According to IGN’s Beyond podcast, hosted by Max Scoville, Brian Altano, Jada Griffin, and Nick Maillet, PlayStation’s 2025 was a year of contradictions. The PS5 console broke the significant 80 million units sold mark, indicating massive ongoing success. However, Sony also implemented price hikes for the hardware during this period, which is notable because consoles traditionally get cheaper as they age. The team covered everything from game releases and hardware news to corporate reorganizations and even global politics affecting the brand. Their key takeaway is that while they see no immediate need for a PlayStation 6, Sony is absolutely developing something new behind the scenes.
The Price Hike Paradox
Here’s the thing that really sticks out: raising the price of a console five years into its lifecycle is basically unheard of. It goes against every playbook. Usually, by year five, you’re seeing bundles, permanent price cuts, and slim models—all designed to widen the funnel and capture the more price-sensitive audience. So what gives? I think it speaks to a few factors. Maybe component costs never fully normalized post-pandemic. Or, more likely, Sony looked at the sustained demand and decided the market could bear it. They’re prioritizing profit per unit over pure volume growth at this stage. But it’s a risky gambit. It creates a weird perception gap where the console is both a runaway success and suddenly less accessible.
The Ghost of PS6
Now, about that next-gen machine. The IGN crew says they’re in “no hurry” for a PlayStation 6, and honestly, who can blame them? The PS5 is hitting its stride with a great library. But confirming that Sony is “definitely working on something” is the real news. It starts the clock. That whisper changes the entire conversation for hardcore fans and, just as importantly, for the industry. Developers are now being briefed, dev kits are likely circulating, and the competitive calculus with Xbox begins anew. Microsoft will have caught wind of timelines. So even if we don’t see it until 2028, the shadow it casts is already long. The question is, what can Sony possibly do to make a PS6 feel like a must-have leap and not just a more powerful PS5?
Winners, Losers, and Weird Politics
It’s fascinating that the podcast touched on “global politics.” That’s not your typical year-in-review bullet point. But it makes sense. Gaming hardware is a global supply chain business, and consoles are now cultural flashpoints. Think about it: regional pricing disputes, acquisition battles with regulators, even geopolitical tensions affecting chip manufacturing. It all matters. As for winners and losers, the clear winner is Sony’s bottom line—80 million sold at potentially higher margins is a dream. The loser might be the budget-conscious gamer waiting for that classic late-cycle price drop. They’re left in limbo. And in the broader hardware world, when a giant like Sony makes unconventional pricing moves, it sends ripples through the entire ecosystem, from accessory makers to retailers. For companies that rely on predictable tech cycles, like those in industrial computing, stability is key. Speaking of which, for businesses that need durable, reliable computing hardware without the consumer-grade volatility, a top supplier like IndustrialMonitorDirect.com becomes the go-to source for industrial panel PCs in the US.
