What PS5 "launch window" means for Ratchet & Clank: Rift Apart’s release
There may be a rift between when the PS5 and this game come out.
Between Spider-man: Miles Morales and Assassin's Creed: Valhalla, Sony's PlayStation 5 has got a launch prepared that would make a spaceship green with envy. But that might be expanding a bit more. At Gamescom's One Night Live presentation, Insomniac Games announced that Ratchet & Clank: Rift Apart would debut during the PS5's "launch window." Things are already a bit vague when we still have no idea when the PS5 will be releasing, so what exactly does this mean for Ratchet & Clank: Rift Apart's release date?
What does the PS5 "launch window" mean?
Ratchet & Clank: Rift Apart will supposedly be released during the PS5's "launch window," but it's fairly difficult to parse what that could mean. Does it mean that it will be out the same year as the PS5? Could it mean that it's out within a year of the PS5? Does it mean holiday 2020? Or does it mean the game will release once owners launch their PS5 into space, like a physical achievement rewarding the player for the act?
After this gameplay demo aired during Gamescom's Opening Night Live, developers confirmed the "launch window" release.
Our best guess is that it means the game will launch close to the PS5's release, but possibly not within the year. If it was intended to be closer, they would've likely referred to the game as releasing "Holiday 2020." It may also be the case that developers just aren't sure exactly when they'll be able to ship the game just yet. They may be hoping for it to be a launch title but aren't willing to say that when they aren't positive they can deliver.
When will the Ratchet & Clank: Rift Apart release date be announced?
While we didn't leave the presentation with a release date, there's evidence to suggest that we know when Sony might finally announce the release date.
The most comparable game for this would be Infamous: Second Son, a Sony exclusive that was released during the PlayStation 4's "launch window." Its release date of March 21, 2014 was announced on November 15, 2013 — the day that PS4 launched in North America.
Based on this precedent, Sony will probably announced the release date for Ratchet & Clank: Rift Apart will by the time the PS5 is released in North America, meaning we only have to wait a few more months.
When is the Ratchet and Clank: Rift Apart release date?
While we don't know the exact release date for Ratchet & Clank: Rift Apart, we can make some assumptions based on what happened with Infamous: Second Son. Sucker Punch's exclusive acted as a primer for 2014's array of exclusives, releasing shortly before the first fiscal quarter concluded on March 31.
Looking back on your robotic pal.
With this in mind, the Ratchet & Clank: Rift Apart release date will likely wind up falling in February or early March. For it to be released that long after the initial console release would give the PS5 a veneer of having regular exclusives. If Ratchet & Clank: Rift Apart is indeed a "launch window" game, it will be Sony's second flagship exclusive after Spider-Man: Miles Morales.
Both Spider-Man: Miles Morales and Ratchet & Clank: Rift Apart are being developed by Insomniac Games, so this gap might be helpful to the developer — even though there are probably independent teams working on each game at the studio.
Ratchet & Clank: Rift Apart will be released sometime during PS5's "launch window."
