Sadly typical replies to an informed post lie herein. The short of it is that a company cannot continue on a business venture that's losing them money if the people funding them won't let them. Which is why, even if they technically can afford it, Microsoft and/or Sony may well not take the risk of another console since this generation has been so unprofitable and since Nintendo's said multiple times that they have no intention of giving up the industry easily this generation or the next.
If you don't believe that an unprofitable generation can scare a company out of this industry, then take a look at some of the contenders that have dropped out over the years: Panasonic, Bandai, Phillips, NEC, Casio, Amiga, Magnavox, RCA, and Mattel. All of these companies were and still are big players in the international marketplace. And all of them quit making consoles after they had a rough generation or two.
Sky Render - Sanity is for the weak.
