I've been thinking about the upcoming gen for a while now. It really is turning into a facinating battle of two great gaming companies.

A breif gaming history of myself: I'm currently 19. My first console was the Snes. I also had most of the gameboy/color interations. Eventually got the N64, and then the gamecube. So even though I was young and obviously didn't care about visuals or story, I enjoyed the fun gameplay Nintendo offered me. Anyway, I eventually moved into the Ps2, but I didn't take gaming seriously until 2005, when I bought the Xbox 360 20gb on November 22nd, a day before my birthday. 

Loved the console and Xbox live (COD2 <3) but ended up trading it in for a Ps3 because most of my friends were online there. Loved Ps3 and finally found my home. (insert happy face here) I've had my ps3 since 2007.

Around 2008, I discovered VGchartz. I instantly fell in love. I don't know what it is about sales figures that I go giddy for. Although the Air Force has lowered my forum involvment on the site, I always find time to check the latest hardware and software numbers. It's just, very enjoyable. I'm sure you guys know the feeling when the weekly numbers come out....

So since 2007 I have become an avid Sony fan. I love and support Sony as a brand, company, video game, and electronics producer. I love their message and customer support, and overall have been very satisfied. So it was a bummer to watch Sony fall into 3rd place this gen. Although we've pulled it around the last few years, it's pretty much been a tie for 360 and Ps3 this gen in my opinion. Plus I live in the USA, so 360 has a much stronger image here.

Fast foward to E3, Sony kills it. Ps4 has all this momentum everywhere and the future isn't looking great for the always online enabled Xbox One. I must say, I was excited. However, Microsoft is smart. They listened to the backlash and reversed most of those policies. Now although the Ps4 is outpacing the XBone in preorders, it's still going to be a close battle. And with (in my opinion) a stronger exclusive lineup of Killer Instinct, Ryse (maybe), Dead Rising 3, and Forza, the competition will be fierce. 

I am glad Microsoft did this change. Both companies going at each other? It's very entertaining. I honestly don't want another gen like the Ps2 wiping the floor with everybody else and getting all exclusives. That's boring. Competition makes everything fun! The Wii U should turn around also. Nintendo isn't going to watch it become the Gamecube 2.0. With all the money that the big N is raking in from the 3DS they have plenty to spend on Wii U. 

What do you guys think. Would you rather watch your company destroy everybody else? Or have a close battle?

I have seen each of Nintendo, Sony and Microsoft be dirty, anti-competitive wallet milkers multiple times in the past. Anything they do that appears "nice" is a calculated illusion and they surely wouldn't be doing it if they didn't have to.

I think that a balanced environment is probably the best, but it won't matter. Long term(5+ years) Sony will no longer be producing consoles that matter. The world will be ios/Android/Windows. No room for a 4th ecosystem. I am not saying that the PS4 will disappear. I am saying there will be no need for a next generation that Sony has its own operating system. You will probably see maybe one more console, but it will be for the gaming core and not much else.

Hmmm, I personally would like it to be a close battle that way we keep getting great exclusive games through out the whole generation.

I wish they had left the option of online/offline mode. There are many nice things about the original system design that would be nice to have.

You can still have them, but instead of getting a game at the store, you have to download it all digitally. I'll miss going to the gamestores and browsing, hanging out, and making new friends.

Anyway, it's it's not close we will get another new console in 3-4 years. Perhaps even two.

PS Both the Ouya and Roku have tried to get into lost cost gaming. So far neither appears to be thriving. Will be interesting to see if Google goes for it, or Apple tries to come back.

You're a PLAYSTATION fan, not SONY fan.

I have a Sony tv, speakers, and walkman :(

I guess nobody cares.

I honestly wouldnt mind seeing Microsoft fall from the games market. I think they added nothing positive and just like EA their policies have turned out to be cancers to the industry from the consumer standpoint. If left unchecked they would've done ven worse.
With TGS Sony showed what we already knew, that the software line-up for the PS4 is going to be alot more numerous and amazing than the Xbox1. That little spurt on E3 is actually all Microsoft has. Sony still has plenty of cards up their sleeves.

I would rather see a market focused on quality content and great games. My experience with Microsoft so far has fallen short of that goal. They should go back to third party and make money with Halo and Forza. It would be better for them. They are gonna lose money on this again this gen.

The only reason I'm glad MS 180'd is because if they'd stuck to their guns and actually succeeded in selling a butt load of consoles Sony would not be far behind. Otherwise I don;t care what MS did and I was happy for Xbox to live or die by anti-consumer policies.