The "new" Next Generation.

[CMcK]

Microsoft would quite happily ditch the hardware side of the console business as long as their OS and development tools were being used by a platform holder like Sony. I'm sure they would be happy to get a royalty from every game sold without all the associated R&D, manufacturing, shipping, support and marketing costs for console.

[Brad]

Ahhhh, a one platform future where we all play together nicely with no fanboyish arguments. A dream scenario. Anyway, my Panasonic 3DO is better than your crappy Goldstar one.

[112]

Talking of next gen consoles, I was in New York a couple of weeks ago and one of the tour guides told me to go to the Sony centre as they had a PS4 on show there. I never actually made the trip, but was told it was a prototype. Ooo-eerr.......... Anyone know what it is?

112

[capcom_suicide]

Ahhhh, a one platform future where we all play together nicely with no fanboyish arguments. A dream scenario. Anyway, my Panasonic 3DO is better than your crappy Goldstar one.

Well I understand it sounds daft, but my experience of MS is that they are a software company and only develop hardware when they are forced too. (EG RoundTable camera getting shipped to Polycom, Windows Mobile 7 to HTC/Smasung/LG etc)

For me as a consumer, I am fantastically satisfied with XBL.

If I could purchase the XBL service and take "Games for Windows" to the next level, or hell even have a choice of hardware spec that is "Certfied for XBL" I would bite at it.

I honestly think Trip Hawkings vision is possible today, because the XBL ecosystem is capable of paying for it, and turning a profit.

But then I like to think out of the box! (Excuse the pun!)

A cloud gaming solution, where the consumer can choose hardware that is:

"XBL Standard" 720p 30fps Certified
"XBL Premium" 1080p 60fps Certified
"XBL Enthusiast" 1440p 60fps Certfied

Somone get me a job at MS! hahahaah

[wakka]

Except consumers have no idea what that stuff means. Screw that anyway, I have no interest in the console market turning into a fragmented bull**** fest of machines that run the same games but at different framerates and resolutions by a bunch of different companies. An end to end software and hardware solution most frequently provides the best experience in my view, despite its limitations (hence my use of Apple products).

You'd probably also get games able to run on some 'certified Xboxes' but not others because of their power demands.

[CMcK]

Talking of next gen consoles, I was in New York a couple of weeks ago and one of the tour guides told me to go to the Sony centre as they had a PS4 on show there. I never actually made the trip, but was told it was a prototype. Ooo-eerr.......... Anyone know what it is?

112

A fantasy. Just like the BBC showing the iPad 2 the other week.

The 3DO idea was a good one but it meant that the consoles had to be sold at a profit and people, whether they know it or not, have gotten used to relatively cheap console prices. Unless it's a Nintendo system.

IIRC early Xbox speculation was based around typical PC beige box assemblers like Dull and HP making a compliant system but with varying levels of hardware power on offer. A fractured user base isn't a great idea as Android phones already show. Remember the much talked about PS1.5? Not a good idea.

I think that the Wii and stuff like the iOS devices have shown that consumers like things that are easy to operate. And end to end solutions do often seem to be better thought out than generic hardware with third party OS on top.
Imagine if you went to buy a Blu-ray player and after buying the hardware you then had to chose which OS to run on it. Your average punter would be utterly bewildered.

[H-Man]

What do you guys think Nintendo's next home console will be spec/focus wise - still behind in tech and aiming for a more family market, or something comparable to MS and Sony's offerings?

[sj33]

I suspect Nintendo will continue to rely on established, mature components. This has been a very successful approach for them, they have little reason to change this. They would be wise to maintain backwards compatiblity with the Wii, so they will probably select compatible components.

[averybluemonkey]

Microsoft would quite happily ditch the hardware side of the console business as long as their OS and development tools were being used by a platform holder like Sony. I'm sure they would be happy to get a royalty from every game sold without all the associated R&D, manufacturing, shipping, support and marketing costs for console.

I heard the sole reason they entered the console domain was because Sony blocked the use of MS development tools and compilers on the Playstation line.

Me personally, I have no desire for a new hardware iteration. The curent spec.s allow developers a great deal of freedom and I'd rather see them spending their time on crafting new gameplay experiences as opposed to having yet another round of improving graphical fidelity.

[CMcK]

Microsoft entered the console business fearing that the PS2 would become the Trojn Horse for home computing and seriously dent sales of XP. Apparently they wanted to negotiate with Sony regarding PS2 using MS dev tools but Sony were uninterested.

[speedlolita]

What do you guys think Nintendo's next home console will be spec/focus wise - still behind in tech and aiming for a more family market, or something comparable to MS and Sony's offerings?

I think in future when you buy Nintendo's latest console you'll just get a ball in a cup..

It'll sell millions!

[sj33]

Regarding the original question, I don't think anyone has an appetite for a new console generation right now. Console manufacturers are just about getting on top of the costs of the current hardware, development costs have reached a point where publishers and developers really don't want to have to start again so soon, and consumers are perfectly happy with what they have.

It'll be interesting to see what affect the inevitable Wii successor will have. Assuming Nintendo are going to continue their trend of pioneering new ways to play, I find it difficult to imagine they'll simply release a WiiHD. But whatever they do, it could very well cause Sony and Microsoft to seriously look into new formats much sooner than either of them would like to.

[JSR]

Regarding the original question, I don't think anyone has an appetite for a new console generation right now.

I think this has much to do with the fact that nobody has really teased anything new about new consoles. If nobody had told us about the PSX or the Nintendo 64 back in the day, I'm sure the SNES could have enjoyed a couple years longer life span.

[CMcK]

True. The SNES had it's best years after the Saturn and PlayStation launched. And Sega were too quick to kill off support for the Genesis in the US depriving them of much needed income.
Buying into console late in it's lifespan is a wise move. The price of the system has dropped significantly by then and the back catalouge of games will be huge and reasonably priced.

[Team Andromeda]

True. The SNES had it's best years after the Saturn and PlayStation launched. And Sega were too quick to kill off support for the Genesis in the US depriving them of much needed income.

I don't agree To me the Best years of the SNES was very early in, thanks almost single-handedly to Konami and NCL who just pumped out the classics for the 1st couple of years (in was almost silly in Konami cases . In the latter years of the MD its enjoyed some fine software and true stunners, and games that just asked insane things of the Hardware

Regarding the original question, I don't think anyone has an appetite for a new console generation right now.

Not now, but at the end of next year and 2012 I'll be more than ready myself. I really think after Drakes III and Gears Of War III they'll not be much left in the PS3 or 360 to give .