---
title: 'Start Saving Now: Next-Gen Begins in 2028 - Next-Gen Console Watch'
source: 'https://youtube.com/watch?v=g9P0UWikdB0'
video_id: 'g9P0UWikdB0'
date: 2026-10-23
duration_sec: 952
channel: 'IGN'
---

# Start Saving Now: Next-Gen Begins in 2028 - Next-Gen Console Watch

> Source: [Start Saving Now: Next-Gen Begins in 2028 - Next-Gen Console Watch](https://youtube.com/watch?v=g9P0UWikdB0)

## Summary

The video discusses the rumored pricing for next-generation consoles, focusing on Xbox's Project Helix, which could cost between $1,200 and $1,800, and the PlayStation 6, with component costs over $680. The hosts debate the viability of these prices, the strategic reasoning behind them, and the potential impact on the gaming market.

### Key Points

- **Xbox Next-Gen Price Report** [00:09] — A new report claims that Microsoft's next-generation console, Project Helix, is projected to cost consumers between $1,200 and $1,800, with a target release in 2028. The hosts react with skepticism, noting that the current Xbox at $500 was already a hard sell.
- **Microsoft's Pricing Strategy** [01:01] — The discussion explores why Microsoft might price the console so high, suggesting they see the console market shrinking and are pivoting to attract PC gamers. The key challenge is whether the Helix can offer enough value to win over the PC gaming crowd.
- **Key Exclusive: Elder Scrolls 6** [02:55] — The hosts identify The Elder Scrolls 6 as a potential 'ace up the sleeve' for Microsoft, possibly releasing as a console exclusive to drive sales for the new hardware, despite the high price point.
- **Price vs. PC Value** [04:04] — The hosts compare the $1,800 price to building a high-end gaming PC, which could cost around $3,000. They suggest the Helix might be a mid-tier PC hybrid, possibly running a Windows-based Xbox full-screen experience, similar to a high-end Steam Machine.
- **Smartphone Payment Model** [06:07] — Nick Limon draws a parallel to smartphone pricing, noting that his iPhone cost $1,400, and suggests that Microsoft could offer 0% 24-month payment plans to make the high price more manageable, similar to Apple's model.
- **PS6 Component Costs** [08:21] — The conversation shifts to the PlayStation 6, with a leaker claiming that RAM and NAND alone will cost over $680. The GPU is rumored to be between a Radeon RX 970 and RX 970 XT, which retail around $900, pushing the component cost to $1,580+.
- **Impact on Console Sales** [11:38] — The hosts worry that if the PS6 costs over $1,000, it could decimate Sony's consumer base, predicting it might not reach 50 million units sold compared to the PS5's near 100 million. The risk is alienating early adopters and slowing down the generation's momentum.
- **Call for Payment Plans** [13:00] — The hosts suggest that Sony and Microsoft need to adopt flexible payment options like 0% 24-month installments to make high-priced consoles accessible, otherwise they risk pricing out most of their customers.

