Microsoft has reportedly shed light on the launch timeframes for the upcoming PlayStation 6 and next Xbox console.
As per legal documentation, the company has hinted at the “anticipated beginning” of the new generation of gaming consoles.
Just as players start to gain access to the PS5 and Xbox Series X following a two-year scarcity, information regarding their successors is beginning to surface.
In fact, earlier in the year, a timeline for the PS6 launch was unveiled.
Publicly disclosed official Sony records indicate that the PS5 will have the shortest product cycle in PlayStation history.
These documents became publicly available in the UK due to the Competition and Markets Authority (CMA), in reaction to Microsoft’s proposed acquisition of Activision Blizzard, as cited by PlayStation Lifestyle.
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According to a portion of the 22-page document, Sony alleges that Microsoft agreed to keep Activision’s games on PlayStation exclusively until 2027.
This suggests that the launch of the PS6 is slated to occur sometime post-2027.
Furthermore, IGN has supposedly gotten hold of court documents amidst this month’s developments that a US regulatory body has filed a lawsuit to temporarily halt Microsoft’s Activision Blizzard acquisition.
Within these alleged documents, the ‘anticipated beginning’ of the next-gen consoles has been disclosed as 2028.
The documents suggest: “This period will, in any case, extend beyond the expected onset of the next console generation (in 2028).”
“Consequently, Call of Duty would be released on any future PlayStation consoles that might be launched during the agreement’s validity.
“The arrangement would also guarantee that Call of Duty console games are made available on PlayStation with parity to Xbox.”
The Federal Trade Commission (FTC) has approached a San Francisco federal court seeking a temporary restraining order and injunction to halt Microsoft’s $69 billion purchase of the California-based company behind popular games like Call Of Duty, World Of Warcraft, and Candy Crush.
The deal’s deadline is a mere five weeks away on July 18, following the original agreement penned in January 2022.
Even though numerous countries have given the green light to the transaction, regulators in the US and UK have voiced concerns that it may stifle competition in the video gaming industry.
Microsoft’s vice chairman and president, Brad Smith, expressed eagerness to defend the company’s position in federal court, saying, “We believe accelerating the legal process in the US will ultimately bring more choice and competition to the market.”