Sony is gearing up for its next-generation home console and successor to the PlayStation 4, at least if you believe one analyst’s predictions.

Macquarie Capital Securities analyst Damian Thong (via Wall Street Journal) has predicted the launch of Sony’s “next-generation PlayStation by the second half of 2018.”

Of course, Sony has not confirmed this, and analysts aren’t always right. However, as the WSJ reporter noted on Twitter, this analyst accurately predicted the release of both the PS4 Slim and PS4 Pro. Definitely adds to his credibility.

So, what if he’s right?

If Thong is correct, and the PS5 is coming next year, we probably won’t hear about it for a while. Sony’s PS4 launched 9 months after its reveal, so we’re looking at a possible early 2018 reveal for a Fall/Holiday 2018 release.

This next-gen console would definitely be stepping in on the Project Scorpio hype Microsoft is building right now. It’s basically a revamped Xbox One, and it’s set to be more powerful than the PS4 Pro. The Scorpio will be able to play all Xbox One games and a slew of 360 games via backwards compatibility.

Project Scorpio is set to launch Holiday 2017 and will likely draw some sales away from the PS4 Pro during the holiday shopping season. If we see a PS5 reveal around Holiday, consumers might hold out on purchasing a remodeled Xbox console for a next-gen PlayStation the following year.

But how will the PS5 compete with the Scorpio, which can run all Xbox One and hundreds of 360 games? Will the PS5 be able to play all PS4 titles, as well as run at 4K and 60fps? Including backwards compatibility and souped up hardware in the next-gen console might just be enough to keep PlayStation on top in 2018.

Do you think a PS5 for 2018 would be smart for Sony? Let us know in the comments.