Are we EVER going to get new consoles?

[BD2003]

Im not quite sure why this generation of consoles seems to be lasting so long. Normally after 5 years a new breed is released, and after 3-4 years you start hearing rumblings about the next gen.

But this time around, nothing. Not a peep about the next console from MS, Sony or Nintendo, so it seems unlikely there will be anything released until 2012 at the earliest. By that point the 360 will be seven years old.

I guess the Wii with its crap hardware proved that low-end hardware can still move units, so no one seems to be in a rush to beat the other guy's technology. It's a shame really, because it's all getting so stagnant. I'm totally ready for new consoles, because this gen is getting real long in the tooth. And since the consoles have practically buried PCs, it no longer makes much sense to keep up with PC hardware.

I personally wouldnt mind dropping another $400 to take it to the next level. Its too bad they couldnt have at least built some upgradeability into these consoles so we could keep up with the times, but it looks like it'll be plasticky unreal engine 720p 30fps for the forseeable future.

 

[smackababy]

Sony already stated the expect a 10 year life span on the PS3. I don't expect MS to step it up and produce a new console when they are already competing. Last thing either company wants is a Dreamcast. Lets not forget PS2s are still selling for $99 a pop, why bother making them more obsolete?

 

[Tom]

The Wii has the best gaming hardware of this generation. There will most likely be a new generation console from Nintendo with hi def output.

MS and Sony are both just repackaging the current generation, a key indicator they don't have plans for a new console. And there's little incentive to develop one.

 

[Narmer]

Sony already stated the expect a 10 year life span on the PS3. I don't expect MS to step it up and produce a new console when they are already competing. Last thing either company wants is a Dreamcast. Lets not forget PS2s are still selling for $99 a pop, why bother making them more obsolete?

They said the same thing about the PS1 but that continued to sell until 2005, 5 years after the PS2 and one year before the PS3...

 

[dougp]

]The Wii has the best gaming hardware of this generation.[/B] There will most likely be a new generation console from Nintendo with hi def output.

MS and Sony are both just repackaging the current generation, a key indicator they don't have plans for a new console. And there's little incentive to develop one.

Wait ... what?

 

[ZimZum]

R&D costs have gone up which means longer times between generations to recoup those costs especially with the hardware loss leader strategy that MS and Sony both employ. Sony Gaming is still losing money hand over fist 3 years after the PS3 launch. Microsoft Gaming division has only just had its 2nd profitable year.

 

[murphy55d]

The Wii has the best gaming hardware of this generation. There will most likely be a new generation console from Nintendo with hi def output.

MS and Sony are both just repackaging the current generation, a key indicator they don't have plans for a new console. And there's little incentive to develop one.

Define "best gaming hardware". I'm not sure what you're referring to, if you are saying the Wii has the best of it.

 

[Zargon]

MS has been clear about the xbox roadmap for quite some time

 

[phreaqe]

Define "best gaming hardware". I'm not sure what you're referring to, if you are saying the Wii has the best of it.

there is more to hardware then the GPU and CPU. What murphy is saying is that the Wii has the best hardware because it had the most radical and innovative design and all the others are now playing copycat.

 

[BD2003]

MS has been clear about the xbox roadmap for quite some time

Please enlighten us then? I'm not seeing any sort of clarity. All I'm seeing is this ridiculous kinect stuff, which is going to be a failure of virtual boy like proportions. It doesn't seem like they have a plan B.

Nintendo seems to have shaken things up to the point that everyone is waiting for them to make the first move.

 

[bl4ckfl4g]

It doesn't seem like anything needs to be released yet except for Wii HD for those that care.

 

[purbeast0]

there is more to hardware then the GPU and CPU. What murphy is saying is that the Wii has the best hardware because it had the most radical and innovative design and all the others are now playing copycat.

after extensive useage of the wii and ps3 and xbox 360, im going to have to disagree about it being the best hardware.

sure maybe it was radical and innovative, but in reality it isn't nearly as accurate and useful as it's conception.

 

[BD2003]

It doesn't seem like anything needs to be released yet except for Wii HD for those that care.

Well that's the thing. No console ever NEEDED to be released. But with that mindset, we'd still be playing 8-bit games.

We're certainly not up to photorealistic graphics yet, and resolution and frame rate could both stand to be improved even on today's games. Not to mention I'd like to see load times eradicated for good.

Open world games in particular are struggling on this gen of consoles. They simply need more memory, faster I/O, more stable frame rates etc.

There's plenty of room for improvement...5 years is enough already.

 

[bl4ckfl4g]

Well that's the thing. No console ever NEEDED to be released. But with that mindset, we'd still be playing 8-bit games.

We're certainly not up to photorealistic graphics yet, and resolution and frame rate could both stand to be improved even on today's games. Not to mention I'd like to see load times eradicated for good.

