Analysts Say PS6 and Next Xbox Could Launch Around $1,000, Creating a 'New Norm' for Console Pricing

Industry analysts expect Sony's next PlayStation and Microsoft's next Xbox to launch with four-figure price tags. Thanks to rising component costs and the normalization of "premium" consoles over the past several years, the PlayStation 6 and "Project Helix"—Microsoft's internal name for the forthcoming Xbox—could cost up to 50% more than the PlayStation 5 and Xbox Series X.

One analyst, Dr. Serkan Toto, told GamesRadar+ that a $999 price tag "for at least one variant of the PS6 is not impossible." Another, Joost van Dreunen, added that "we're quickly moving towards a world in which a $1,000 console will be the norm, and console gaming will become a luxury expenditure."

These predictions arrive days after Sony announced yet another PS5 price hike in major markets. The company raised the prices of the standard PS5, PS5 Digital Edition, and PS5 Pro, taking the Pro to $900 in the United States and narrowing the gap between current consoles and this only somewhat imaginary four‑figure level described by analysts. Sony blamed the move on rising component and manufacturing costs, as well as currency fluctuations.

To industry analysts, this latest round of price hikes reveals a broader willingness among console brands to stretch the definition of standard console pricing—especially if the next generation adds premium hardware. We'll just have to wait until 2028 or so to find out if their predictions hit home.