Originally posted by: Sadaiyappan
I think sony is bankrupted out of putting out a next gen console as per usual time frame. Microsoft finally has gained some ground and is scared to go to next gen. And Nintendo has won this gen but may not win next gen so they want this gen to last as long as possible.
In reality, console manufacturers aren't looking to make another console just because. The goal is to compete, and try to get on top. This generation is far from over, as sales are low compared to last generation. Right now the competition is over new features and hardware accessories, something of which past consoles were not as capable.
Right now the battle is in profit and recouping past losses from console development and consoles sold at loss. The strategy has been add new features to stay ahead of the competitor, all while reducing component costs to bring a cheaper retail price to the consumer. Counting Nintendo as a different market segment is somewhat correct, because third party titles have fared terribly on the system, something which points to the fact that the core gamers aren't using the Wii for core gaming.
Nintendo is going to ride this generation as long as they stay relevant, which in the advent of multi-console homes, and the Wii user base is expanding by means other than the core market. This will continue, they've never even dropped the price. Major point for them, so a price drop might net more purchases.
Microsoft and Sony both have room to grow as price comes down, and more features are implemented. Both are already researching the next console, and next generation might just be a shorter generation than this one. Likely costs are going to be more standardized, Sony isn't investing in a CELL-like chip and Blu-ray is continually dropping in part costs. The big features are going to be there, and new ones they thought of in the mean time... but this generation will be around for awhile. Both don't want to rush out a system again, especially with missing features. Both are going to want the initial production cost to be lower, potentially lower than this generation (especially Sony), and neither are in fear of becoming irrelevant in this generation and have a great deal of room to grow. In prior generations, one competitor tends to start losing the edge, and realizes a new product is necessary.
One company tends to push the generation jump, and neither company is really in the position to do so, not only because of development cost, but also need to top the competitor. Both are doing that fine with software and hardware accessories. Again, Nintendo is in its own little world this generation, and will likely continue to do so until third party developers abandon the system, or sales ultimately near peak. They've been raking in profits by not dropping the price, so the latter definitely isn't imminent. Nintendo might cause the generation jump if they decide to get back into the core-gamer market, but they seem content to redefine their market rather than compete with two others for the typical market. And hell, why not? Their new style of market has a far wider market reach - my parents bought one. My parents, buying a video game console. My sister and her husband bought one, but non-gamers of the typical sort. It was a unique strategy, and it's working. They have no pressure to change that strategy. Might have lost some fans, but gained a lot of news one to replace them. In the end they care about numbers, not the fans that make up those numbers and their personal interests. If they need to change to meet the wants of numbers, it is because they need those sales. Nintendo isn't anywhere near that position.
