In the midst of the ongoing legal proceedings between Microsoft Corporation and the United States Federal Trade Commission concerning Microsoft Corporation’s proposed acquisition of videogame publisher Activision Blizzard, new details have emerged regarding Sony’s long-rumored successor to its PlayStation 5 console, tentatively referred to as PlayStation 6.

The court documents have provided an indication of the anticipated release date for the next generation of consoles, suggesting a possible release window that concurs with prior reports and industry trends.

Microsoft’s Revelation and Sony’s Plans

Microsoft has indicated in court documents that the expected launch of the next generation game consoles, including the Xbox and PlayStation 6, will take place in the year 2028, which is in line with the information Sony provided to the UK CMA in the context of the merger review. However, Sony’s documents indicate that the PS6 will not be released until at least 2027.

Microsoft has addressed Sony’s worries that a Microsoft-controlled Activision Blizzard would make the widely-used Call of Duty franchise an Xbox exclusive, in the same documents. Microsoft has stated its intention to continue to release Call of Duty video games on the PlayStation platform for a minimum of 10 years, regardless of whether the acquisition goes through or not.

This commitment goes beyond the expected launch date of the new console generation of 2028, thus ensuring that Call Of Duty titles will be available on all subsequent PlayStation consoles.

A Patient Wait for the PS6

The release of the PlayStation 6 is projected to take place in 2028, which is in line with the console’s historical release patterns. The original PS4 was released six years after the PS2, and a further six years after that, with the PS3 arriving seven years after the PS4 in 2013. The PS5 was released in 2020, and it is likely that the current generation of consoles will span between six and eight years prior to the PS6’s arrival.

There is still no confirmation as to whether Sony will launch an updated PS5 version in the mid-cycle, similar to the PlayStation 4 Pro. This is due to the demand for upgraded or streamlined PS5 versions, such as the PS5 Pro and PS5 Slim. Furthermore, the PS5 is still difficult to obtain due to a lack of supply and occasional restocks, thus further delaying the PS6’s launch.

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As the legal battle between Microsoft and the Federal Trade Commission (FTC) continues, the release date of the upcoming PlayStation 6 has remained a mystery. Until then, gamers must be patient and await further information on the next generation of gaming consoles. In the meantime, take a look at the top PS5 games of the year, as well as the newly redesigned PSVR 2, for an immersive experience. As the legal battle continues, gamers can expect to learn more about the future of the gaming console.

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