I think Sony is playing with words here. Yes, just like the PS2 the PS3 will have a ten years life span. What this means is that Sony will continue to support the PS3 for 3, 4 years after the PS4 come out. It's likely that Sony will release the PS4 around the time MS bring its next system out. If MS brings out a new system by 2011, you bet Sony will have its PS4 out by then.

The technology gap will be too big if Sony wait. Not even trying hard, a 2011 system will be at least 16 times more powerful than current gen system.

so i agree that Sony did not have your orginal plan in mind, but i beleive it is something they could pull off (skipping a gen). The cell processor apparently in theory could work without ram, if devleopers or even Sony could figure out how. basically more ram = better graphics. The cell processor works more and more like a super computer where as the 360 works more like a single cored processor PC of the 90's (programming wise, anyone who works with the systems correct me if im wrong).

So Sony has a processor similar to a super computer
In theory it could actually avoid using ram, having 512 for back up
blu-ray is a pretty big storage medium (look how long dvd lasted as a storage medium)
...problem is that it needs to find out how to use the cell processor to its fullist before 2012. But i think its possible.

But also according to your post (main guy) and this theory we need to assume that nintendo and microsoft follow their usual plan of updating processor and graphics and ram. If Microsoft goes for a Future proof plan then this theory would not work.

And how are some of u saying that the PS3 is not the most powerful system. PS3 is the most "powerful" system, but is in last place this gen. and is hard to develop for because most developers have been developing on simple windows-like architectured systems for the past 10+ years, its not because it sucks that it is hard to develop for. ( sorry had to clear that up cuz people were getting that twisted)

Technically, yes. The Xbox saw only saw new releases for another couple of months after being discontinued, and then got a grand total of four games in 2007: Curious George, Ratatouille, NCAA Football 08, and Madden 08 (which was the last game released for it prior to Madden 09). So they really killed off production pretty quickly.

10 year plan could mean nothing more than that Sony will do customer service for 10 years on the ps3. It could mean that they will manufacture the ps3 for 10 years. It could mean that they will not release another console for 10 years. It could mean that they will make AAA titles on ps3 for 10 years.

It's a vague statement, Sony could claim they weren't lying by simple doing the first one which isn't that hard at all to do. Nintendo is technically still supporting the NES in Japan. As far as I'm concerned it doesn't mean anything.

I think PS3 is very powerful but it just developer not willing to waste money just to make PS3 game looks better than X360. As proof most high profile PS3 exclusive (MGS4,KZ2,GT5, Heavy Rain ,GOW3,Uncharted) graphic better than most X360 exclusive. PS3 is powerful enough to survive next gen but waht Sony need to do is only upgrade some specification and call it as PS4. They can launch it earlier than its competitor with lowest price (but still get profit).

@klarklar

I see a lot of technical comments like yours that are overly simplified and, with all due respect to you and all those who comments on such things, way off the mark!  It seems like fans of a console would just dream up some wild capability based on a few marketing jargons circulating about.   Who am I to say so?  I worked as a software developer for a couple years and while I had not worked in the game industry, the basic science is the same for all software development disciplines.   Those who are trained in computer science are also trained with the foundation of computer hardware as well.   That said,  I can at least tell you that most of your assumptions about the PS3 are above and beyond its practical capability.

Xbox360 and PS3 are supercomputers:

Both MS and Sony claimed that their consoles broke the Teraflop barrier, something that used to be in the domain of supercomputers.   This is certainly a fantastic milestone for consoles, however every 2008 PC with a good graphics card will post the same or better number.   And with ordinary PC having better specs, the "super" in our current gen systems is very ordinary and a thing of the past.  For reference, the first super computer to break the Teraflop mark was the ASCI Red of 1996!   Super computers of 2008 are measured in Peta flops with the top tier systems(IBM, Cray) posting numbers higher than 1000 PFLOP.  1PFLOP = 1000 TFLOP.

In theory it could actually avoid using ram, having 512 for back up

Supercomputers of this generation are not constructed the same as the PS3.  Yes, some of them have 6000 dual core Opterons + 13000 CELL chips in the system among "other things".  And these "other things" are the huge missing parts in your assumption.   As a consummer device, PS3 and PS4 will need a lot of RAM.  There is not a practical way to get around this.

360 works more like a single cored processor PC

You may have heard developers saying the 360 is much simpler to develop for compared to the PS3.   This is not the same as saying the hardware is similar to a dated single core machine.  The 360 CPU is a multicore chip and as such poses similar parrallel coding challenge just the same as the PS3.   However, for being the master in making Operating Systems, Microsoft was able to use their expertise and hide a lot of multicore coding complexity in the 360 development tools.  This and a couple wise hardware design decisions helped make developing for the 360 more straight forward.    It is the tools Sony need to catch up to MS.  This is easier said than done.

lol =) have fun

Ok now I did not read the entire thing but one thin you should think about is: 1 when next gen consoles are out this gen is over and it does not matter if the PS3 has a 10 year life span. When it is over the race is over it is as simple as that.
2 when the next box and Wii consoles are out, they will be racing against each other without the PS3 because it is last gen then.

Not a good Sony fan spin but then again none of them are :P

Madden 09 is a bad example because EA is under contract from the NFL to relaease Madden on all viable systems...until sales fall under a certain number after the system is no longer under production or if game publishing completely stops for said system. I know this because I used to work for Visual Concepts(trust me it was a big deal) and left right becore the exclusivity contract for the NFL with EA. Madden 2008 sold over 200K this one under 100K. I am fairly certain that Madden 2010 is not longer required since I do believe the cut off is 100K but not certain.

Madden 2009 was not released for the GC since the last one only sold 60K. Howver tehy will be required to make it for the DS or Wii even if it sold 30K or 1K. They will also be required to make it for the PS2 for a while.

It has nothign to do with development time.

the big list of exclusive is irrelevent because of BC.... X720 and Wii 2 will have an equivalent list.

PS3 will be cheaper.... not really.... consoles don't go lower than $100 and in 3 years you could see an X720 that is 4 times as powerfull as now with the exact same price point... where would PS3 gain?

The only valid point is the market share.... but PS2 continues to sell cause games release and the portfolio is very vast.... because of the 120M PS2 sold.... you're more likely to see the Wii keep selling than the PS3 next gen...