Papers relating to Microsoft’s purchase of Activision Blizzard and the future of Call of Duty may have disclosed Sony’s PlayStation 6 system release date. The current Microsoft acquisition of Activision Blizzard has resulted in some fascinating revelations about PlayStation’s relationship to Call of Duty being disclosed. Although much of the material in these papers has been redacted, some PlayStation enthusiasts have been able to connect the dots and come to an intriguing conclusion about PlayStation’s future platform.
There are currently no publicly confirmed plans for a new PlayStation system. The PlayStation 5 has been on the market for less than three years and is doing well. Yet, in an industry of strong rivalry, where video game creation and mass-scale hardware manufacture may take years, planning for the next PlayStation are likely already well advanced. Yet, traditionally, such plans have not been made public.
An examination of records submitted to the United Kingdom’s CMA regulatory organisation in 2022 resulted in an intriguing report this year. A combination of announcements, the first of which said that Sony had unique access to Call of Duty until 2027, and the second of which stated that Sony would have privileged access to Call of Duty until its next system release, leading to speculation of a 2027 release date for the PlayStation 6. Yet, it is not always the case.
With speculations of a 2027 release date for the PlayStation 6 circulating again, Reddit user Cyshox drew attention to a crucial point. They specifically point out that the papers state that Sony will release its next system after the Call of Duty pact expires in 2027. If the Call of Duty arrangement extended until 2027, with Call of Duty normally launching in November, a 2027 PlayStation 6 launch would be unrealistic.
Here is where further context is required. The PS2 was released six years after the PS1, six years after the PS3, seven years after the PS4, and seven years after the PS5. 7 years after the PS5’s release would be 2027, but if Sony does not choose that year, PlayStation would be venturing into unknown terrain. Based on the wording in these papers and the historical turnaround for new systems, a release date of 2028 for the PS6 may make reasonable. Nevertheless, due to the PS5’s success, current technology prices, and other factors, the PS6 might be delayed until 2029, 2030, or later.
Considering that Sony mentioned a particular year in the papers obtained from Microsoft’s purchase files, and that it’s being utilised in discussions about the future of Call of Duty, 2028 makes the most sense. If it went beyond that, the debate between Sony’s access to Call of Duty and Microsoft’s control of Activision would grow more convoluted. But, if there’s one conclusion, it’s that the PlayStation 6 is still a long way off, and the PlayStation 5 seems to be Sony’s oldest system generation yet.
