Sony files trademarks for PlayStation 6, 7, 8, 9 and 10

Sony Interactive Entertainment clearly believes the power of PlayStation isn't waning as it files trademarks for no less than five future consoles.

Trademark applications have been submitted for PS6, PS7, PS8, PS9 and PS10 in Japan, Gematsu reports.

Naturally, this is not confirmation any of these machines will exist. Instead, it's likely trademark security to prevent anyone else snapping up these brands before PlayStation.

In fact, Sony has a history of future-proofing its console strategy this way. In 2006, the same year the PlayStation 3 was released, the platform holder trademarked both PlayStation 4 and 5 -- which is amusing when you consider the company refused to call it that until earlier this month.

Interestingly, the original PlayStation and PlayStation 2 were not trademarked until years after release. In fact, the first console was not trademarked until 2000 -- six years after release, and a year after PS2 was trademarked.

Obviously a lot will change in the games industry between now and any potential PlayStation 10, but it does at least suggest how far ahead Sony might be planning.

Given each PlayStation console has lasted between six and seven years before its successor arrived, that puts the PlayStation 10 on course for launch in 2050 at the earliest.