Amidst continuously rising hardware prices, Shuhei Yoshida, former President of Sony Interactive Entertainment Worldwide Studios, believes that Sony and Nintendo should extend the lifespan of the PS5 and Switch 2 consoles as much as possible. In an interview on The Verge's Vergecast podcast, he stated that both companies have sold enough current-generation hardware. Considering the costs, platform holders might consider delaying the launch of next-generation products, and he supports maintaining the current generation for as long as possible.
Shuhei Yoshida believes that players have limited budgets, and the price increases for specialized components required by PCs and consoles are higher than those for other forms of entertainment. Those who already own a PS5, Switch 2, or a sufficiently powerful PC may not be willing to upgrade their devices immediately. Citing his own experience, he mentioned that after purchasing a gaming PC five years ago, he considered upgrading but postponed the plan due to rising prices, regretting not having bought it a year earlier.
In his view, many players are not urgently demanding more powerful hardware, nor are developers necessarily calling for new devices. Therefore, he believes that Sony and Nintendo's current consoles are expected to remain competitive for several more years. Regarding Xbox, Yoshida noted that its situation is different, as it aims to change the competitive landscape.
The Switch 2 was released in 2025, and Nintendo continues to support the original Switch. The PS5 and XSX|S will mark their sixth anniversary in November 2026. Sony has historically launched a new PlayStation generation approximately every six to seven years, but neither Sony nor Nintendo has announced a confirmed release date for their next-generation consoles at this time.