Forget PS5 release date, Xbox One X and Nintendo Switch face this new rival
WHILE THE PS5 release date will start looming for some of Sony’s biggest rivals, the likes of the Nintendo Switch, PS4 Pro and Xbox One X will face another console rival too.
The PS5 release date looks set to be the next big challenge for the current crop of consoles on the market.
While Microsoft’s Xbox One X just launched and Nintendo’s Switch is now firmly established, neither seem likely to catch up with the PS4 and PS4 Pro.
Sony have already sold over 65 million units and while both new consoles look set to sell well in the coming months, they probably only have a few years before the next big generation shift arrives.
And the actual announcement date is still very much up for debate.
There are those that predict Sony to announce the PS5 in 2018, while others believe we won’t see anything arrive until 2020.
This is based on several ideas, which include how the 4K market will affect hardware moving forward.
Those who back the 2020 date believe that Sony can keep selling PS4 Pros until they are ready to sell their next gaming machine.
This will provide ample time for the 4K TV market to mature and provide the main hardware leaders another big selling point to fans.
Like with the PS2, something like a 4K Blu Ray may sound pretty enticing for those who have upgraded to a fancy new telly.
But there are other market leaders that believe 2019 will be the year we will see the next PlayStation console arrive.
And not only the PS5, but whatever will lead on from the Xbox One and Xbox One X.
While Microsoft haven’t been the leaders of this console generation, they’re Xbox Live ecosystem has been providing plenty of profits for the company.
And Ubisoft CEO Yves Guillemot has said that they believes the PS5 release date is a “minimum of two years away”.
This would mean the PlayStation 5 could come out in 2019 at the earliest, giving the PS4 a lifespan of six years.
Guillemot also said he believes the next Xbox will also come out at the same time as the PS5.
"As Sony launched PlayStation 4 Pro last year and Microsoft Xbox One X this year, we think we still have a minimum of two years in front of us before something new is coming,” he said during an earnings report.
"But that's our perception, we don't have any confidential information on that front."
As mentioned above, these are only predictions being made by Ubisoft, who have not been made privy to any special information.
This would give the PS4 Pro, Xbox One X and Nintendo Switch plenty of time to keep building impressive sales numbers before seeing any real pressure.
It’s also pretty good news for the Switch by itself, as it won’t be left behind significantly in the hardware department in the near future.
But after their current lifespans, it seems likely that both the PS4 and Xbox One would see significant reductions in sales with the announcement of a new generational shift.
There’s also the chance that one games giant will look to get the jump on the other when it comes to an early release, meaning something sooner could always pop up.