The market won't meaningfully recover until November 2026, when millions of waiting consumers simultaneously pull the trigger on console purchases they've been delaying for years. If you're planning to be one of those people buying a PS5 or PS5 Pro closer to launch, you're one of millions.
Stock availability will tighten. Prices could rise. Bundle deals might disappear. And if you think Sony won't capitalize on GTA 6 hype by raising hardware prices in Q4 2026, you haven't been paying attention to how platform holders operate during major launches.
Here's something most people might have missed: Sony is planning a massive PS5 Pro software update in May 2026, just six months before GTA 6 launches.
The PSSR 2.0 update, an advanced upscaling algorithm that Sony's lead architect Mark Cerny has already teased, is comingin a few months, and the timing isn't coincidental. May 2026 was originally GTA 6's release date before the second delay pushed it to November. Sony was clearly preparing this update to coincide with GTA 6's launch, and they're still rolling it out as planned. The update is expected to deliver significant improvements in framerate and image quality, potentially enabling 60fps support for demanding titles.
GTA 6 is almost certainly one of those demanding titles, even though it ran beautifully on the base PlayStation 5. The PS5 Pro with PSSR 2.0 could theoretically push that to 60fps at higher resolutions. But for that to happen, you need to own the PS5 Pro. Buying one in October or November 2026, when everyone else is scrambling for stock and Sony might be charging more, defeats the purpose. Buy now while supply is stable and pricing hasn't gone haywire.
Not to mention, price hikes are imminent anyway. With AI companies disrupting the tech market for years, consumer electronics have already started becoming more expensive than usual.
Buying now gives you the hardware locked in, and you can pick up GTA 6 separately without the stress of competing for limited bundles, and at a lower price.
PS5 Pro launched at $699, which already drew criticism. But with memory prices climbing and demand about to explode, that price could easily jump to $749 or $799 if not more, by fall 2026 if market conditions continue trending this way. Sony isn't stupid. They know GTA 6 will move hardware regardless of pricing, and they'll price accordingly. And if you think Sony will run aggressive discounts or promotions closer to GTA 6's launch, you're kidding yourself. They'll have zero incentive to lower prices when demand is through the roof.
This isn't about FOMO or manufactured urgency. It's reality. When that dam breaks in November 2026, the resulting surge will make hardware harder to find and potentially more expensive.
If you're planning to play GTA 6 on console, which is pretty much your only choice if you want to play the next Grand Theft Auto as the PC version won't arrive until 2028 at the earliest, buying a PS5 Pro now is the smart move. You lock in current pricing, avoid the holiday rush, and you'll be ready for Sony's May software update that's practically tailor-made for everyone's return trip to Vice City and the rest of Leonida.
