Will Sony suffer further launching PS4 last

[binary solo]

I wonder if it's possible to stagger the release of new hardware so that Sony isn't really competing on the same timeframes as MS or Ninty.

I think it depends a lot, on whether 3rd parties can do multiplats across the next gen Ninty and MS machines and PS3. If 3rd parties are down with producing multiplats for PS3 after Wii2 and 720 come along and PS3 provides a gaming experience close to those of the next gen machines then a PS4 isn't needed within the same release window, and Sony could do a mid-cycle release.

If Wii2 and/or 720 bring a whole new level of gaming that the PS3 struggles to match then 3rd parties will drop PS3 and Sony will have to be on with PS4 pretty quickly.

If PS4 is a Blu-ray based, amped up PS3, then launch price will be comparable to 720 at least (possibly not Wii2, if Wii2 aims as current HD console level tech).

I think neither MS or Sony need to respond to a Wii2 if the Wii2 is more or less at the same level of tech as PS3 and 360.

Sony has basically forced itself to be last to market in the next gen, because it's got to try to extend the period of PS3 profitability as long as possible to claw back as much of the early gen loss as they can. If they can finish this gen 1 billion in the red overall as opposed to 2 or 3 billion in the red then that gives them a less precarious launching pad for PS4.