First the tech bros came for the GPUs - now, they come for the RAM. The overpriced but underwhelming PlayStation 5 Pro is starting to look like a bargain now, especially if you want to use it to play Grand Theft Auto 6. Why? Because the AI hype is about to drive RAM prices through the roof. The surge in demand for additional compute power, driven by AI's popularity over the past year, has led data centers to gobble up every bit of stock available, triggering a memory chip shortage crisis.
The result? Console manufacturers will have to pay more to get the same amount of performance, and it's only a matter of time before this reflects on the retail price of the PlayStation 5 and PS5 Pro (and by extension, the Xbox Series S and Xbox Series X). Don't you just hate it when these entirely pointless fads don't only boil away our fresh water and destroy the environment, but also make gaming vastly more expensive?
The RAM price hikes were "announced" in September, but it's only this holiday season that we're starting to see them take full effect. At the end of the initial price hikes, the cost for RAM was less than half of what it is today. If you look up prices online, a 64GB kit now costs around $600 to $700, which is the same price as the PS5 Pro, and things aren't going to get any better anytime soon.
Now, why specifically are we talking about the PS5 Pro and not Microsoft's console? There are two reasons for this: Rockstar Games has confirmed that the second GTA 6 trailer was filmed on a base PS5, and Sony reportedly stockpiled RAM modules to use for PS5 manufacturing ahead of time, while Xbox is rumored to be about to undergo its third price hike of the year due to the shortage.
With GTA 6 expected to play best on the PS5 Pro, the weaker Xbox Series X retailing for as much as Sony's flagship console, and the second delay potentially affecting the timeline for its PC release, it makes a lot of sense to spend the money on the most powerful console gaming platform right now if you want to enjoy the upcoming sequel with all (most?) the bells and whistles.
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Given the history of RAM price fluctuations, drops probably won't occur until 2027 if not later. If it's true that GTA 6's delay might even be a factor in the PlayStation 6's release, a PC port - even if it's been in development for a while - realistically won't be available until 2028 at the earliest.
In development for at least 7 years now, GTA 6 is expected to be released on November 19, 2026. Ahead of its new release date, the game already holds numerous records and awards, including back-to-back wins at The Golden Joysticks and another nomination at The Game Awards 2025 following last year's win.
