WTF? Next Gen-Gen so soon?

[chicnstu]

So what's more mature, Nintendo's commitment to making all-age appealing games and original console names, or people's suggestions that their next console should be called "Nutz" or "Wii Wii"?

[Buyatari]

Wii Wii

WE HAVE A WEINNER !!!

[gum_drops]

Wii Wii

[j_factor]

I think we'll see a new Xbox in 2010. If the 360 keeps slipping, Microsoft may look back and decide that one of the few things they really did right was coming out before their competitors. Also, coming out in 2010 would still be 1 year longer than the amount of time between the original Xbox and 360.

Nintendo's next console should come out in 2011. Nintendo now has a pretty consistent pattern of 5 years between consoles. The Wii may be more passé than the others, but it's also the most successful, and I think those two factors will cancel each other out.

Sony's the hardest to predict, but I still say 2011. They're not going to want to come last by a year. The PS4 coming out in 2011 doesn't really negate their supposed "ten year plan" for the PS3 either.

I also predict that all three consoles will be fairly similar. They'll all have Wii-style controllers (not exactly the same, but along the same lines), they'll all have similar online structures, they'll be close in terms of power, and about the same price point.

[tomaitheous]

I'm wondering how consoles are going to fair against PCs with such a long generation cycle. I mean, more and more PC style games are generating the revenue for consoles nowadays (first and 3rd person shooters). Consoles are usually hurting in the visual department by their 4th and 5th year. I can only see this getting worse as generation continue.

[Zap!]

So what's more mature, Nintendo's commitment to making all-age appealing games and original console names, or people's suggestions that their next console should be called "Nutz" or "Wii Wii"?

For some reason, lots of the mature, older hardcore gamers hate the Wii and Nintendo. As a gamer since the 70's myself, I am pro-Nintendo BECAUSE Nintendo has been making games since I started playing, and is not some new kid on the block. I don't understand why anyone 25 and up would not be supportive of the Wii, and Nintendo in general.

[exit]

I don't understand why there's such a rush for a next gen, the PSX and PS2 have proved that consoles can last a decade until they reach their full potential. I remember when the 360 and PS3 were just released, people were already talking about the next XBOX and PS4, I really don't understand what the rush is other than giving Microsoft, Sony and the big N more of our money.

[Buyatari]

I don't understand why there's such a rush for a next gen, the PSX and PS2 have proved that consoles can last a decade until they reach their full potential. I remember when the 360 and PS3 were just released, people were already talking about the next XBOX and PS4, I really don't understand what the rush is other than giving Microsoft, Sony and the big N more of our money.

They make very little if anything off of hardware sales. The rush with Sony, Microsoft and Nintendo is Sony, Microsoft and Nintendo. The market rarely has room for 3. Once we are down to 2 then I think you will see more time between systems and if it ever falls to 1 then you will see even longer times between systems.

[Buyatari]

For some reason, lots of the mature, older hardcore gamers hate the Wii and Nintendo. As a gamer since the 70's myself, I am pro-Nintendo BECAUSE Nintendo has been making games since I started playing, and is not some new kid on the block. I don't understand why anyone 25 and up would not be supportive of the Wii, and Nintendo in general.

They don't hate it they just consider it a toy. Great interactive toy if that is what you are into but not the system they would pick after they have honed their skills for years on sports,shooters or fighting games.

[SegaAges]

They don't hate it they just consider it a toy. Great interactive toy if that is what you are into but not the system they would pick after they have honed their skills for years on sports,shooters or fighting games.

Very true.

Kinda like a bunch of Maxis games that come out where they are not considered games, but toys/tools.

[Zap!]

They don't hate it they just consider it a toy. Great interactive toy if that is what you are into but not the system they would pick after they have honed their skills for years on sports,shooters or fighting games.

I guess I'm the exception, because I've been playing games since the 70's and love the Wii. Since I play a lot of classics, graphics aren't really important to me, so the Wii is fine there to me.

[alexkidd2000]

I think all 3 companies are going to hold onto this generation longer then in the past. There is so much money lost at first they need to milk the latter years. To get a huge upgrade in graphics over PS3 and 360 would take another very expensive system. My prediciton is

Xbox 360 replacement - Late 2011
Ps3 replacement - Late 2012 (Unless they do not want Micosoft to have another head start)
Wii replacement - Late 2011
DS/PSP replacement - 2011-2012
Sega's top secret console - 2010 heh.

[skaar]

You don't want change?

I do actually. I don't mind new generations of consoles coming faster and faster - it's bound to happen eventually.

It was just a lame election joke

[Zap!]

Sega's top secret console - 2010 heh.

We can always dream...

[Rob2600]

the PSX and PS2 have proved that consoles can last a decade until they reach their full potential.

What games were released for the PS after 2002 that really showed off its full potential? What games were released for the PS2 after 2007 that really showed off its full potential?

I'm not being sarcastic, I'm just curious.

[The 1 2 P]

There is so much money lost at first they need to milk the latter years.

The Wii has been making money hand over fist since the first one was sold. Nintendo doesn't like being a lost leader on their initial batch of systems within the first few years(like Sony and Microsoft). Instead they realize that the best way to run their hardware business is to start making money asap and thats exactly what they do. Having said that, I think they will upgrade the Wii first(2009-2010) before actually coming out with a full blown next gen system.

[Rob2600]

I think they will upgrade the Wii first(2009-2010) before actually coming out with a full blown next gen system.

That's what Atari did with its 8-bit computer line throughout the 1980s...slight performance upgrades every couple of years. That business model seemed to work for a while.

Actually, all computer companies follow that model, right? There's no such thing as a "next gen" computer. Every few months, companies release slightly faster computers. It's an evolution.

However, waiting five years and releasing a brand new game console from scratch has a bigger "wow" factor.


Which model do you prefer, the "slight performance upgrades every three years" or the "major overhaul every five years?"

[PapaStu]

Which model do you prefer, the "slight performance upgrades every three years" or the "major overhaul every five years?"

Thats what Nintendo has done with their handhelds for quite a long time. GB>GB Pocket>GBC
GBA>GBAsp>Micro>GBAsp2
DS>DS Lite>DSi

Small steps create additional revenue streams while R&D recoups previous costs and preps for the next big thing.

[CosmicMonkey]

I really don't think we need to see any sort of next gen for a long while yet. The PlayStation 2 is still selling in huge quantities and the vast majority haven't even got an HD TV yet to fully experience the PS3 or 360.

It's all very well creating all this super high tech shit, but if no one's got the money to pay for it then you're not selling it.

I hope it's a good 4 or 5 years at least until we're counting down to the launch of anything new from Sony or M$. I'd really like to see the PlayStation 3 pushed to it's limits and see what wonders the machine really can produce. I've also had quite enough of rumor, speculation, photoshop fakes and "Mr. Blurry spy shots" for the moment.