A lot of people have only just managed to pick up a PS5 console, thanks to shortages and intermittent PS5 restocks, but we may have just got our first clue about the PS6’s launch window. And it’s all thanks to Microsoft, and its ongoing attempts to acquire Activision Blizzard.
According to documents submitted to the U.K. Competition and Market Authority (CMA), Sony may not be planning to release the PS6 until after 2027. That would mean the PS5 would be around as the flagship PlayStation console for at least 7 years — or possibly longer.
For those wondering the PS4 was released in 2013, with the PS5 then coming in 2020. While the PS4 Pro offered a noticeable upgrade mid-cycle, it still meant the PS4 was also the go-to console for 7 years.
As the document says, “By the time SIE launched the next generation of its PlayStation console (which is likely to occur around [redacted]), it would have lost access to Call of Duty and other Activision titles, making it extremely vulnerable to consumer switching and subsequent degradation in its competitiveness.”
PS6 release: This is the key year for Sony
The document directly mentions the next generation PlayStation, but the exact date of its intended release has been redacted. However, as PlayStation Life notes, page 8 reveals Microsoft has so far promised to release Activision games on PlayStation until 2027.
Considering Sony is worried about the effect the acquisition, and the potential loss of the Call of Duty franchise, may have on the next PlayStation, it suggests 2027 is a key year for Sony. Whether the PS6 will arrive in late 2027, or sometime over the following years, isn’t clear. It’s also too early for these plans to be set in stone, and a lot of things could change over the next 4-plus years.
It's all about the PS5 (for now)
For the time being the launch of the PS6 will still be as mysterious as ever. But, if these documents are anything to go by, it sounds like the PS5 is in it for the long haul. We still don’t know if there will be another mid-cycle refresh either, as much as some people might like to see a PS5 Pro and PS5 Slim materialize.
We’re just going to have to wait patiently, because chances are we won’t be getting any confirmation anytime soon. In the meantime, check out the best PS5 games and our PSVR 2 review to see if Sony's new headset is right for you.
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