Which target audience would benefit most from a Wii/360/PS3 ? i'd argue that the Wii was more suited to the general user wheras the 360 and PS3 are most specific in their target audiences , would it be possibly to make a console with the correct functionality and price point which apeal to all 3's current userbases ?.

I know...i'm overthinking it.

I would call a Microsoft Nintendo alliance the best at this point.

Microsoft - Good relations with third parties, makes the best tools, high technology focus so a Nintendo/Microsoft console can sport a GPU which is forward compatible for at least half a generation, 1st party properties which complement Nintendo such as "Halo, Forza, Fable, Viva Pinata etc" Also can do more with less, see Xbox 360 for your examples. Which is important because Nintendo will likely focus on making the console small and low powered again.

Nintendo, well they are just Nintendo.

@Squilliam all those pluses could be argued Sony's way with far many more succesful 1st party franchises to compliment Nintendo's libary.

Squilliam said: I would call a Microsoft Nintendo alliance the best at this point. Microsoft - Good relations with third parties, makes the best tools, high technology focus so a Nintendo/Microsoft console can sport a GPU which is forward compatible for at least half a generation, 1st party properties which complement Nintendo such as "Halo, Forza, Fable, Viva Pinata etc" Also can do more with less, see Xbox 360 for your examples. Which is important because Nintendo will likely focus on making the console small and low powered again. Nintendo, well they are just Nintendo.

that's intersting, i never expected to hear nintendo and microsoft combined to make another lower powered system. I was expecting almost a waggle type thing with more nintendo game influence and maybe a SSB with Master Cheif.

EDIT: I misread, I see now what you're saying. That's still a pretty good idea of more with less.

soulsamurai said: Squilliam said: I would call a Microsoft Nintendo alliance the best at this point. Microsoft - Good relations with third parties, makes the best tools, high technology focus so a Nintendo/Microsoft console can sport a GPU which is forward compatible for at least half a generation, 1st party properties which complement Nintendo such as "Halo, Forza, Fable, Viva Pinata etc" Also can do more with less, see Xbox 360 for your examples. Which is important because Nintendo will likely focus on making the console small and low powered again. Nintendo, well they are just Nintendo.   that's intersting, i never expected to hear nintendo and microsoft combined to make another lower powered system. I was expecting almost a waggle type thing with more nintendo game influence and maybe a SSB with Master Cheif. EDIT: I misread, I see now what you're saying. That's still a pretty good idea of more with less.

Yep. New technologies such as Tesselation are very important for smaller GPUs especially because it simplifies the whole of the system.

Tessellation is a form of procedural generation of content, they can create complicated wireframe models on the fly using much smaller seeder frames so it takes up less memory, uses less bandwidth (So they can afford a smaller bus) and use less space on disk so they could once again get away with using some form of DVD and keep the costs down that way.

Tessellation is very tools intensive and Microsoft will be one of the few companies with experience with the technology by the time the next generation rolls around. Tessellation goes live in Direct X 11, and the tools have only recently been distributed amongst developers. Its a technology which is present in the Xbox 360, it hasn't been used yet but it will be in the coming years and it will be an important factor in extending the life of the current Xbox 360 beyond 2011.

Nintendo is one of the most creative companies in the world but they aren't tools designers. They would love to use Microsoft tools if given the chance because with even better tools they can focus more on creating a better game.

I don't think its going to happen, but M$ and Sony would be great ($ony?)

The only issue is that many of their franchises over lap, so we would probably see the end of Forza (it can't compete with GT), Resistance (it can't compete with Halo) and Ratchet would probably take priority over Banjo.

Anyway, it would mean that I dont have to buy 2 consoles next gen, and mean that that one console would get all of Sony's great franchises, M$'s buying power, a cheaper, but well manufactured, console, blu-ray, downloadable films. The question would be whether we have to pay for PS Live (it would keep the PS brand of course), but if I had all of those things, I would be happy to pay.

Well, Microsoft + Sony = money saved on buying exclusives, money saved on consoles, twice the budget.

I'd say it would destroy Nintendo. But it would also be really weird and I'm glad it's impossible.

What incentive does Nintendo have to merger with anyone? Their company is worth much more than Sony; they are consistently profitable unlike Sony or Microsoft; their future is sound unlike the other two.

I think it's more likely that Sony would pull out of consoles than merging with Microsoft or Nintendo, if that decision was forced.

 Its not on point of "why" it would happen, the point it what are some positive creations they could make together.

microsoft + nintendo + sony = pure greatness

no competition, everyone can play all the games, developers all can help each other which leads to (in theory that is) better game quality (but in reality probably lead to lazyness)

one console is the future when is the question