I'm with the 20 odd % that would prefer the later 1015 start for the next gen. However, I dont know what that gen would have in store, it might be when I see how amazingly better the graphics are that I wish we had the next gen tomorow!

no doubt 2012.. it has always been 5-6 years before a new console... it has been like that for 20 years

2015

A late as possible. I want to see a real jump in console ability before the next generation. What would the next generation give us?
SUPER DUPER DUPER hidef?

I think all the consoles still have some time before they are maxed out. I would like to see consoles come out in 2015, but if I had to be money I'd say 2012-2014, any sooner and it would be so to early. I mean 2011 E3 is when they will likely announce their respective consoles.

2011/2012, but with devs still developing games on the Wii/PS3/X360 till at least 2015. I don't wanna any one of the 3 to stop support like last gen.

I'd love to see new handhelds next year, though.

It's still too early although the current gen has just about reached a point where developers are starting to have to rely upon experience with the current hardware to continue to really push the boundaries of the spec limitations to optimize their game engines and resources. That being said, there's still a lot left to be done with either the 360 or the PS3 before the hardware platform becomes the real limitation in producing specific projects beyond just lowered resolutions and reduced frame rates.

2-3 years seems like the bare minimum for the next gen to debut so I'm guessing 2011-2012 at the earliest, most likely later.

If anyone were to jump the gun first, I'd probably guess it would be Nintendo since they could easily produce a lower cost HD system with hardware above current specs of the Xbox or PS3 and sell it at a profit from the beginning. As it stands, the hardware restrictions of the Wii has already made it non-viable as a development platform for a majority of the current gen hit franchises. Up to date specs on Nintendo's next console would allow developers to give it proper versions of all those franchises it's currently missing out on.

Unless Natal was really intended for the Xbox 3, it doesn't seem to make a great deal of sense for MS to go through the marketing effort of relaunching the Xbox 360 as a "new" console once it begins being bundled with Natal next year. Two years after re-release would seem to be the bare minimum if MS expects to market Natal Xbox 360 to mass market consumers which is still pushing it if they opt to release a new console two years later.

SCE has the most to work with from a hardware perspective, and really just needs to keep concentrating on continued 3rd party support, SCE studio games, continued development and expansion of PSN and returning to profitability before they even bother announcing another PlayStation.

no early that 2012 i hope. i'm think te current generation still has a lot to offer.

November 2012 would be perfect.
Nintendo has a very obvious next gen plan, and it makes me wonder if they were to launch first with what was essentially an hd version of the wii... would Sony and Microsoft even bother to follow suit?

It is all very hard to predict right now. It still feels like this gen, (what with the constant hw and firmware updates) has the ability to last much much longer than any gen previously.
Right now 2012 seems a little bit early, but that is why at least 1 of the big 3 will launch at that time.