Open world games in particular are struggling on this gen of consoles. They simply need more memory, faster I/O, more stable frame rates etc.

There's plenty of room for improvement...5 years is enough already.

Nah we can go 5 more.

 

[BD2003]

But why would you want to?

 

[bl4ckfl4g]

But why would you want to?

I don't know. I have every console so I'm sure I'd buy it but the graphics still look good to me. I don't want photorealistic graphics anyway. The worst thing I noticed was a lot of screentearing in Mafia 2 demo but I probably wouldn't buy it anyway. I always quit open world games like 5% in.

So if they released one, I'd buy it but I'm not wanting a new gen to start yet.

 

[FeathersMcGraw]

But why would you want to?

For one thing, getting really close to photorealism without actually achieving it is actually worse than not getting there at all.

There's a pretty substantial cost involved in a new cycle of hardware and software, and all of the things you cite (graphics, framerate, load times) are acceptable to me in the current generation without paying for what would likely be a diminishing set of returns.

 

[Zargon]

Please enlighten us then? I'm not seeing any sort of clarity. All I'm seeing is this ridiculous kinect stuff, which is going to be a failure of virtual boy like proportions. It doesn't seem like they have a plan B.

Nintendo seems to have shaken things up to the point that everyone is waiting for them to make the first move.

they said about 2 years ago it would be 5-6 years before they made another console.

this year they said ~4 more years, and reiterated that when the new 360 S came out.

they expected 10 years from the 360, they have been preaching it for almost the entire lifespan of the 360.

 

[Kabob]

they said about 2 years ago it would be 5-6 years before they made another console.

this year they said ~4 more years, and reiterated that when the new 360 S came out.

they expected 10 years from the 360, they have been preaching it for almost the entire lifespan of the 360.

Yeah, I expect around 2013-2014 they'll release the successor to the 360, and I'm perfectly fine with that.

 

[mmntech]

The Wii has the best gaming hardware of this generation. There will most likely be a new generation console from Nintendo with hi def output.

MS and Sony are both just repackaging the current generation, a key indicator they don't have plans for a new console. And there's little incentive to develop one.

Did I read that right or do I need new glasses?

You can't argue with the Wii's motion control. But, based on what you said about repackaging, the Wii is just an overclocked Gamecube.

The PS3 is still the best hardware wise with it's Blu-ray and Cell. The 360 isn't that far behind it though, as it has a better GPU.

I expect a 2012 to 2014 release date for the next generation. PC has been moving a lot more slowly this time around and we're not seeing image quality and complexity of games increasing by huge leaps and bounds anymore.

 

[chedrz]

A lot of things need to be figured out before we get new consoles. Media delivery is one area that will be interesting. Will Microsoft move from DVD to Blu-Ray, or will they develop a proprietary storage format? Will MS and Sony ditch physical media altogether? How do they package a controller that will appeal to mainstream & casual gamers? Who adds 3D support? Does Sony stick with Cell and not change much since programmers are finally figuring out how to best write code for it?

For a decent amount of time before the PS3 and Xbox 360 were released, those interested had at least some idea what sort of hardware was going to be powering them. We've really heard nothing so far, so there's no need to get too excited about the possibility of new consoles any time soon. And yes, as others have pointed out, Sony and MS both said initially that this generation of consoles would last 10 years. I and many others may not have bought into that idea then, but is there really any need to push out new hardware yet?

 

[Malak]

The Wii has the best gaming hardware of this generation. There will most likely be a new generation console from Nintendo with hi def output.

Ok now I'm convinced you are just a troll. Not even a fanboy would say something that stupid.

 

[lord_emperor]

Current consoles are already really powerful, we're no longer in the age where a new console means upgrading from 8-bit to 16-bit to 64-bit architectures and adding 1000x more RAM.

I mean, imagine the RROD problems if the XBOX-1080 contained a 12-core Intel CPU and quad-SLI GTX460 but ignorant users keep locking it in an air-tight glass cabinet.

 

[bunnyfubbles]

after extensive useage of the wii and ps3 and xbox 360, im going to have to disagree about it being the best hardware.

sure maybe it was radical and innovative, but in reality it isn't nearly as accurate and useful as it's conception.

We get it, after how many years its obvious that you don't care for the Wii, that doesn't change the fact that its the market leader by a long shot, and that the other consoles have since attempted to copy the Wii's innovation.

It doesn't matter whether or not it works or works well, what matters is that it sells consoles and games.

The world doesn't revolve around you.

 

[bunnyfubbles]

Ok now I'm convinced you are just a troll. Not even a fanboy would say something that stupid.

he never said it was the fastest/most powerful hardware, just the best gaming hardware...