Activision’s Destiny timeline reveals Xbox 720 and PS4 launch dates

The transition between Xbox 360 and Xbox 720 will take place between 2013 and 2015, Activision anticipates.

It does not expect to make titles for PS4 until 2016, however.

As revealed by court documents detailing the publishing deal between Activision and Bungie, the title known as Destiny Games #1 IS being developed for both Xbox 360 and Xbox 720. It has a release date of autumn 2013.

The documents describe the game as being compatible” with both machines, though it is unclear whether this means a single SKU (therefore confirming backwards compatibility for Xbox 720) or two different SKUs.

Autumn 2014 release Comet #1 is also being developed for both machines – a fact that suggests Microsoft will continue to support Xbox 360 after the launch of its successor in the way that it famously did not support the original Xbox once 360 arrived.

However, Activision doesn’t anticipate releasing a PS4 title – specifically, Comet #2 – until 2016. Before that it says it only plans to release Destiny #1 (2013), Comet#1 (2014) and Destiny #2 (2015) on PS3.

Furthermore, Destiny #1 won’t arrive on PS3 until 2014 – a year later than it hits Xbox 360 and Xbox 720.

In fact, the very existence of a PS3 version of the game is far from certain. The pair were scheduled to make a decision on this SKU by January 31st 2011 depending on the perceived commercial desirability of the PS3 SKU”.

Why a PS3 SKU would be ‘commercially undesirable’ is up for question. Could PS4 arrive earlier than Activision anticipates, thus quashing PS3 demand? Or does it think that the launch of Xbox 720 will knock the PS3 market?