## Transcript

our show discussing the latest gaming hardware. I'm Damon Hatfield. This week Podcast Unlocked and Nick Limon here from Game Scoop. And a new a new report claims that Xbox expects its next generation console to
cost as much as $1,800 and it's currently targeting a 2028 release. So, yeah. >> Yes, that is the appropriate response. Microsoft has internally projected that its next Xbox console, code named
Project Helix, will cost consumers between 12 and $1,800. It will cost consumers that much. The article notes that Microsoft could in a lower price point, but unless the tech giant is willing to take major
losses on the console, it seems likely that the machine will still cost over a Ryan, to be blunt, no one wanted the current Xbox when it was $500. Why would they pay 1,800 for
>> That is the million-dollar question, [laughter] isn't it? Uh we were talking week, and there is like at play. One,
Microsoft doesn't or at least they they seem to believe that the console market is shrinking, and all the data does suggest that, capped. And Nintendo and Sony, especially Sony
has just doubled back down on console only, walking away from PC stuff. And for Microsoft, sitting in last place, well, they clearly think, "Okay, if the console market's not growing, we're trying to reach a billion daily
we got to go try and get some of that PC audience." And so, the question is, is the Helix going to be good enough from a performance perspective, from a from a value perspective from a game library perspective to
to win over the PC gaming crowd, to get them to spend 12 to 1,800 bucks on a them to spend 12 to 1,800 bucks on a Helix rather than on building their own gaming PC. And that remains to be seen, but
the one There's really only one immediate ace up their sleeve that that we can think of on Unlock this Week. Particularly with this Fortune reports mentioned that that they're they now
seem to be looking pretty firmly at fall of 2028 know, I think that's the last we heard that PS6 was rumored for and I know if I don't even know if anybody's really going to be super gung-ho about
years given given, you know, how sort of slowly this generation is unfolded, but the ace up their sleeve potentially is The Elder Scrolls 6 because that is the game
that's really the one huge game they have in the works right now have in the works right now that might be ready in fall of 2028 that Asha Sharma could based on the move
she's been making could say this is a console exclusive. So, they can still sell millions of copies on PC, which they would do uh and will do, but but on the console side they could say, "Hey, you've got to
buy a Series X for some some level of experience. I I can't imagine it won't be compatible with Series X or buy our new Helix console and you'll get the you'll get the best Elder Scrolls 6 experience." But
it is it is going to be a regardless of the what software is is to go that price point is is really really really tough to swallow. >> Yeah, I've always been of the mindset
that Elder Scrolls has been and always will be a console especially now that they >> Oblivion. Look no further than Oblivion. >> But I I I just don't know if it like $1,800 is
>> I wanted I wanted to ask you, Nick. You have a nice gaming PC, but if you didn't, would you pay $1,800 $1,800 to play Elder Scrolls 6? >> I mean, if you if you take a look at, you know, in the in the before times, an
you know, in the in the before times, an $1,800 PC would be I would say a fairly high-end PC, if not the high-end. I think you're probably looking at in the again, before times, capping out at about $3,000 total for truly a high-end
PC, you know, rocking the latest and greatest from Nvidia and or AMD. But nowadays, I I I think that looking at that price point, this tells me that this is something that is more akin to a higher-end Steam Machine style device
that I wouldn't be surprised if it is running a version of Windows that opts for the brand new Xbox full-screen experience that we're seeing with a lot of the Xbox, you know, the ROG Xbox Ally X devices that have a dedicated Windows
11 Xbox full-screen experience that takes advantage of the Xbox ecosystem, Game Pass, things of that nature. I I imagine that this is something closer hardware terms, something that feels a little more middle tier, if we want to
consider the Steam Machine something that's a little bit lower tier on the PC gaming spectrum. So, $1,800 does feel like a lot of money for someone looking to get into that experience, but I just think that's kind of the current nature
of reality right now. If you want to play video games, you're going to need >> Well, it's, you know, this Project Helix is supposed to be a PC console hybrid device, and PCs, gaming PCs have always
been more expensive consoles. Do we assume that's why uh this is seeming to be so expensive, Ryan, because they're making it so much Ryan, because they're making it so much like, you know, a a mid-tier gaming PC.
>> Absolutely. Yeah, absolutely. Unquestionably yes on that. And I mean, not to I'm not going to defend a price point that high, but if, you know, we we look at the phones in our pockets, yeah.
Like this one, I'm keeping I don't know about you guys. I keep my phones like I year, the 17. And that was It was 5 years since I'd had a phone and I will probably plan to keep this one for 5 years. And it was, I
keep this one for 5 years. And it was, I think, $1,400. And right now, people are eagerly awaiting uh their shipments of iPhone Duo, which is a $2,000 >> And, you know, it's what The The reason I bring that up is
is not again, not to defend the the potential price point that we're looking at for the Helix here, but to instead hope that Microsoft is thinking along the lines of what Apple does. Like
again, I got this a year ago, but I got it with the zero interest 24-month payment thing that Apple does. So, I'm than than the regular retail price. It's It's
just spread out over 24 interest-free months. And console generations are long, and they seem to be getting longer. So, I certainly hope that if are going, that that kind of, you know, 0% no
interest situation is is going to be a valid option that that the likes of Microsoft and Sony are going to offer, cuz otherwise, like you it's really difficult for a lot of people, myself included certainly, to to
justify, you know, dropping 12 to 18 1,800 bucks in in 1 month when you've got, you know, mortgage, groceries, gas, all this all this all the necessities, they're going to have to give us some way to to spread this out without also
