There is this strange assumption that technology exists in a void... No, the next generation will not be some sort of mythically calm "by-the-numbers" deal, because there will be new technology on the market by 2011 (estimated deadline for the start of the next generation). There will be new ideas for how to design a system. There's also new-found impetus to innovate in controls thanks to the Wii's impact, in fact; I fully expect we'll see the emergence of more "optional classic controller available" setups where the primary input means is not the usual gamepad we've seen since the NES era. If anything, the next generation should be even more hectic than this one.
Now you may be saying "no way, Sony/MS would never resort to doing what Nintendo did!", and you would be wrong. Because progress always goes in the direction that works, and Nintendo's direction is working. Only a great fool sees a more successful formula than their own, and then stubbornly insists on sticking to their current formula. And Sony and Microsoft are not fools.
Sky Render - Sanity is for the weak.
