The "new" Next Generation.

[Brad]

The difficulty of coding on multi-core means that just making the GPU more powerful and putting 6 Cell processors in a PS4 isn't going to give us 1080p @ 60 as the norm I fear. It's all down to the devs. I think what devs want more than anything is more RAM. Anyway, I don't want anything new for a while and certainly not another Wii.

[Shoju]

I'm be very interested to see what the next gen could do but I would like to see gameplay + graphics move forward. Much better AI for a start and far more interactive and atmospheric environments with better physics. I would also like to see a greater proportion of games at 60fps. I expect the next gen would aim to take advantage of next gen TV's though (3D, super high def etc) which might impact on the graphics/framerate in some ways.

I'm expecting the next xbox to turn up in late 2012 (which would be about the right time), the next Wii sooner than that but the PS4 I'm not sure about. Seems like they took a long time to turn things around with the PS3 and wouldn't be in any hurry to move forward but would they wanna give Microsoft a head start again?

[mekanor]

No way do we need a new generation of consoles. I play a lot of pc games, and did towards the end of last generation too. The difference then between something like half life 2 and anything on the cube or xbox was substantial.

Now, I look at something like Crysis, currently the best looking game around (and its nearly 3 years old ) and whilst it certainly looks better than anything on a console, there's not the gaping chasm there was at the end of last gen.

in short, if consoles aren't powerful enough for you, get the game on the pc and run it at a higher framerate/resolution.

[Flabio]

We're reaching a point of diminishing returns with graphics hardware now, even the top end PC cards are really just the same tech running a bit faster and with more memory. Lack of memory is probably more the reason the consoles are looking a bit dated compared to the PC than anything else.

Anything a company might build right now, at least as a traditional console iteration, would just be 'more of the same'.

I get the feeling everyone is waiting for a generational shift of some sort. Something genuinely new that justifies the expense of building new hardware.

As gamers we'd love to see 1080p at 60fps become the norm, but for the vast majority of the people that buy the consoles the difference wouldn't justify the hike in the hardware price. Look at Blu-Ray. If you've got the gear it's pretty sweet, but to a lot of people it isn't enough of a leap over DVD to justify the financial outlay on the tech.

[Brats]

I think the success of the Wii shows that now a new feature or way to interact with games (some might say gimmick) is as important, if not more so, than just more raw grunt.

So it's possible we'll only see true next gen consoles when someone comes up with new feature to sell/exploit that is not possible with the current consoles (VR, mind control, smell-o-vision). If we see a Wii HD, it'll just be an interation not a whole new machine, like the DS to DSi. I doubt it will even be as powerful as the PS3.

[Malc]

Often games are dropping FPS, install times are becoming an issue, low res textures and worst of all, artistic direction is being capped by technical performance. (according to Crytek)

Surely Crytek are the last developer who can talk about artistic direction in relation to technical performance. They had all the tech they could dream of a few years ago, and they still managed to produce a rather bland and generic looking video game (artistically).

I believe that we can still see a fair amount of performance out of both the 360 and PS3, but it's certainly reached the stage of incremental improvements. The PS3 could be pushed a little more than the 360, but it requires such intricate knowledge and trial and error with the software working with the hardware, that a developer would have to devote a significant amount of resources to it, which isn't really worth it when the 360 version of multi-platform games always seems to outsell PS3 copies. Then it's down to first party developers for each console, and you can see the difference between Uncharted 2 and Gears of War 2, or whichever games you would like to say looks the most technically impressive for each system...

But hey, I'm just glad I don't have to shell out a lot of money every few years just to play the latest games.

[Team Andromeda]

I think after GOW III the 360 will have nothing left to give. So I'm hoping and expecting a 360 II for late 2012 or early 2013.

[Brad]

I think Sony will be more than happy to give MS a head start again. They've almost caught up on hardware sales now. The graphical quality leap between what a PS3 is doing now and what a new Xbox would do at launch will be nothing compared to the jump from PS2->PS3 or Xbox->360 will it? How would MS sell anyone an XBox 720 at this stage?

