As part of its most recent argument against Microsoft acquiring Activision Blizzard King, which largely focuses on the Call of Duty IP, Sony refers to the "next generation of PlayStation," the PS6. Many may consider it too early to talk about the PlayStation 6 since the PS5 is barely two years old, but the fact of the matter is companies like Sony have to hold the long view, too.The UK CMA recently published Sony's argument against the acquisition, which among many points, states that Microsoft would have a domineering position in the industry when it comes to first-person shooters, describing it as a one-stop shop for major FPS games, especially with Xbox Game Pass. It discusses how Battlefield can't compete with Call of Duty anymore, and seemingly, acknowledgments of its own FPS and live service efforts (part of its acquisition of Bungie) go unmentioned but should be otherwise implied. While there are a lot of interesting insights in these debates, the mention of the PS6 may be one of the most eye-catching.Referring to Microsoft's offer to keep Call of Duty on PlayStation consoles through 2027 (though Microsoft has later said it would be happy to make a deal with PlayStation that keeps it happy, just not forever), Sony claims that by the launch of the next-gen PlayStation console (with the release window redacted), it would have lost Call of Duty and its competitiveness in the area would be severely degraded. This would open it to consumer switching, in this regard. Notably, based on the context, it would seem the PlayStation 6 is set to come sometime after 2027, putting it in a window of 2028 or 2029, perhaps.
It should be noted that, generally speaking, a console life period is about 7 years. This holds largely true with the PS3, PS4, PS5, Xbox 360, Xbox One, and Xbox Series X, although many are speculating that this current console generation will last longer than that period. This is because of the impact of the pandemic on the industry and how this generation has been "slower" to putting out games that make the most of its hardware. For example, many consider Ratchet and Clank: Rift Apart to be the only real "next-gen" game so far.
Of course, while this argument is far-reaching, it could also arguably be largely speculative. Even a major company like Sony cannot make concrete plans through 2027 or longer, even when it takes a long view. Of course, this is hardly the only argument Sony has against Microsoft acquiring ABK, and Microsoft in turn has some equally valid and equally self-serving arguments. For now, fans are just waiting to see how this all turns out and seeing a little public back-and-forth as a result.
The PS5 is out now.