There will be a next-gen console war of PS4, xbox720, and Wii 2. 

At least that is what they all say, but if you think about it, this is just a typical,  poor attempt at describing the future as an exaggerated version of present.

We had seven console generations, and only two of them were made of a Microsoft-Sony-Nintendo triumvirate. 

My questions:

1. Do you expect any new company to enter the "console wars"?

2. Do you expect any current competitor,  to totally withdraw from the next generation?

Edit: 

3. Do you expect any major change in the companies approach, reception, and position?

Next gen will by Nintendo - Microsoft - Apple.


Just kidding. I think it will remain Nintendo - Mirosoft - Sony but we can't rule out an Apple entry.

Hey, welcome to the site, and nice choice of avatar!

I do not expect any new companies to join, but I do expect that the next major upgrades to the Iphone and Ipod touch will become a significant competitor to the next gen portables

I am sure Nintey and MS will make another home console
I am 95% sure Sony will make another console
Ninty will make another portable
I would say with 75% certainty that Sony will make a PSP2
I would say with 95% certainty that MS will not make a portable, nor will they make a Zune with gaming capabilities to rival the Iphone

True,they  brain washed people into buying I-Insertlogohere.

However Nitty has brainwashed the casuals,Sony has brainwashed the 60% of the hardcore into believeing there console is superiour and the rest play 360.

I could see Apple relaunching the AppleTV, and adding an App store (like the iPhone App store). While not specifically a game console, it will attract a lot of very casual game players.

The other 3 competitors will definitely be back for another round.

No,No

I'm expecting it to be just Sony/MS/Nintendo again. No-one will join, no-one will withdraw.

1/ Apple won't be a direct competitor. It'll be more phone-games than console.

Vivendi-Activision or EA might come up with a console of their own one day, but not in the next gen anyway. Namco-Bandai is out, since the japanese market is shrinking.

2/ Sony has a hard time supplying first party suppot for both a home system and a handheld. They might have to choose either one of them (a home console probably).

Welcome, and indeed Dexter rules!

Sony, ninty and MS will be present. Sony is a bit of a guess though in what capability. The PSP-successor will be a question mark, and I don't know if Sony will continue supporting PS3 as a main-line competitor compared to a new nintendo-console or new Xbox, or that they will bring out a PS4.

Totally new entries... I doubt it. I can only see apple do it, and I think that their earliest attempt will be during/after the next generation.

There will not be any major changes to the home console trio. The cost of entry is set so high that it doesn't make it a profitable business to enter anymore.

The only possibility of any other major electronic manufacturer to enter the home console market is if Sony licenses out the PS4 hardware like 3DO did back in the mid 90's.

Retailers would be very uncooperative to any newcomers because shelf space is already limited.

Publishers would be very uncooperative because development resources are already incredibly thin.

Gamers would be very uncooperative because it would dilute the market (market dilution is what caused the crash in 1983).