I'll bet PSN will still be free with the addage of PSN Plus and Sony will find more ways to make Plus more appealing and more personal to the PS3 crowd much like Xbox Live pushed the envelope earlier in the gen. To anyone who is smart they will notice Microsoft has made the 360 utterly useless as a multimedia device without the use of Xbox Live. Silver is useless and you can barely upgrade properly. Theres no bonus in making people pay for a connection they already have (I also feel bad for those with Netflix and dont have Gold). I much like many others know this because Microsoft kicks people off Xbox Live for modding and people are forced to buy new Xboxes if they dont just want to game without online. Microsoft is doing it because they can and Sony has proven that with their offerings on PSN with the addition of their PSN service. Nintendo has yet to prove Microsoft wrong, but Son definitely did it. Sony knows if they launch on time with proper games at a proper price the world outside of America will give them the first look over Microsoft. 3/5 of Microsofts sales are in America, so you know where there sales will be regardless. This case was the same for the original Xbox. Microsoft will also be making the 360 more available to everyone (not just gamers) and soon will make Xbox Live completely indestinguisable to their PC OS.  Sony then can capitalize with the games like they are doing now. You can see where Microsoft is headed next gen with their recent acquisitions. They are too predictable. They are just business suits not a gaming company and every day they prove it even more. The only thing they've perfected is online community and once they set the bar others can definitely follow. It's not impossible. Their hump to follow Sony is harder because it takes more risk to have more first party companies and Microsoft has proven they can barely handle it this gen. Lets see if depending on multiplats selling more on their system next gen will help them. If Sony launches within their window it will force everyone to look at what they are really getting right out of the box.

P.S.

I love all the features Xbox Live will keep having. I'll have that whilst Sony keeps giving the more important feature.....exclusive games. No matter what Microsoft does they cant outshine Sony for multimedia. Sony is multimedia company, not Microsoft. Microsoft is an OS company and everything from watching movies on your consoles from Sony pictures to listening to music is first party. Microsoft pays out of pocket for something Sony already has. All Microsoft will do is keep on buying deals to shy away from the fact that they dont find investing in first party companies to be desirable since they wasted $400,000,000 collars buying Rare and seeing nowhere near the return.

You are pathetic. Drive the knife home? Grow up. 

OT: I hope Sony release the ps4 the same time as the xbox, it would be so interesting to see how the sales would be. Oh and thanks seece for translating the wall of rubbish. I have the latest edition of edge and no where in that article did GG say they were making killzone for ps4. 

Wii is not a competitor to HDs, I think next HDs come christmas 2012 not after.

PS4 release in Japan within 3 mths of Nextbox launch. Rest of world about 3 months after that. However, Sony won't allow Nextbox to have a holiday season in the west with only Wii U as the competition. So depends on Nextbox launch date as to when Sony will stage its launches.

I still don't see a Nextbox launch in 2012. So if Nextbox launches in mid-late 2013 then Sony will simultaneously launch in Japan and then in the rest of the world before Black Friday. If Nextbox launches early 2013 then Sony will stagger it's launch between Japan and the rest of the world to a greater extent.

They would not be good at all, unlike Nintendo and Microsoft who have been preparing software and completed most of their basic hardware designs years ago. Sony appears to only be starting software development now, Microsoft didn't even hide the fact they began next gen software development in 2008. Nintendo has apparently been developing for up to two years now, and that is what we know from rumors , Nintendo kept software development under wraps a very long time.

If Sony is actually that far behind, then launching in winter 2012 would be a very bad idea. Even if say the PS4 hardware is ready for launch within the 18 month window leaked. Will their be the software? Sony doesn't have the best track record of keeping secrets not like Nintendo used to have and Microsoft seems to have perfected controlling leaks and releasing info. They were able to hide the Slim model till it was on its way to shelves.

Fact is it is undesirable for Sony to be a year late like last time, unfortunetly I think Sony under estimated the competition. They would have definitly known WiiU was coming in 2012 that was the most predictable thing about next gen. Also they would have known Microsoft was preparing their hardware back in 2008. For Sony not to begin software development till this year suggests they were either deliberatly behind schedule or tehir hardware wasn't ready.

I'd say this could indicate PS4 to be the most powerful of the three systems, or it has some new tech that Sony couldn't get ready as fast as Nintendo and Microsoft. Also I suspect 2012 winter is unlikely maybe a 25% chance but launching by winter 2013 probably 90% chance or higher. Sony needs at least two years to get a great AAA+ software line-up ready, they need third party software and ports are going to work but in all honesty if the console is more powerful then both competitors, they need to show it off.

If you think sony has only started to prepare hardware now you are very delusional. They started research on the ps4 years ago. They are not stupid like some of ye think and they will not release the ps4 a  year later than the nextbox.  I would be more worried about the wiiU id i was you. That thing has identity crisis written all over it. 

