Don’t expect PlayStation 6 or Xbox Series X 2 until 2028

(Pocket-lint) – If nothing else, Microsoft’s prospective acquisition of Activision is persistently unveiling interesting nuggets of information.  The latest is that the next generation of games consoles, which we’ll dub the PlayStation 6 and Xbox Series X 2 for now, won’t be released for many years – 2028 at the earliest. Statements arguing the merits and pitfalls of the deal, as put forward by both Sony and Microsoft, suggest that a typical console cycle is eight years and, as the Xbox Series X/S and PS5 were released in 2020, that means we have another six to wait: “The next new generation of consoles are not expected to be released before the fall of 2028 at the very earliest,” says Microsoft in reply to the concerns of the UK’s Competition and Markets Authority.

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The CMA argues that the purchase of Activision and, specifically, the Call of Duty franchise could impact consumer’s choice when it comes to their next console purchase:

“[It] is likely to be felt especially at the launch of the next generation of consoles, where gamers make fresh decisions about which console to buy,” it includes in its report. However, Microsoft points to the fact that any such impact is “many years away”.  It was also recently claimed by the Xbox-owning firm that it made an offer to Sony to keep Call of Duty on PlayStation consoles for another decade (although the CMA posted documents still state “until 2027”).

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Sadly, it seems this back-and-forth buyout is set to run and run – maybe we’ll even get new consoles before it’s done.

Writing by Rik Henderson.