In 2010 the PS3 would have been out in Europe for 3 years...so yeah, not likely to see the next gen until 2012 or probably later.

     The PS3 can already do the one to one Wiimote type stuff in terms of capacity.  All it would take is a peripheral (in fact the PS2 is getting some Wii like sword games using the eye toy).

    In terms of better graphics beyond the PS3/360 there really isn't a point until TVs change.  What good would better resolution capacity and more polygons do if you have to keep everything constrained to 1080p?  Until TV tech advances even extra processor power would more or less go to waste since display is constrained by....your display!

my opinion

Nintendo Wii2 - 2011
Microsoft Xbox 720 - 2011
Sony Playstation 4 - 2016

Name 1 add on that was purchased by more than 25% of a systems userbase?

The second part of your post is absolutely 100% BS ... Until videogames match the quality of pre-rendered movies at 1080p you can't make the claim that we're limited by the display.

For Nintendo it all depends on what they have too offer. If it’s something new then they will wait until after the competition but if it’s only an improvement over the Wii then yes they might release it before. You know there are copy cats out there :)

I dont want to be rude, but you have really brought into the hype.

1)A 2010 launch date will hurt Sony the most

2)MS could lauch a Console today that would blow the PS3 out of the window! Have you heard of moores law?

3)The fact that the PS3 and 360 are so close power wise shows how much microsoft was ahead of sony "AS THEY LAUCHED 1 YEAR Earlier"... moores law would say that the PS3 should have been 2/3 faster than the 360 if they were built using the same tech.

4) my bet is for a 2011 launch for the next xbox. Sony can try to delay, but if they do, they will be hurt even more

5) I dont like waiting, People aways dream about whats coming, but you know there is a saying, " A bird in the hand is worth two in the bush"

6) There is this thing called time-value-of-money, which can be applied to gaming. A good game now is worth more than a good game in a year. ( i recall a simpsons line, where moe brought a deep fryer which could cook a whole cow in 30 seconds. Homer said " BUT I WANT IT NOW" lol)

Define blow out the window. Do you mean it would have slightly more polygons? Would the shadows be slightly more idealized?

Again it is NOT impossible to make a console that is better, it is impossible to make a console that is SO much better it will get people to neglect the last generation and start on the next one. 2010 will indeed have better capacity then today, but not so much better that it makes for a compelling change. The dreamcast was way better then the Saturn and Playstation, but not so much better that it necessitated a real change.

I don't get the logic of PS3 fanboys ... The trivial difference between the PS3 and the XBox 360 will eventually motivate every gamer in the world to buy a PS3, but producing a sytem 8 times as powerful as the PS3 wouldn't act as a motivation at all. The fact is that Crysis already is a big improvement over what the PS3 can handle, and by 2010 it should be trivial to surpass Crysis at 1080p @60fps with a $300 console, and what could be produced at 720p @30fps would be much more than 'Slightly more polygons, or shadows slightly more idealized' ...

The truth is that graphics improvements are not the primary motivating factor for people to buy a new system any more as has been demonstrated by the popularity of the Wii. Being able to improve upon all of the strengths of each of the systems, while minimizing their weaknesses, and releasing an affordable console is a fairly good strategy to use if you're trying to be the first-mover.

As always, the release of the next generation of consoles will have very little to do with what technology is available and everything to do with the business conditions of the market 18 to 24 months before then. Being that the majority of third party support for the PS3 and XBox 360 is made of multiplatform games these consoles will be able to survive as long as the combined sales for both systems justifies further third party support, they don't start trailing the Wii by too much, both consoles are healthy, and Nintendo doesn't release a new system.

*facepalm, this thread speaks of fail from the OP, so many incorrect facts...Genesis did not compete with NES but instead with SNES and Turbographx...DC did not compete with PS but with PS2. AHHH I GIVE UP, ok I'm going to be nice and assume you are ignorant and don't know much about console history...I'm also going to assume you have no idea what prices things are...Gaming PC price is way too high..

If you really think about it all 3 companies are doing well and there is much more potential for all there systems and to release something new in 2 years would be ridiculous considering that fact as well as what technical advancements could they really output to make that much more of a noticeable difference than what the PS3 and 360 will be doing by then?

I think it is safe to assume that we will have these sytems till at least 2012-2014 because each year as they push the hardware the games look and play better and to see what 360 and PS3 and even the Wii will be able to do in the next two years will be interesting