In a surprising turn of events, the former president and CEO of Sony Interactive Entertainment America, Shawn Layden, has urged Sony to focus on making an affordable next-gen console instead of a pricy PS6. On The Trophy Room podcast, Layden argued that innovation shouldn't come from making a PS6 for $1,200 but rather another PS5 for $300. He pointed out that previous hardware leaps have offered unique innovative qualities, and simply relying on more ray tracing and teraflops might not be the best strategy. Layden noted that the PlayStation 2, at the end of its era, was sold for $99, making it a far cry from today's PS5 price points, which have seen significant increases in recent years. The base PS5 now costs $649, while the Digital Edition and Pro versions are priced at $599 and $899, respectively. As console sales for Sony, Microsoft, and Nintendo struggle amidst these rising prices, Layden suggests Sony should aim to reduce costs on the PS5 instead of focusing on a more expensive future. He emphasized that the company should consider making the console smaller, cheaper, and more accessible without compromising on power or OS capabilities. With the next PlayStation expected soon, many gamers are calling for a delay until hardware prices come down. Sony has yet to announce any concrete plans about the release of its next-gen console, with reports suggesting it might not launch until 2028 or even 2029. The future of the PS6 remains shrouded in mystery, but Layden's call for affordability might just set a new trend in the gaming industry.