September 24, 2026
Sony and Microsoft haven't dated their next consoles yet, but the list of games heading for PS6 and Xbox Project Helix is growing: Fallout 5, The Elder Scrolls 6, Intergalactic, The Witcher 4, Mass Effect 5 and a next-gen GTA 6. Here is where each one stands.
Neither Sony nor Microsoft has put a price or a date on its next console yet, but the line-up for the PlayStation 6 and the next Xbox — known for now as Project Helix — is already taking shape. Sony is widely expected to launch its new hardware in the 2027–2028 window, and a growing list of big games is so far away, or so ambitious, that it is hard to picture them running on anything else.
A word of caution first: none of the games below has been officially announced as a PS6 or next-gen Xbox title. What they share is a development timeline that points beyond the current generation. Some are years from release; others will arrive on PS5 and Xbox Series X|S first and almost certainly get an upgraded version later.
Next-gen hardware: PS6 and Xbox Project Helix, expected around 2027–2028
Almost certainly next-gen only: Fallout 5, The Elder Scrolls 6, Mass Effect 5, Star Wars: Fate of the Old Republic
Could land on either generation: Intergalactic, The Witcher 4, Divinity, Dead Island 3, Star Wars Jedi 3
Current gen first, next-gen edition later: GTA 6
The watch list
| Game | Studio | Where it stands | Earliest likely window |
|---|---|---|---|
| Fallout 5 | Bethesda | Pre-production | After TES6 |
| The Elder Scrolls 6 | Bethesda | "On schedule", no date | 2028 or later |
| Intergalactic: The Heretic Prophet | Naughty Dog | In development, no date | Mid-2027 or later |
| The Witcher 4 | CD Projekt Red | Tech demo shown | Late 2027 at the earliest (rumoured) |
| Divinity | Larian Studios | Animated reveal only | Early access 2027 (speculated) |
| Dead Island 3 | Dambuster Studios | Confirmed in development | Early 2028 (rumoured) |
| Star Wars Jedi 3 | Respawn | In active development | Late 2027 or later (speculated) |
| Mass Effect 5 | BioWare | Early development | 2028–2029 (rumoured) |
| Star Wars: Fate of the Old Republic | — | Announced, no date | Sooner than 2030 |
| GTA 6 (next-gen edition) | Rockstar Games | Base game out 19 Nov 2026 | After the new consoles launch |
Bethesda: Fallout 5 and The Elder Scrolls 6
Bethesda recently laid out its roadmap in a long social media post — timed, critics noted, to coincide with another round of layoffs at Microsoft. The headlines: Starfield will keep receiving support, The Elder Scrolls 6 is "on schedule" (without saying what that schedule is), and Fallout 5 has entered pre-production.
Because full work on Fallout 5 only ramps up once TES6 is finished, both games are almost certain to arrive after the new consoles. Fallout 5 in particular is a natural PS6 and Project Helix release — and given how inconsistently Microsoft now treats exclusivity, it is not even clear whether it will be Xbox-only. Bethesda also confirmed that Obsidian is working on another Fallout game, while remakes of Fallout 3 and Fallout: New Vegas are expected much sooner, on current hardware.
Sony: Intergalactic might skip the PS5
Intergalactic: The Heretic Prophet is Naughty Dog's first new series since The Last of Us, and expectations are enormous. It is not expected before mid-2027, and Sony has not given it a date. It could still squeeze in at the end of the PS5's life, but Naughty Dog has already remastered and re-released both Last of Us games — so even a PS5 launch would very likely be followed by a PS6 upgrade.
GTA 6 launches on PS5 and Xbox Series X|S on 19 November, but Rockstar's history suggests it will not stop there. GTA V appeared on three console generations, and its later editions added a first-person mode and character transfers. Expect a next-gen version of GTA 6 with sharper visuals, faster loading and possibly new features once the PS6 and Project Helix are on shelves.
The Witcher 4, Divinity and Dead Island 3
The Witcher 4 puts Ciri in the lead, and CD Projekt Red's Unreal Engine 5 tech demo has already shown how much visual detail the studio is aiming for. Early hopes of a 2026 release have faded; the latest rumours point to late 2027 at the earliest, which puts it right on the generational border. Even if it arrives on current consoles first, an enhanced next-gen version looks close to guaranteed.
After Baldur's Gate 3, Larian has returned to its own Divinity series. So far only an animated trailer exists and there is no release window. The studio usually launches in early access, and speculation points to an early-access build in 2027, with the full game well beyond that.
Dead Island 3 is officially in the works at Dambuster Studios, with rumours pointing to early 2028. After the ten-year wait for Dead Island 2, a much shorter gap would put the sequel right at the start of the new console cycle.
Electronic Arts: Jedi 3 and Mass Effect 5
EA has shifted much of its focus to multiplayer, but the Star Wars Jedi series is a notable exception. Both Fallen Order and Survivor sold strongly, and Respawn is continuing work on the third game — the expected finale of Cal Kestis's story — despite recent layoffs. Speculation points to late 2027 or beyond.
At BioWare, Mass Effect 5 is still in early development, with rumours of a 2028–2029 window. After the mixed reception of Dragon Age: The Veilguard, the studio has plenty of reason to take its time — and a release on next-generation hardware is practically a given.
Star Wars: Fate of the Old Republic
Earlier rumours suggested Fate of the Old Republic might not arrive until 2030; the developers have since said it should come sooner than that. For a large-scale RPG with a long development cycle, a current-generation-only release is hard to imagine. It is the spiritual successor fans of Knights of the Old Republic have waited two decades for, and it is almost certain to arrive after the new consoles launch.
Every game on this list is real and in development, but no publisher has yet officially named a PlayStation 6 or Project Helix platform. Most of the release windows above are rumours or estimates. Treat this as a list of the strongest candidates for next-gen, not as an official launch line-up.
The next generation will not be short of big names. Bethesda's two flagship RPGs, BioWare's Mass Effect and a new Old Republic game are all far enough away to be next-gen from day one. Intergalactic, The Witcher 4 and Divinity sit on the border, and GTA 6 is almost certain to get a second, upgraded release. There is no need to hold off on a PS5 or Xbox Series X|S — but anyone planning to upgrade in 2027–2028 will have plenty to play.
Release windows marked as rumoured or speculated have not been confirmed by the publishers and may change.
