When will Switch 2 catch up with the PS5?

[Kyuu]

Slownenberg said:

If these crazy RAM prices continue for years honestly what is even the point of Sony releasing a PS6. Why release a new system for like $800 or something, having to start from zero install base, when they can keep releasing games on PS5 with a 100+ million install base. Any new console launched after a couple more years of RAM price increases is gonna be at a price point that is not gonna be approachable for the majority of gamers.

Besides, next gen isn't even much of a leap over previous gen these days. The fact that one of the major selling points of PS5 over PS4 was it has better lighting...yeah, new gens ain't what they used to be haha. PS6 will be an even smaller leap. We are fast approaching a point (actually we are already there now) where there is no need to upgrade systems more than once a decade at most.

Even though PS5 sales have fallen off a cliff now, they are in the enviable position in the industry of already having >90 million systems sold, they should be putting all their resources into software the next few years to capitalize on that while new hardware remains untenable.

Nintendo is in the tough position of having to build up a userbase with sales already only decent post-launch and their price raises just starting to hit. Gonna be an uphill climb to reach 100m for them.

Xbox is just dead haha. Staying with the current gen, or releasing next gen, either way they are dead. If anything the whole RAM price debacle just greatly reinforces the path they have clearly been on and should speed up their trajectory toward going fully software service abandoning a new system and just making deals to get Game Pass as a service on all other platforms. It'd be very stupid for them to release any more hardware.

Generations are about to radically change. I'm not even sure if the next Playstation will be named "PS6". Sony's ultimate goal is for Playstation to transition to a service like Steam, where it will be compatible with a large number of existing multi-purpose hardware, and they wouldn't have to worry at all about generational resets. That said, PS6 won't be a full reset no matter what. It'll be closer to a midgen upgrade in significance for at least the first few years. So whether or not it's made before 2029 may not make a big difference to Sony gaming's financials. But if the product appeals to a few million enthusiasts from year 1, then why not just go ahead and make it? There is no downside to PS6 existing. If someone doesn't like its high pricetag or lack of exclusives, they can just stick with PS5 which will be getting like 90% of relevant games for possibly another decade lol. Who knows?

Microsoft remain confused and confusing. They're conflicted between prioritizing their platform side or 3rd party publisher side. They can't maximize their power as a platform holder or as a publisher without the detriment of the other. But even if they fully embraced the 3rd party publisher route, there would still be a place for Xbox hardware. It would probably regress to a small brand not all that different from PC OEM's. Maybe something like a larger scale "Alienware". There's a place for this kind of stuff.

Nintendo's situation is arguably the worst (Xbox may be dying, but Microsoft will continue to exist as a huge publisher). But with Sony's risky choices and terrible PR, I'm not sure which of the two will "struggle" more in the next 3-5 years. I think Sony is taking their PS4+5 playerbase for granted.

Valve is automatically winning. They're absolutely dominant in the PC space and are gaining players from consoles, especially from Xbox. Hardware and the lack of physical media are non-issues to them. For every console selling point lost, Valve and Steam gain.

Last edited by Kyuu - on 29 July 2026