My PC will dominate Next Gen.

Just you wait.

i honestly don't have a clue after seeing what happened this gen.

PS1 and PS2 made gaming mainstream (especially in Europe), and are the only 2 home consoles to reach over 100 Million sales thus far.

PS2 is the best selling system ever, and is still selling 50k a week, even after 10 years on sale.

PlayStation has opened up and sells well in markets the others don't, or didn't... For the past 16 Years.

I hear a LOT more people talk about PlayStation than any other console or company (including Sony).

PlayStation is huge in pop culture. (Being in music videos, movies, Etc.)

The "PlayStation" line of systems have sold over 330 Million units worlwide, and growing.

Now i'm curious... Why do you obviously disagree?

Ah, and I'm usually pretty good. 

It's just some of the young 'uns on here don't even seem to know consoles existed before PS1, I mistook you for one of them.

It is relatively simple. Sony has been at this video game business longer than its competitors. Sony's mascot, Crash Bandicoot is considered up there with Mickey Mouse and the Stay-Puft Marshmallow Man, and is consider synonymous with video gaming. Classic 1980s arcade game, Walkman Vs. BetaKong put Sony and the Playstation brand permantly in the minds of consumers. The PSB is the highest selling handheld of all time and its bundled game, Kill Switch, is considered a landmark in puzzle gaming history.

That is a lot of built up brand identity.

Um Nintendo did used to get good third party support. NES and SNES say hi. Also D.S. says hello.

I say Apple!

Because Playstation's cultural relevance is in a nadir, and the Wii and DS are at apexes the likes of which gaming hansn't seen since the NES.

Taken as a snapshot of current cultural relevance, I don't see how there's any comparison, here.

Sony.


Nintendo will not be able to top the momentum gained with the Wii in my opinion. They are still lacking quite a few features important to core gamers today (Viable Online Network) and while they could certainly design one (I don't believe we will see it). I think Nintendo came in at the right price at the right time with the right type of gimmick to sell to the public. Sony / MS came to the public with the same old, same old with huge price tags. I think MS/Sony pushed HD systems before the market was ready for it and it cost them in many ways. Where as Nintendo predicted exactly where the market would be for this. However, Sony / MS are now seasoned into HD gaming, where as Nintendo still has yet to crack that barrier.

Next Gen, Sony won't have the ammo to spend ridiculous amounts of money that they did on the PS3. Their next system will be a solid upgrade for sure but one that is much more viable to the market in terms of pricing. A more competitive priced Sony system with most likely many more features than a Nintendo system?

Microsoft could also see a spot at number 1. But like others have said, they don't have the first party studio support for a strong first party line-up. I see Halo starting to fade a bit (Which I believe has been a big driving factor of sales for MS to this point.). And unless MS drastically improves it's first party games division it's going to lag behind Sony (Like we have been seeing recently). MS wisely priced themselves better and jumped ahead of Sony. That has had just about everything to do with their major success this generation. I don't know if I can see Sony sitting on their hands as much for the next generation.

Microsoft wont come first
Reasons for that:

1. Sony wont be that dumb to let them get a headtstart of 1 year (1 1/2) again
2. Sony wont release a 600$ console again
3. Many people will be afraid to buy the 720 because the 360 had many issues (RRoD,E74) so they'll be sceptical first
4. Sony created some big franchises this generation (uncharted, littlebigplanet, resistance, motorstorm and so on) while microsofts only big own pi is halo and they didnt make a new big one (Geow is owned by Epic)
= more system sellers for sony
5. Sony realized that they marketing in 2006-2007 sucked and wont be doing that again
6. Just look at 2007, the 360 was cheaper than the PS3 and got AAA exclusives like Mass Effect, Halo 3, Forza 2, Bioshock a big marketing campain, better online service (in 2007 :P) and so on, while the only thing the ps3 has had was uncharted and STILL the 360 couldnt kill the ps3
so why should it happen next generation, with the things ive just written?


the real fight for the next generation is between Nintendo and Sony, but if Apple joins the console "war" it could be a real competitor for the first place
but i think nintendo has the most chances