>> Yeah. Yeah, traditionally, you know, games they'll sell to their the hardest of the hardcore right at launch, and then sales steady for a little while, but they don't really explode and reach mass
down. >> Well, well, now who knows? Maybe buying investment based on how things have been going. >> Yeah. Um or your PS5 Pro, right?
>> Right, or the the Series X. Yeah. >> Um so, $1,800 for this Xbox PC hybrid, that would be the most expensive console ever. But Nick, it would be only be like >> I mean, technically, yeah. >> But like, so is that a magic number
I think people if they're going to go splurge on a mid-range one. >> Well, I think if they do want to splurge on a gaming PC, I think the shocking nature of reality might have them
okay, maybe maybe Microsoft's strategy is like, higher-end gaming PCs, general consumer. Come back to us when you're ready to uh the I I for for fun the other day I
priced out my current PC, and I was shocked at what the current market value is, and it is far more than uh $2,000, let's put it that way. And it was like, well, thank god I got it when I did. Uh but I again, I think it's just
a little bit absurd right now with what people are dealing with in terms of actually for lack of a better way of putting it, scare people into buying the Helix. >> Well, it's it's not just going to be the
Xbox that could be very expensive. It's sounding like PlayStation 6 will also be very pricey. There was a long thread about next-gen hardware on NeoGAF. A known leaker who goes by Kepler L2 said that RAM and NAND alone for the PS6 is
over $680. So, just the memory for uh for the PS6, according to this leaker, is over $680. Uh $180 more than the PS5 shipped at. And so, rumors claim that the the PS6 will have a GPU with around 40 teraflops
kind of a little bit of fuzzy numbers, but it would mean that the PS6 would be the PS5 Pro with a GPU that's roughly between the Radeon RX 970 and the Radeon
between the Radeon RX 970 and the Radeon RX 970 XT. And the Radeon RX 970 costs around $900 right now. So, that's 900 + 680 is what ac- according to these leakers is uh what parts of the PS6 cost, not even,
the other parts and manufacturing and shipping and uh marketing and all that. disc drive. >> They will not have to worry about >> a disc drive. Uh I don't know. What What do you think? I Again, I don't think the
console market will support these prices. >> I I I just think it's the uh the unfortunate nature of reality right now. balk and say, "Well, that's too expensive, you know, uh Sony and
But it's like like I mean, unfortunately, a company does need to that, in theory, they can because these things are just more expensive. The market value right now is far too expensive to give the consumer a
general. >> I don't think any of that changes the fact. So, uh Sony sold almost 100 million PS5s until they raised the stalled. Uh >> Well, right now you can't even buy find
>> I know, a Pro. Yeah. Um but sales of the PS5 stalled. They're >> Mhm. >> If uh if the PlayStation 6 costs more than $1,000, they'll never come close to 100
They won't come close to 50 million units sold. Like it completely uh decimates their existing consumer base. Unless there's some situation like you said it where they can subsidize the
we're going to move from, you know, the best-selling console selling over 100 million. >> It It comes back to what you said a few minutes ago, Damon, about early adopters eagerly buying up, you
know, the day one consoles in the first months of a console. And the those early adopters just like anybody else.
able to afford these consoles so they can actually make content about them. >> If there are no early adopters to get enthusiastic and tell all their friends, got to get the Helix. You got to get the the PS6."
Like where does that leave these things over the over the next, you know, 10 years of between now and that generation's going to look like. So, yeah, I mean, that's where I come
back to Again, not that I I am not defending or or accepting this economic reality. I mean, it is what it is for now, as Nick was saying, but I the the it is incumbent upon Sony and
Microsoft to change the sort of economic model. And if they have to be this much because that's the price of components, they've got to start They've got to have these, you know, again, like 0% 24-month
installment options the way that that cell phone makers are doing cuz otherwise there's just no other viable avenue for for most gamers to get their hands on these things. >> Well, should all this come to pass and
next-gen consoles are this expensive, $1,000, $1,200, $1,800, watch and just talk about old systems and old games. It will finally be time for us all to work on our backlogs and enjoy 50 years worth of existing games
because Xbox and PlayStation will have priced out most of their customers. That leads us to this week's poll. How would you pay for a console that costs more Pay out Pay in full outright? Use a payment plan? Maybe sell old hardware
would not pay more than $1,000 for a console. Head over to ign.com, Spotify, description to the Discord in the description. You can vote there and then we'll go over the results on next week's show. Last week's poll results, uh we
asked if GTA 6 was confirmed for PC in early 2027, would you skip the console launch and wait to play it? And nearly half said no. Or 48% said no, they're not going to. But, 12% enthusiastically said they would double dip.
would be a little bit higher. >> Yeah. Well, you thought higher than the >> Just a little bit. >> Oh, okay. Well, I know there's a lot of very excited GTA fans out there. All right, it's time to be humbled. Jump
and score a great lineup of games. Right now, you can grab Like a Dragon, Pirate Yakuza in Hawaii, Prince of Persia: The Lost Crown, Psychonauts 2, Deep Rock Galactic, Survivor, Cataclysma, Dungeons and Degenerate Gamblers, Asgard's Fall,
month's charity is Hilarity for Charity, a national nonprofit founded by Seth to care for families impacted by Alzheimer's disease. playing today. And that's our show. Thank you to both
everyone working behind the scenes to make the show possible. My name is latest gaming hardware. We'll see you then.
Atienza, and Sam Clayborn. Daemon is also the host and he's regularly joined Plant, and other IGN commentators. Technical direction is by Jobert Atienza Franzen and Amir Akiev. Audio engineering is handled by Amir Akiev.
Atienza and graphic design is by Justin Vachon. Next Gen Console Watch is an IGN production and part of the Geek Media Network.