I really like this thread. I have nothing smart to say, so just keep on spewing good ideas guys!

Gotcha. I do believe the price of the Vita is right for what you get, but it's still expensive compare to the direct competitor, the 3DS, and smartphones don't really count imo because those are not dedicated handheld systems.

The Vita may be easier to develop for (although I don't think this is correct), but it's still more expensive to develop for than the 3DS, so if people don't buy the system it doesn't matter how easy it is, they won't put their games on the system.

And about the last thing you say, Sony have to eventually come out with a new system, if the competition starts selling like crazy with their newer systems Sony most counterattack by releasing a new console, because the PS3 will be considered old tech compare to the new systems, doesn't matter if it have cloud gaming or not.

Great OP.

I just wanted to add that even if one machine is significantly better than the others, that it won't be that apparent to the untrained human eye. We already know that the Wii U is more powerful than anything this generation so it's not like any of the three will have crappy graphics.

Basically what I'm saying is that technology has gotten to the point where all of the graphics on all of the machines is going to look good so MS and Sony will have to have something else as their ace in the hole.

There, happy now? ;)

At the very least WiiU looks like on par with current PS3 games. And remember that this is early launch games. Games will only look better and better from here on.

6 years ago PS3 really were pushing the tech, so it still looks relatively good today, and therefor PS4 won't be such a big jump; one thing that made last gen so special was HD graphics. I'd imagine Sony willing to take a hit between $50-$75. Just imagine they taking a hit of $100 for every sold PS4, and they sell 10m units in one year. That's 1 BILLION in losses - in one-year!!! Sure they'll make some back in SW and such, but that's a heavy loss for a company in a bad financial state. And I think you're overestimating Sonys willingness to take such a big hit; if PS3 showed us anything is that having cutting edge consoles won't win the gen. I frankly believe Sony's afraid of having another PS3 situation right now. Cutting edge doesn't = money, so why would they invest in such a machine when they're not sure they'll make back those money??

I concur. X3ox will be the most powerful machine next gen, but I'm not sure that will help MS. They might get their media hub they always wanted for, but Kinect 2.0 won't move much SW. Just look at Kinect 1; it's almost only 1st party games selling on it and it really isn't pushing SW much. It's kinda like the Wii! And that's why I think MS might fail next gen if they focus on Kinect 2.0; no 3rd party support and poor SW sales.

I'd say you've missed the whole point of console gens... And this isn't the topic so discus such matters - I know I've seen this very same discussion around here in these forums before. Ask happyD, he was apart of that discussion and had a similar view to the matter as you seem to have.

This an interesting thread with lots of good reading material. I wish I could add to it but I'm not good at predicting things like this.  Everyone keep up the great work and keep it coming .

I'm just gonna refer you to happysqurriels respons to this, I thought it made a lot of sense. And if you read the OP I also refer to a Viper1 post talking about why PS4 can't cost more than 40k yen in Japan.

Oh, my bad then =) But I don't really think 3rd party support will depend on how successful a console are: take a look at the current gen. Wii is nr1, but ain't getting any lovin' from 3rd parties. IF next gen is about equel in graphics I think 3rd parties will publish for all 3 consoles - and that's great for us gamers either way you look at it =) I think next gen is gonna be brilliant!!