Microsoft believes the next generation of gaming consoles should launch in 2028, court documents in the ongoing FTC lawsuit over Xbox parent company’s attempted acquisition show Activision Blizzard revealed. Documents reviewed by IGN detailed that the next Xbox and PlayStation 6 will possibly appear eight years after the launch of current consoles in 2020. The timeline aligns with Sony’s 2022 statement, which suggests the next generation of consoles won’t arrive until 2027. The dates are important considering Microsoft is trying to convince the consoles court that it’s ready to commit to Activision’s biggest franchise call of Duty Available in equal shares on PlayStation consoles for a period of 10 years.
“This term would definitely extend beyond the expected launch period of the next generation of consoles (in 2028),” Microsoft said in the docs (via IGN). “As such, Call of Duty will be released on subsequent PlayStation consoles should one appear during the term of the agreement. The agreement would also ensure that Call of Duty console games would be offered PlayStation on an equal footing with Xbox.” That contradicts Sony’s claim November last year, where it was claimed that Microsoft only plans to offer Activision games on PlayStation until 2027. In fact, Team Green sent a draft of the 10-year contract to Sony, but Sony refused to respond to the offer. That duration would also surpass the 2028 release window, allowing Call of Duty to thrive on Sony’s next-gen consoles. The US FTC (Federal Trade Commission) has asked for it temporarily block Microsoft and Activision Blizzard have yet to finalize their $69 billion deal until the agency’s internal court rules on whether the deal affects competition in the video game industry.
Furthermore, Microsoft has now admitted that it has been losing the “console wars” since 2001, since the launch of the first Xbox generation. For the uninitiated, “console wars” refer to the dispute between the biggest video game console makers – PlayStation, Xbox, and Nintendo – for market dominance, trying to outdo each other. “Xbox has lost the console wars and its competitors are able to continue to dominate, including by leveraging exclusive content,” Microsoft’s documents read. “The Xbox console consistently ranks third (out of three) in sales, behind PlayStation and Nintendo.” According to VGChartzthe Xbox Series S/X consoles have sold 21.3 million units since their launch, while the PS5 And Nintendo Switch have sold around 36 million units in this period – as of April 2023. With 36.2 million units sold, however, Nintendo is at the top by a slight margin.
A Kotaku report notes that Microsoft has now abandoned competition in the current console war and will instead focus on providing quality software. This can be done through games or even through the subscription service Xbox Game Pass, which the company continues to push with every opportunity that presents itself. The document goes on to stress that Xbox does not make a profit from console sales and is selling the systems at a loss, hoping to make up for lost revenue through “game and accessory sales.” The company recently increased the prices its flagship Xbox Series X Console in select regions and Game Pass subscription around the world.
In related news, the court hearing also found that Bethesda’s Indiana Jones GameOriginally planned as a cross-platform release, it would now be exclusive to Xbox and available personal computer only. The project was announced in 2021, just months after Microsoft acquired Parent company ZeniMax Media for US$7.5 billion (approx. Rs.61,532 billion). During the court hearing Bethesdas Publishing director Pete Hines announced that ZeniMax’s original agreement with Disney would have said that Indiana Jones Game on multiple consoles. However, when Microsoft acquired the former, Disney had “questions” about the console exclusivity. Minor changes were then made to the contract, making Indiana Jones exclusive to Xbox. Even arcane redfall was originally intended to appear on the PS5 as well, but plans were scrapped following the Bethesda acquisition.
