Strangely enough the games have evened out on both 360 and PS3, in some cases(Like amazon) the games on PS3 are cheaper than 360. Not on release but usually a month or so later. I do remember when PS3 came out the games were around 15-25% more expensive on PS3, but now the difference is marginal.

@Stanislav: Strangely enough, both systems are sold at a loss.

That'd be an XBOX 360, PS3 supports 7.1 surround sound :P

I certainly wouldn't want to handle that expense. Like as not it'll launch right around when i'm graduating, when i'll need all the money i can get.

Think of the context of my post.  For its time, GameCube was on par with the graphical standards of its day, with the best looking games on the system being compared to those of the XBOX, yet was still a reasonably priced console.  They could do a similar thing with their next console.  I wasn't saying 'make a gamecube'.  I was saying 'make a reasonably priced console with graphics and features comparable to the competition'.  But with online support added.

i dont know if that works the gamecube was a well priced system but i dont know if that works in the next generation the consoles are very complex. i dont think you can release a console which is comparable with the competiton that has a reasonable price. they could release something in a few years that has the power of a ps3 for 200 bucks but assuming the ps3 and xbox will have greatly improved  power it wouldnt be again not comparable.

Unlike with the Wii, Nintendo will (most likely) need to change the entire hardware architecture of their next generation system; and even if they choose to maintain the strategy of the Wii (and produce a very low cost, small and low energy consumption console) it is likely that the console would be a noticeable graphical improvement over the HD consoles.

To understand what I mean, consider that what is available as a GPU for a low cost ($500 to $750) laptop probably falls fairly close to the energy consumption and cost requirements for a console like the Wii, and the GPUs in this class are already in the performance range of the HD consoles; and in some cases they outperform the HD console’s GPUs. If you assume a Q4 2011 release, the GPUs available in this range would clearly outperform the HD consoles.

If Nintendo is willing to go for a somewhat more expensive and energy hungry chip (possibly to the extent that is possible if they moved to a laptop disc-drive to make space and used a fan for cooling) they could produce a system that is (potentially) dramatically more powerful than either the HD consoles.

Considering the moves both Sony and Microsoft have been making in the recent years with Natal/Move and their more 'family friendly/Casual' approach to game development and advertising, its not hard to imagine that their next systems will be trying to emulate Nintendo's success next gen.  Especially seeing how their approach of literally throwing bucketfulls of cash at development companies and into advertising didn't help them 'win' the console war whereas Nintendo pretty much avoided the console war completely and was on top single-handedly.

Its not at all far-fetched to think that both Sony and Microsoft will try their hand at a more subdued console next gen.  Something along the lines of what Nintendo did this gen with the Wii, though possibly not as extreme.  Something with a 'gimmick' and not with a price tag of 400-600 dollars like XBOX360 and PS3 came out with.  They could still be graphically superior to their previous consoles, but probably not by a factor of 10 like this gen was.

This is what gives Nintendo that advantage.  Because it sets them up once again to come in and produce a similar level console, at a similar price point, with similar graphical standards.  Like the GameCube was last gen.  However, unlike last gen, this time they would have a HUGE financial and popular lead due to the Wii.

Note, this is all just one possibility.  Either one of Sony or Microsoft could still try to make another 'dream machine' that costs 400+ dollars or Nintendo might try to come out with another graphically inferior but cheap system.  We'll just have to wait and see.

I think that Nintendo made the expected graphical move with the Wii - the levels of graphic change between generations was never that great. Microsoft and Sony skipped a generation in terms of graphics imo, and paid the price.

Going by that conclusion, I reckon that Nintendo will keep on the same track and release a console with the same power as X360/PS3

i think sony learned from the "mistake" to release a console at 600 - 700 bucks, they will release their next console much cheaper. but they also said they have a 10 year lifecycle with the ps3 and that would probably mean that they release their next console in the end of 2013 or 2014 and switch the focus to the ps4 completly in 2015 which then completes the 10 year cycle. Microsoft will proberbly release their console 1 year before sony again because that strategy worked very well.I believe that Nintendo cant wait that long with their console because its graphically to outdated in 1 or 2 years. and then you have  the problem again that it is like this generation with hd vs nintendo. maybe not with such a big difference but it will be more like gamecube vs PS2