PS6

Sony will have started work internally on the PS6 within weeks of the PS5's release back in 2020, but only in the last few months has it — along with Microsoft and the next Xbox — begun talking about its plans publicly.

So far, we know that Sony is collaborating with AMD for the PS6's internals, and a handheld device is heavily rumoured to accompany the next-gen console. Meanwhile, the next Xbox console will expand Microsoft's vision by not locking it down to a single storefront, further leaning into the firm's "This Is an Xbox" messaging.

Given the recent talk surrounding the next generation, you might be thinking the PS6 is close to release. However, that's not the case.

In an interview from Tom's Guide with Mark Cerny, the lead PlayStation console architect explained that while AMD is "moving extremely quickly" on its graphics technology and upgrades in general, his plans are still a few years away from taking shape. "What I'm trying to do is prepare for the next generation of consoles, so my time-frame is multi-year here," he said.

Console generations tend to last roughly seven to eight years, before a new box releases and the old one receives less support. Sony has demonstrated this time frame in the past two generations, with the PS3 launching in 2006 and then being replaced by the PS4 in 2013. Then, the PS5 came along in 2020.

Should the same thing happen this generation, the PS6 will release in 2027. However, this has been far from a normal generation for any hardware manufacturer. The COVID-19 pandemic changed the world in the early days of the PS5, and console availability was heavily impacted by it. The system is now freely available, but hardware upgrades nowadays are more like PC part enhancements than the leap from the PS1 to the PS2.

Increasingly, new console generations have become about making the games you already play better — at least in the short term, with the true upgrades coming further down the line. We've just seen this with Death Stranding 2, which feels like a proper next-gen experience. Sony has found ways to make the PS5 feel fresh over the PS4 with its DualSense controller implementation and improved load times, and it'll need to do something similar with PS6 when it eventually arrives.

As it's explained by Mark Cerny, the PS6 is still a long way out, but that doesn't mean another graphical revolution is on its way. The PS6 will market itself on new features and enhancements, and potentially a handheld that goes alongside it.

When do you think the PS6 will release? Post your prediction in the comments below.

[source tomsguide.com]