Come to think of it, how would Nintendo sell anyone a Wii 2? Current Wii owners must fall broadly into 2 camps I reckon:

1. Non-gamers that bought into the hype and now have the Wii in the loft
2. Gamers that bought a Wii hoping for Nintendo exclusive goodness

Those in camp 1 won't get fooled again. Those in camp 2 *might* be happy with what Nintendo have delivered over the last few years but I'm betting a larger proportion are unhappy with the general shovelware on the system so will those in camp 2 buy an HD Wii?

EDIT: My Wii analysis is based on gut feeling, I have no facts or figures to back any of my musings up!

[kernow]

2012 for a new Nintendo console apparently according to Reggie.

I hope next generation isn't all this waggly hand crap, give me a pad any day.

[charlesr]

Man, no way. We've had 5 years and I could happily have another 5 years at this level of gfx and power. Hopefully the devs have got their engines sorted now so that cycle times will be smaller and they can spend more time making the games good.

[Brats]

Come to think of it, how would Nintendo sell anyone a Wii 2? Current Wii owners must fall broadly into 2 camps I reckon:

1. Non-gamers that bought into the hype and now have the Wii in the loft
2. Gamers that bought a Wii hoping for Nintendo exclusive goodness

Those in camp 1 won't get fooled again. Those in camp 2 *might* be happy with what Nintendo have delivered over the last few years but I'm betting a larger proportion are unhappy with the general shovelware on the system so will those in camp 2 buy an HD Wii?

EDIT: My Wii analysis is based on gut feeling, I have no facts or figures to back any of my musings up!

I think the broadest category of Wii owners are those non-gamers who bought the system and still use it. The attach rate of the Wii is higher than the PS3 and the consistently strong sales of titles like Just Dance show that lots of people are still buying Wii games (and therefore playing them).

Having said that, I agree that a Wii 2 or a Wii HD has very little appeal to that demographic, but not because they have been burnt, but because HD isn't a big selling point to upgrade and they are happy with the existing system. If Nintendo bring out a Wii HD, it will be to ensure that sales don't get lost to Kinect or Move. It won't be a powerhouse unit, just an incremental upgrade, and it'll still be cheap.

When Nintendo do come out with their next proper home machine, it will offer something new - either the Wii concept taken to amazing new heights or something completely new - like the 3DS.

[ShadowDancer]

I'm awaiting the 3DS, modern gaming on the HD, I'm happy to dabble now, I get more excited in 'retro' As I said though...can't wait to have a 3DS.

[Neil]

Are you crazy?

I'm still collecting PCE, Dreamcast, Saturn and Arcade!
The current gen works fine for Singstar so what more could I possibly want

[mikewl]

Life is short so these long console life cycles to me are becoming too long, 5 years and a console should be on its last legs, at the rate things are going I probably won't live past the next three xbox and Playstations, I say bring em on quicker, I wan't to see as much advancements in gaming as possible in my lifetime.

[Brad]

I think the broadest category of Wii owners are those non-gamers who bought the system and still use it. The attach rate of the Wii is higher than the PS3 and the consistently strong sales of titles like Just Dance show that lots of people are still buying Wii games (and therefore playing them).

Having said that, I agree that a Wii 2 or a Wii HD has very little appeal to that demographic, but not because they have been burnt, but because HD isn't a big selling point to upgrade and they are happy with the existing system. If Nintendo bring out a Wii HD, it will be to ensure that sales don't get lost to Kinect or Move. It won't be a powerhouse unit, just an incremental upgrade, and it'll still be cheap.

When Nintendo do come out with their next proper home machine, it will offer something new - either the Wii concept taken to amazing new heights or something completely new - like the 3DS.

I see what you're saying. As I said, my thoughts were based solely on gamers and casuals/non-gamers that I personally know rather than hard figures. That said, last time I checked the Wii had the lowest attach of the three current consoles. Aside from just Dance though Wii software sales are dominated by Nintendo still. How much support from 3rd parties would a new Wii get? An HD Wii could probably receive ports of 3rd party PS Move titles I suppose.