Microsoft Expects The Arrival Of Next-Gen Consoles In 2028, Says Court Filings

The court proceedings between Microsoft and FTC have finally started, and new documents have also appeared publically that detail the case. While defending its massive Activision Blizzard deal, the renowned company has also revealed particulars about the next generation of consoles. IGN reviewed the documents and found that the next generation of Xbox and PlayStation consoles is expected to arrive in 2028 after five years.

In the court documents that recently became public, Microsoft iterated about releasing the Call of Duty franchise on Sony’s PlayStation consoles for ten years if the deal is approved globally. While discussing the commitment, it also mentioned that the deal would surpass even the current generation of consoles.

This term would in any case go beyond the expected starting period of the next generation of consoles (in 2028). Thus, Call of Duty will be published on successor PlayStation consoles should one be released during the term of the agreement,” mentioned Microsoft in the court filings.

The Call of Duty games will continue to be available on both the Xbox and PlayStation consoles at the same time regardless of generation as long as it falls under the ten years commitment. The deal was offered by Microsoft to Sony in order to calm the resistance against the ginormous acquisition, but that appears to have failed to work so far.

“The expected starting period” for the new gen beginning in 2028 means the current gen of consoles lasts a staggering eight years; it hints at the increasing generation lifecycle since it is almost a year more than the last generation. It makes sense because the game development life cycles have also steadily increased over the last decade, taking AAA entries upwards of four to five years to release at the minimum.

It is also possible we see a mid-gen hardware refresh of both console series in the near future. Many rumors have alluded to a PlayStation 5 Slim variant in the past, but no official announcements have been made.

Microsoft’s battle to acquire Activision Blizzard has been brewing over the last few months, with the recent saga pitting the renowned company against the Federal Trade Commission. FTC is trying to halt the merger from occurring, as it previously filed a preliminary injunction and a temporary restraining order to block the deal from going through. The trial has started now, and Xbox is toiling to defend the acquisition against FTC.

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