible with PS5 games in some form. Overall, the PS6 will definitely replace the PS5. But the cross-gen factor will be even more important than it already is, the transition period will probably be even longer than during the PS4 to PS5 transition and there will be backwards compatibility it seems, which is great. 

As for myself, I'm definitely interested in the dockable handheld. My favorite PlayStation so far has been the PSP and I love hybrids. Embrace the choice, PS fans. Portability is amazing and adds way more value than it deducts by "holding back" graphics. 

Your post is saying that 2/3 of their new consoles will be weaker than PS5, but the 1/3 will still replace the PS5? Wouldn't that support my theory that it wouldn't replace the PS5? Most new hardware they are selling is weaker than PS5 but they're still aiming to replace it?