Sony is planning to launch its next-generation PlayStation sometime after 2026, according to a document (PDF) that was submitted to the UK’s CMA as part of an investigation into Microsoft’s acquisition of Activision Blizzard. In the document, Sony says it will be releasing PlayStation Next in a year that it has kept confidential, but when all the comments are taken together, we know this will be sometime after 2026.
In the document, Sony says that Microsoft has only offered to keep Activision games available until 2027. Sony also pointed to a public statement where Microsoft said Call of Duty would remain on PlayStation only “as long as that makes sense.” Further down, Sony writes “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”. Taking these comments together, we can deduce that Sony is planning to launch its successor to the PlayStation 5 sometime after 2026.
A 2027 launch date would also make sense if we look back at the availability of Sony's previous consoles. The PlayStation launched in 1994, the PS2 arrived in 2000, the PS3 launched in 2006, the PS4 came seven years later in 2013, and the PS5 came seven years after that in 2020. Another seven years from 2020 and we land at 2027.
Assuming cloud gaming doesn’t completely replace consoles by 2027, knowing the launch date of the next Sony console is helpful because it gives you time to start saving up money for it in advance. Consoles aren’t cheap, with the PS5 coming in at $499 for the Base edition, and game prices always getting more expensive.
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