Microsoft has officially announced Project Helix, its next-generation Xbox console. While many specifics on what Project Helix will bring to the table have yet to be revealed, we know that it will play PC games, and will likely be able to access digital storefronts like Steam and the Epic Games Store. PlayStation has remained more secretive about the PlayStation 6, but considering the PS5’s sales success, a next-generation console from Sony is a matter of when, not if.
We’re now almost six years into the PS5 and Xbox Series X/S generation, and so it’s around this time that some people start to get antsy about next-generation consoles. Console generations have typically landed in the four-to-seven-year range (with some notable exceptions), and so it’s reasonable to assume that the next-gen systems will both release in 2027. Normally, I wouldn’t have a problem with this, but in the case of PS5 and Xbox Series X, I think seven years is way too early to move on to new devices.
The PS6 May Come Out Later Than You Think
A financial analyst explains why Sony may release the PlayStation 6 later than many earlier predictions suggested, disappointing fans.
The PS5 and Xbox Series X/S Had a Very Slow Start
The PlayStation 5 and Xbox Series X were released during the COVID-19 pandemic, which caused all kinds of supply chain issues. That, combined with ridiculously aggressive scalpers, caused the generation to effectively feel “delayed” for many. The consoles were out, but it took months if not years for them to be readily available and to start getting a steady stream of truly “next-gen” experiences.
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While there were next-gen exclusives at launch, the vast majority of games released for both PS5 and Xbox Series X/S for years were cross-gen releases. Even to this day, there are still cross-gen games being released, and in fact, Call of Duty remains a cross-gen game. The PS5 and Xbox Series X/S have been out for nearly six years at this point, and we still haven’t gotten a true, next-generation Call of Duty game. Considering this, maybe moving on to newer, beefier hardware that probably also won’t be taken proper advantage of for years isn’t a great idea.
GTA 6 is Going to Give This Generation a Shot in the Arm
Gamers have been waiting 13 years for Grand Theft Auto 6, and barring any more delays, the game will finally launch for PS5 and Xbox Series X/S on November 19. GTA 6 is a system-selling game, and it’s undoubtedly going to move units for both the PS5 and the Xbox Series X/S consoles. GTA 6 skipping a PC release at launch is going to play a big role in that, as anyone that wants to play the game on launch day will be required to own a PS5 or Xbox Series X/S.
Grand Theft Auto 6 is going to give a massive boost to the PS5 and Xbox Series X and convince millions more people to finally upgrade to the latest consoles if they haven’t already. It may also see a surge in people that already own a PS5 upgrading to a PS5 Pro. Think of the impact that Pokemon had on the Game Boy and extending its life, and that’s what I think we’ll see with GTA 6.
It would make more sense to target this influx of new people than shift focus to newer, more expensive hardware. Except what’s actually going to happen, which is way more frustrating, is that attention will be split. We’ll wind up with some next-gen games but a ton of cross-gen releases that keep the next generation from taking off like it should, just like we saw with the PS5 and Xbox Series X/S.
The World is on Fire
The great Jaden Smith once asked, “Can we talk about the political and economic state of the world right now?” It’s no secret that the economy isn’t the best, with gas prices soaring and the general cost of living having never really gotten back to its pre-COVID days. Most people are living paycheck to paycheck and aren’t going to be able to afford next-generation consoles. We have no idea what the next Xbox or the PS6 will cost, but considering how much the current hardware costs, it wouldn’t be shocking at all if they were in the $800 to $1,000 range.
One of the reasons why the seventh generation of gaming consoles was longer than the previous gens was because of the Great Recession in 2008. Economic uncertainty was a factor in prolonging the seventh generation of gaming consoles, and I think it would be appropriate for the current gen to follow suit, especially considering the likelihood that they will be some of the most expensive video game consoles ever when they finally release.
Nintendo is basically doing its own thing at this point, but there were five years between the GameCube and Wii, six years between the Wii and Wii U, five years between the Wii U and Switch, and eight years between the Switch and Switch 2.
Take PlayStation for instance. The PS1 released in North America in 1995, and five years later, the PlayStation 2 hit store shelves. There were six years between the PS2 and PS3, but then there were seven years between the PS3 and the PS4. As for Xbox, there was a mere four years between the release of the original Xbox and the Xbox 360, but a staggering eight years between the latter and the Xbox One. The PS4 and Xbox One were both around for seven years before the PS5 and Xbox Series X/S dropped, and while releasing the new consoles in 2027 would keep with that trend, it doesn’t seem necessary.
When Should the PS6 and Project Helix Release?
I think the earliest that the PS6 and Project Helix, or whatever they end up calling the next Xbox, should release is 2028. That being said, I wouldn’t be upset if they got pushed all the way back to 2030, and we had a full decade of PS6 and Xbox Series X/S. The latest consoles feel like they’ve barely scratched the surface of their potential. The PS5 released in 2020 and only has nine exclusives to its name at the time of this writing. The Xbox Series X has zero exclusives since all its games are also released on PC, but it barely has any console exclusives either.
While I would prefer the new consoles not release for at least another couple of years, it’s looking increasingly likely that Xbox’s Project Helix will drop in 2027. The PS6 may very well drop in 2027 as well, but there’s also a possibility that it releases in 2028, and we have a similar situation as we did when the PS3 launched a year after the Xbox 360. Whatever the case may be, if 2027 is indeed the release window planned for the next-generation consoles, expect to hear more details about them within the next year.
