Right now the graphics for the PS3 and Xbox 360 are almost identical to real life, and in a few years time it'll probably look much better. But what's the next console's going to be like? you can't exactly say the graphics will improved substantially because right now in this generation of consoles it's already as good as it's going to get. (obivously can be better but not by a whole lot)

Microsoft and Sony are going to have to introduce some new and improved gismo for the next generation of video games (like Nintendo did with the Wii-mote), because I dought the graphics will be noticely better then this generation.

And you can pretty much do anything with the consoles of today, you can run linux on the PS3 and use it as a PC, or watch movies, listen to music, store pictures, watch tv shows, use the internet, play online gaming, download demos, sleep with it etc etc you get the idea

So what do you guys think they can do? there's really not much except come up with something new and exciting, perhaps virtual reality??? who knows.

any comments?

I hear people say that graphics don't matter and graphics aren't that important; however, the closer we get to characters in games being able to look as realistic as women like Paris Hilton, etc, the happier I get.

i dont think the focus of next gen will be graphics. games are already expensive to make and look pretty good. with the success of the wii, they see they dont have to have the "best" graphics.

If that is the case there won't be any new consoles after these. Seriously what other reason is there to make a console but to have improved graphics and sound. Even Nintendo made the Wii somewhat more powerful than the GameCube. And to the OP, did you see the NVidia demo that was posted here the other day, graphics are no where near as good as they can get.

Graphics will be better but I think it will be about different interfaces into the games instead of just the standard controller.  Like Tony Hawk will have a skatboard for you to ride (which I think will happen this round) and stuff like that

Yes, but what does having to control a skate board game with an actual board controller mean to those people that like to play skateboarding games but have no ability whatsoever to do so in the real world? Would such a person have to jump, pull off moves, etc, on a board controller when the reason that they enjoy playing traditional skate board games with game pads because they allow them to not have to attempt such things?

Who knows?

Maybe every console will hold back the graphics?

its not that they wont have better graphics.   you just wont see as large a leap in graphics as what could be done.