I was just browsing a thread about sony and the ambitious 10 year plan and I was wondering, if the recession slows down sales will there be a slight upsurge in console sales at the end of it hence pushing back the end life of all the current gen consoles?

Another point of interest to me is whether the financial situation will also affect R&D for new consloes and cause the three companies to rethink when they want to launch the next iteration.

I honestly don't know so I was wondering what others thought. Alot of you seem to be far more knowledgeable about these things than I do

Yes.

In all likelyhood, yes. The rise in developmetn costs already did this but the recession will prolong it even more.

The wii can definitely go the distance this gen and probably last at least 13 years and be the highest selling home console because it is first(by  mile) in the highest selling gen ever.

The rest are just blowing smoke (especially the 10 year plan crap) and will probably be phased out in their 7th year(if they are lucky)

No, it is the customer who affects the generation length, and from the current decline, it seems they do not intend to keep the sales up for another 5 years.

People will get bored with any console after 4-6 years, it is a law. Even now, people speculate about "xbox 720", "PS 4" and "Wii HD", even while predicting them for 2013.

I also predict that Sony will be the one to jump to the new generation first, except in the unlikely case of a later PS3domination.

Wow, the people saying no are by far the craziest in here. One says MS+Sony can't make it seven years but the Wii will go 13 and the other thinks it's a law that people have to get bored with their consoles after 4-6 years. Right guys, right.

Anyway, we've already lost most of a year due to the recession in terms of growth, and that will be reflected in console sales. They haven't peaked as quickly as expected (360 is STILL going up yoy) and they still have a lot of room to work with on price (Wii hasn't had a cut, PS3 is still $150 above the magic number). This generation is going to be here for a long time. Even if MS planned on a 2010 release of a new console we won't see it until 2011 due to the fact that none of the big three are in a position to launch a new machine. MS is still deeply in the red and under no pressure. Nintendo is way in the black and has no incentive. Sony is still bleeding cash at the current system's price and has no reserves for a PS4 launch. Unless a new competitor steps in, things aren't changing anytime soon.

OP, I don't understand your logic. The current financial crisis is forcing companies to close, preventing good games from being made, and prices from dropping. People aren't going to look at a 300$ PS3 (or 200$ Wii or 360) with a dozen or so good games and a successor to be released in the near future and think "What a perfect time to buy". Furthermore, the video game market is so far relatively unaffected by the crisis.

I think either Microsoft or a fourth console-manufacturer are going to start next gen. Nintendo doesn't want to do anything to kill their golden-egg laying goose, and Sony just wants to spend as long as possible amortizing the huge investment they spent so far on the PS3. If Microsoft wants to start the next gen, they're going to do it regardless of economic climate, because they have effectively limitless coffers.