These mergers will not happen and I already questioned you in the other thread about the ridiculous assumption that MS won't even be around for the next console generation. The Xbox360 is already way more successful than the Sega Saturn, and they still stuck around to release the Dreamcast. MS isn't going anywhere, nor do I think they'll merge with Sony for any reason.

I'll predict it here, in fact: MS won't even use Blu-Ray disks as their software medium for the next gen. What's more likely is they'll use a modified form of HD-DVD or another format altogether. Why do I think this? I don't think even Sony will be using Blu-Ray next time. Nor will Nintendo who seem to be trying to develop holographic storage mediums for the next iteration.

If anything, the next console generation will include a new entrant: Whatever the hell Apple is cookin' up, or, if things get really perverse--a console built by EA. But next time, I feel pretty confident there will be Nintendo, Sony, and MS all building machines and very likely, a fourth competitor will come into the ring.

No way, Microsoft came into videogames world to fight against all-in-one PS, not Nintendo. MS is doing well in this gen, the xbox division is profitable even when the entertainment isn't. And above all things, even when a lot of people are biased against the xbox of ms brand, with xbox and specially with xbox360  MS has gained a lot of good image. In a world with everybody hating MS for monopolistic practices a good brand image is very important.

I would never support this merger. Some fanboys would become apoplectic and the others would spontaneouly burst into flames. It would be a horrible sight.

Same, MS and Sony merging to beat Nintendo just blows, because the world needs Nintendo (and I need my Zelda).

yeah this one is most unlikely

Yea, it is sort of the pet dream of the Sony fanboy that MS will drop out next generation.  It is funny to see it keep popping up though.

It is very likely that both Sony and Microsoft will be using Blu-Ray for the next generation.  The reason is simple, no new development is necessary and no game is going to touch 50GB for a long time (yes, yes, they can use uncompressed sound but sound isn't going to push them to develop a new medium).  All the development for the next generation will go into control schemes to take advantage of the motion control games, a modest bump in graphic quality, and greater online integration.  No one is going to want to tack on development costs for storage as well.  I expect Nintendo to stick with DVD since they can still make HD games with it and it will offset the cost of having to include a hard drive.

I give that post a 9.6.

4 competitors is too much, IMO.

I'd welcome the return of only 2 major players.

I've heard rumors about Apple looking to get in on the console action. Honestly, I think that would kill the company. However if they did, I see it like this:

Nintendo vs Apple - geared more toward casual gamers and the younger crowd

Microsoft vs Sony - geared more toward hardcore gamers and the older crowd

I'm not a big fan of Apple, but I think it would be a fatal mistake to try and enter this market. The only thing keeping them afloat is the iPod and the iPhone..if they had to funnel money into a console that WOULD fail, it would spell the end of the company.

Well all i can say is this is actually very likely because of the simple fact that microsoft knows that they will be losing billions if they try to fight it out between Sony and Nintendo next gen. And to Naufraguito the xbox division wont be profitable until 3 years after the last person has the RROD. To say its profitible is like saying that this sonys most successful generation in gaming ever... its just ignorance. Back to the OP a sony and microsoft merge would mean xbox live and microsofts wallet mixed with sony hardware and playstation brand name. I would like to see this because I have stuck with sony since the beginning but I love Nintendo and no doubt this would mean the end of them because of the obvious fact that they will make another casual system and every high quality graphical game will not only chose to go on the new microsoft-sony console but they will have to because of the type of game they want to create.

The industry norm up until this generation is four or more competitors.  If feel that the industry has become too corporately-minded with so few gigantic players at the helm.  Hell, we're at a point now where Nintendo is the small company!  Granted, it's never successful for some of them (when there's more than 3 competitors), but it does add flavor to the industry and it keeps the head guys from getting lazy.  Only two major players?  SNES vs Genesis or what?  Because the Turbo-Grafx-16/CD, Jaguar, and Neo-Geo were all part of that battle as well.