Sony needs at least two years to get a great AAA+ software line-up ready

the nextbox will also need at least two years for a AAA software line-up. What Microsoft 1st party studios started making a AAA+ game for the nextbox a year and a half ago I ask?....they haven't that's the answer. With turn 10 just finished forza 4, 343 industries making halo 4 for the 360, rare just made kinect sports season 2 and epic just made gears 3. I don't see any big AAA+ title being made for the past year and half by any of these guys? 

I haven't heard of any rumours surrounding PS4 'target boxes' and certainly not dev kits handed out to developers. Maybe someone can provide me a link to such a rumour? Normally the game industry is a leaky sieve concerning such 'secrets'. I'm not so sure that Sony is as prepared as you suggest.

Look I never suggested Sony didn't start hardware development right aways. In fact Microsoft has confirmed development of the next Xbox began the day 360 shipped. Nintendo has confirmed WiiU was in development prior to Wii's release in fact Miyamoto at the time of Wii's release already knew basic specs he knew it would be fully HD among other details.

The question is how long ago did Sony finalize the basic hardware? Meaning start developing software with early kits and knowing exactly what to be aiming for and how the console would work.

P.S- I don't know how many Microsoft studios have been working on next generation titles. I do know however that 343 began hiring next generation software developers to make a new game for the next Xbox, that was in 2008. Other job posting's by Microsoft Game Studios have been made every half a year or so since. Though often they are only online for days and very few got reported. lastly LinkedIn accounts of multiple MS employees in the past year have suggested working on the Next generation Xbox. Kit rumors first popped up last year I believe with the major ones surfacing earlier this year and continuing till today.

So Microsoft has at least two titles in development right now. 343's game and which ever game those other MGS job postings were hiring staff for. Say those are the only studios and staff that have been working on next generation Xbox, 2008 was three years ago and in that time Microsoft could have created a major killer App or two.

Please tell me that you actually believe those massive studios that you mention are only capable of making one product at a time? Also that they couldn't have started early development in 2008 then slowly ramped it up as staff became free and finally put them into full production when the whole team was freed up. Microsoft has had at least two years of internal development to create some killer apps. Microsoft's first parties should have at least two major titles ready for launch if the console comes next winter.

As for Sony's dev kits. First party leaks are the big ones, as far as third party go I haven't heard confirmation from anyone at Sony or directly affiliated. But have heard from journalist friends who specialize in Sony that dev kits are likely already in developer hands. But I don't post stuff like that often because I don't have a source to qoute and the sources I do have are media and not actually inside Sony. But mix those rumors with Foxcon and Pegatron Technology leaks and you have a picture that Sony is indeed intent on launching not to long after the competition.

So judging by how well Sony, Nintendo and Microsoft are able to hide their dev kits. Giving dev kits out to only highly trusted third parties until they are ready to leak the info. I have no doubt that Sony has early kits in at least one or two third party studios hands. If Sony has any hope of launching within a competitive time line they must have kits in at least some developers hands based on the rumors from leaks as well as my journalist buddies and these official comments I can't see how software development is not in full swing right now.

But the problem is Sony is only now supposedly developing. While both Microsoft and Nintendo have had two or more years of software development on Sony. If games are in full development then the first huge first party titles might be ready for early 2013, 2012 would be really pushing it. Likely third parties will launch ports from WiiU and the NexBox at launch of PS4, a year or slightly more is not enough time for third parties to bring a magnificent AAA+ exclusive if they would even think of one.

P.S- Remember I am commenting on rumors as well as official statements. I did mention journalist buddies of mine but I can't won't name names and of course I never posted about this prior, I am waiting for media to confirm the rumors legitimacy before posting since nobody takes anything I say as serious unless I have a brand behind me. Since I no longer work for my paper and I don't work for any major sites anymore me spreading a rumor that is nothing more then a rumor is not going to be taken seriously.

But based on rumors Sony is getting PS4 ready, is starting development of software within this year. But we don't have any rumors to date that would suggest Sony began software development for PS4 all that much earlier. Earliest rumors regarding PS4 release was back in 2009, Sony denied any truth to the rumor and it may have been completely false. But if true it would have indicated Sony was preparing the final specs back in 2009.

Anyways rumors are rumors take em or leave em.

I agree with Maverick. Microsoft has shown absolutely no signs of having AAA's ready for their next console launch. Next gen Microsoft wont have a year head start and it wont be that easy. The next Uncharted is halted until next gen and so is the next Killzone which ended on a blasted cliff hanger (Damn I want to kill that bastard! Thats all I can say without spoiling it). Sony is going to bring it with their next system from the development planning. I am also sure Sony has something planned for their console seeing as they create it internally. I am also sure Ken Kutaragi (the father of the Playstation) will be overseeing its development since it still is his baby, despite it the fact that he stepped down. He's very passionate about research and development.

I have no problem with a 2013 launch considering the PS3 and PS4 will live together for a couple of years say until 2015, that would be a 9 year life cycle which is close to what Sony aims for in their consoles. I will probably be anxious for a new console by that 2013 anyway. Just hope Sony sticks to a $400 launch price.