Microsoft says the next Xbox and PS6 should launch in 2028

Microsoft says the next Xbox and PS6 should launch in 2028.

A proposed PS6 and next-generation Xbox coming out in 2028 is in line with the previous two console generations. That’s because there were seven years between the launch of the Xbox One / PS4 (2013) and the Xbox Series X / PS5 (2020). It’s consistent with the jump between the Xbox 360 / PS3 (2005 / 2006) and the previous generation machines that are now a decade old. As IGN reports, Microsoft said during its first day in court with the FTC that the “expected starting period” for the next-generation of consoles to, well, start is 2028. If true, that would mean the current generation of consoles, which includes the PS5, Xbox Series X, and Xbox Series S, is expected to last about eight years.

Today’s hearing is the first in the US Federal Trade Commission’s attempt to file a preliminary injunction against Microsoft and Activision, which would put the deal on pause while the FTC reviews its compliance with US antitrust law.

This information was revealed during the ongoing legal battle of Microsoft attempting to acquire Activision Blizzard for $68.7 billion. The deal was blocked in the UK by the CMA (Competition and Market Authority) in April with the appeal beginning in July. In the US, the FTC (Federal Trade Commission) temporarily blocked the acquisition on June 14, with the preliminary injunction ongoing. Administrative proceedings will begin on August 2. 

While the FTC lawsuit is undoubtedly the biggest hurdle Microsoft and Activision are currently facing, the road ahead is an uphill climb in other ways as well. For example, the UK formally blocked the transaction back in April, with Microsoft and Activision expected to appeal the decision. Meanwhile, the EU approved the purchase in May, marking a significant but far from final victory for the two companies hoping to see the deal reach completion by the end of this month.