I know they won't do it, but Nintendo could really tighten the screws on MS and Sony by putting out a Wii 2 in 2011-2012 that is more powerful than the 360/PS3 with improved motion controls, Blu-ray, and is still priced at $250. This would have them dominate the hardcore crowd in addition to the casual crowd.

Lets see.. It seems that the people want...


BluRay Drive
WiFi
Slim Version
Run quieter
Bigger HD
Motion Controls
Cheap Live...

Why not just buy a ps3?

You think the PS3 is the "slim version" of the Xbox 360?

Awesome! This is perfect! this seals the deal for me! Jumpin in it is, cause i dont wanna buy a 360 and a 720 pops up around the cornor like what the PS2 did to me last gen...

thats good too know, their still is way too many games i need to get and beat yet, before a new system comes out.

The key word is "foreseeable" future. How long is that? Its like how long is a piece of string. To me it rules out 2009, but leaves the door open for 2010.

M$ will react to Nintendo when they decides to go for the Wii2. But Nintendo are never in a hurry to replace hardware. Good philosophy, imo, because it allows more resource to be put into making games rather than learning new hardware.

Sony are no real threat but if the ps3 user base does over takes the 360's then M$ will have to make a move and release a new system. But I think its only a slim chance of ps3 ever selling more than the 360.

I could see them adding a memory card reader, and maybe a PS3 like disc loader to increase the value of it..any improvements they make can't make the system necessarily perform too differently because you'll run into problems with software.

720 announced at E3 09 confirmed?

Two things to take into consideration; what is "foreseeable future" and in the end it's the market that tells when it's time to release a new console.
In other words, M$ doesn't yet have any set release date for 720.

Sega thought it was a clever move to announce Dreamcast early, but what it did was it killed 3rd party support from Saturn and Dreamcast.
Basically M$ doesn't have a similar need to fight in the console race, since Sony isn't the one leading. It's enough for M$ to try to counter every advantage PS3 has, while making some money. What Sony announce today, M$ announces it tomorrow.

Anyway, i'm still placing my bet for christmas season 2011 for 720 and sometime 2012 for the competition.

LOL I'm a 360 owner.

I do not want a BluRay Drive in my machine. I am not going to pay the premium for blu ray discs when I barely notice the visual advancements (we are in a recession, hello?). I do not want WiFi, I prefer wired. And despite all the hoolplah about motion controls, I prefer traditional gameplay.

But like your attempt to "sell" the PS3.

Edit: Also, another individua posted that Microsoft will release the next Xbox around 2010 (Poster said 2011/2012..my error, but still..) in an attempt to circumvent Nintendo's success with its next gen consol...Um, given the current market circumstances, that is the most unfounded thing I've seen posted thus far in this thread.

1) Nintendo is making money out the @ss with the Wii/DS combo. I am quite sure Nintendo is all for extending this generation also. Nintendo is the current market leader, its reached the hearts of the masses, and Nintendo is breaking sales records despite economic uncertainty.

2) Because of the very high and real costs of these "life like" HD graphics, it would simply be too expensive/counterproductive to try to push a next gen console so early in this generation. Like another poster stated, 3rd party developers would competely abandon ship if Microsoft were to release a new console in 2010 or even 2011. Unless Micrososft wants to destroy the excellent relationships it has buit with 3rd party developers, we will not be seeing a console anytime soon.

3) Microsoft (relative to the HD videogaming console market) is in a good place right now. Why would they want to jeopardize that? They are bringing in money and its only smart to maximize that potential right now and try to recoup as much of their losses as possible. This gen, investors may finally be seeing that the Xbox division is going to pay off...Microsoft has no reason to cut it short.

4) I think consumers still remember how quickly support dropped for the first Xbox. The best thing for Microsoft to do would be to PROVE that it can provide long term reliable support for its console. Microsoft does not need to totally destroy Sony, but prove in the minds of consumers, investors, and developers that the Xbox platform is a viable, withstanding product.

The sooner they release, the better. It would force Sony's hand, and give MS a much better chance to beat Sony next generation.

...from a competitive perspective, that is.

Another thing I want to talk about is Forward Compatibility. The rumored ability of the next MS system. It could, in theory, play Xbox and Xbox 360 games at a better frame rate, with faster loading, and improved graphical capabilities(no popins). A very interesting feature that I wish all consoles would incorporate next gen. It would also allow those core gamers that sat out this gen to experience all those great games, with some of their flaws removed. Imagine Mass Effect on a console, with no glitches, at 60 fps.