Both the Xbox 360 successor AND a follow up to the PS3 will be shown at E3 2012.

The LA show tease will come as Wii U launch details are locked in – and should ensure no ground is lost between competing consoles.

It will mark the very first time in the show’s 17-year history that three fresh, rival console formats will be so directly comparable. 

Microsoft has long been rumoured to detail its next-gen plans at E3 2012, and recently signalled to partners this will happen, MCV has been told.

The 360 is one of the longest-serving games consoles in history. But the real surprise is an  early move from Sony. Execs at the PlayStation firm have made it clear to third-parties that they will not be left behind this time. 

Execs aren’t expecting price or launch details for the new Xbox or PlayStation. But their unveiling could be a perfect spoiler to the pre-Christmas launch date and price that will be revealed for Wii U in June.

http://www.mcvuk.com/news/read/next-xbox-and-ps4-set-for-biggest-ever-e3/089421

Yay I'm curious to see everything! :D

Still seems too soon on Sony's front, but perhaps they have been scared into further action on a quest for more revenue

There was little doubt of Microsoft's movement

This is what I posted seconds ago...

Yep, makes sense after the PS360 had their best year that Sony/Micro start talking about next gen consoles, "killing" prematurely the HD twins sales like Nintendo did with the Wii.

It doesn´t matter that some people (minority) want next gen consoles, 360 proved that the Wii market is there to buy consoles on Holiday seasons (WiiU will be more expensive then the HD twins when it releases), and the PS3 shows every month outside Nov/Dec that there are a lot of hardcore gamers buying consoles.

IMO SONY/Microsoft consoles will not come out before 2013, and my guess is that the 720 will come in mid to fall of 2013 and PS4 any time in 2014

There is only one thing that can change my prediction, if either Sony/Micro want to go after Nintendo and the Casual audience, if so they have to release a new console in the same time frame as the WiiU

Seems very logical. Nintendo is not 2 E3 before the competition. I doubt Sony and Microsoft are going to release their console in 2014. 2013 sounds much more realistic, they won't want to be so far behind.

Too soon for Sony, probably slightly too soon for MS as well. I think MS should announce at their own conference later this year or early 2013 (seen as they're no longer doing CES after this year)

One thing I don´t understand is, if a new console is coming out in the last quarter of a certain year, why do gaming companies feel the need to confirm or show a console in action 1+ year before it comes out.

I have a hard time understanding why Nintendo (or any other company) confirmed and showed the WiiU so early (and out of the big 3, the "damage" they did on the Wii is reduced because their target audience is mainly casual), it makes no sense because you don´t show almost anything, the rumours and speculations can "kill" the hype, and in the end it will sell what it has to sell regardless of how early they start showing it.

I am not talking about show today and release tomorrow, but for example, why would Microsoft/Sony confirm/show anything in this year E3 if the console comes out in the fall of 2013 (for example), effecting current gen sales in a crucial time of the year?

You want to create the hype, but minimize the effect it has on the current sales, specially when current sales are growing every year, and you still have Holiday season in between, why not start hyping the machine in the beginning of 2013? Is the effect of showing it that early that big?

It'd be real interesting if both Sony and Microsoft launched their new consoles at the same time and at the same price. Anyway, roll on E3!

i'm ready for a new round of consoles so bring it on. it will be really interesting to see how close/different MS and Sony envision the next gen.

I think that it is a fairly safe bet that we will see all three systems (in some form) at E3 this year ...

While Nintendo will show off the hardware, games and many of the services that will be available at/near launch, I would expect Sony and Microsoft to display technical demonstrations and pre-rendered videos that try to emulate the power of their system. Although I wouldn't be surprised to see the graphics of many Wii U games surpassing the quality of their demos last year, Nintendo's primary focus will be on the games and on the viability of the Wii U as a platform; and, although Microsoft and Sony will be announcing games, their primary focus will be on trying to convince people that their systems are so technically superior to the Wii U that you should hold off buying it.