A PS4 wouldn't be stupid at all - as long as they don't repeat the mistakes of the PS3.

One of Sony's biggest mistakes was just assuming the large casual base of PS2 would blindly follow to PS3 when the price became low enough. Now Wii and 360 - both much cheaper and more casual friendly are stealing that audience away.

Launching a PS4 would allow them to realign with the former PS2 owners and once again make Playstation a brand for anyone, not just the core.

nooooooooo i need a ps4!!!!! and sony will make a ps4...

what about slightly improving ps3...change the design and name it PS4 ??

Out of the three consoles out right now only two now make profit.

The best situation would be to upgrade the ram, processors and video card. Develop better dev tools, but pretty much keep the same system.

Overall, I don't see how Sony could possibly screw up next generation as much as they did when developing the PS3 with Kutaragi's rediculous ambitions.

1. They don't have the gigantic market to fall back on so the can't necessarily rely soley on brand name as much as they did early this generation.

2. They currently have the most technologically advanced console, if they simply upgraded a few features, such as the blu-ray reader and the RAM they could release the PS4 without it being significantly more expensive than the PS3 and still probably be ahead of the competition technologically.

3. They're online service will already be established with PSN. Assuming Sony is able to fix a few key issues this generation they won't have to change a thing for it to migrate to PS4.

Designing a PS4 shouldn't cost Sony anywhere NEAR as much as the PS3. In fact, it shouldn't even cost them as much as designing the PS2 it the play it smart.

No. Sony just needs to make the PS4 more cost efficient, and start at $500 MAX.

I dont own a PS3 but I am pretty sure there will be a PS4.

The tech it may have might not be striclty harware upgrades. Sony isnt stupid. They will learn from this gen.

If this gen has taught us anything its that we can know nothing of what the market trends can evolve into.

The PS4 isn't needed...this console is a supercomputer that can do miracles....why lose money on developing another, when this one is so untapped?

The only thing stupid about the PS4 is that Sony isn't racing to be first: they need to move on from their current train wreck. Some hints for next time:

• People will not pay $599 for a game console. They only just barely tolerate $400 at launch. If you cannot sell your next console profitably (or, at worst, with only a modest loss) at $350 or less right off the bat, scale its technology back until you can. It will not kill you, nor will it kill devs.
  
• Take Kutaragi, Kirai, and that guy who called Sony fans "drones" in front of the media, fit them with ankle beepers, and do not let them anywhere near the media until the console's release. Bring in new marketing folks who are less prone to insulting their own fanbase, and let them do the talking.
• Take note of what won this generation: a disruptive technology that turned a sick industry on its ear and gave it a bigger shot in the arm than it had seen in a decade. Study this. Drum it through your head. This is what the market wants now. Out-disrupt it if you can, copy it shamelessly if you must.
• The formulas you established and Microsoft perfected have aged to the point of obsolescence. Experiment and start fresh, and think about why Nintendo's formulas have not suffered this fate.
• Sony's failure this generation is a consequence of taking its fanbase for granted. Remember that, and do not repeat it.