http://www.next-gen.biz/news/next-generation-arrive-2012

If this is true, it mean that Todd's 2014 predication is way off and that Bethesda will have to release the next game with their Creation Engine (*cough* Fallout 4) with the new systems already out, which could affect sales.

Thoughts?

Eh. Still pretty confident in the 2013 - 2014 time frame. I believe all this talk of consoles releasing next year came around after the news of the early dev kits being released.

And Sony's top studio suddenly shifting its focus to next gen?

Seems like the gears are moving, perhaps due to the Wii-U?

Eager for confirmation at E3.

I hope so, because I'm sick and tired of playing games circa 2006 on my PC. As for Bethesda, I suppose they could enhance the Creation Engine with third party plug ins to bring it up to date as much as possible.

So you're saying new models of consoles will be coming out during production of Fallout 4 and could affect the rate at which it is distributed? Does this mean we have to wait longer? But then that brings the question, how are devs working with the new ware if it hasn't come out yet? I doubt it would affect the game because consoles update for new software but keeps the previous software functional. It's how Xbox games work on the Xbox 360 and how original PlayStation games work on the PS3. So, FO4 just might be using older software while other games use the newer software because the new software will have come out already, plus FO4 is assumed to already be in production so it's not like they can scrap it now just to resume the same thing on new ware.

Right? :I

The Wii U is released next year. So yes, the next console generation starts next year.

I really hope it's true. Tech has moved on massively since PS3/360, it's time for some new toys.

It started with ninetendo 3DS and I'm not sure but Sony said they wished the PS3 to surpas their PS2 sales before they released a new console. However Microsoft has needed a new console for a while. Either way fallout 4 should be out in 2015 ish. Depending if it's geared for new consoles or not.

Given that we've always had a 2-3 years' heads-up on new generations of consoles, this suggests that now that we actually have substantial information on the Xbox 720 and PS3, a reasonable time to expect them might be around 2013. Remember, design takes a lot of work, and dev kits don't have to match the end product, merely the architecture. I do remember that older 360 dev kits were available as early as late 2003, and were basically modified PowerMac G5s with Radeon 9800pro video cards.

However, the Wii U has been known about for longer, and given how aggressively things are going with it, I wouldn't be surprised to see it out in 2012. This does mean that Nintendo will go first this time around... Which will be the first time they've done so since the NES back in 1983/5. Every other time Nintendo has gone last in at least in North America, and they've never been first in any market.

We'll likely see the new consoles unveiled at E3 in 2012; The Wii U will likely have plenty of playable examples, while the 720 and PS4 will not likely be playable by those in attendance, but rather more restricted "visual demonstrations," using yet-to-be-finished hardware.

Of course, 2014 is still a possibility for Microsoft and Sony: at least right now, the sales on their machines isn't particularly slowing, unlike as it is for the Wii. (it's the drop in sales that've prompted the Wii U's release) That, and NEITHER the 360 or PS3 lived up to the expectations of their respective makers, both of which assumed they'd take #1. Hence, they want to milk their current products for what they can. I'm pretty positive that the speculation/information on the 720 and PS4 has less to do with Microsoft and Sony deciding that it's time for a new generation, but rather a "just-in-case" preparation in case the Wii U steals their thunder. (as it almost certainly will) I believe their line of reasoning basically has them preparing to follow one of two routes, which will depend upon what happens:

• Wii U releases in 2012, sets sales on fire, hurts 360 and PS3 - In this event, with Nintendo again re-asserting a #1 level in sales, (rather than the slow narrowing of the Wii's total sales lead) would be a death knell to the existing consoles; it'll be vastly more powerful and doing 1080p for all its games, where the 360 often can't even properly do 720p, and the PS3 does 720p, but can't do AA+HDR. This "Worst case" scenario sees Nintendo retain all the advantages of the original Wii, while ALSO suddenly turning the tables on computational horsepower.
  • Response from MS/Sony - Get the 720 and PS4 out the door ASAP. Given the likelihood of this scenario coming to pass, it's important that they have a successor ready to go: every day with the Wii U uncontested in the 8th-generation space means substantial losses in sales for Sony and Microsoft.
• Wii U releases later, or fails to reach the sales dominance of the Wii - This is a less-likely scenario, particularly given that it mostly relies on the Wii U being LATE; if it's the first 8th-generation console to market, you can be certain that if it arrives first, it will out-sell any other console out there, until it has a competitor. The only question is by what MARGIN it will out-sell the 360 and PS3.
  • Response from MS/Sony - Wait and see, wait and see. The 360/PS3 still have sales potential left, so no reason to throw it away. Keep working on the 720/PS4, since they will have to come out SOME DAY. Retain the ability to launch them as quickly as possible once the Wii U arrives on the scene.

I, for one, will be happy to see a new generation; consoles have been holding development too far back, with almost no developers willing to admit that you'd get better results making games for the PC first, THEN trying to push the console's envelope. (compare the visuals of Skyrim to those of Battlefield 3, for instance)

Also, the article's comment about "AI being the battleground instead of graphics" are kinda silly. Graphics got no more extra attention in the 7th generation than they did prior; the only way they MIGHT have had more said is simply due to the wide gap between the Wii and the 360/PS3. It's not like previous generations weren't seen as "advanced," and in turn we'll have a slew of fools looking back and deriding the 360 or PS3's graphics for looking "old." And contrary to what might assume, there'll be a substantial gap between the Wii U and the PS3/360; after all, there was a big gap between the Xbox and Wii, and those two were only 4 years apart (vs 6) and those two also represented far more "outlier" status in terms of their respective generations: the Xbox was not just more powerful than its competitors, said gap was unusually large, and the same can be said for the Wii being weaker than its competitors.

To be honest I still think the PS3 and 360 have another 3-4 years left in them. Pushing a new console generation now seems too soon. I mean really how much of graphical difference is there to be seen between a 360 and 720 or PS3 and PS4? Probably not enough to warrant another $400.00 to $500.00 investment. Hard drive prices have skyrocketed lately too due to the floods in Thailand.

It's been what? Almost 6 years? I'd say it's high time for a new generation of consoles. And that's not bad really, considering if you put back $10 a month for 6 years that covers the price (if not more than) of a new console. The difference will be more than noticeable I'm sure, considering what an $800 (or less even) modern PC can do.

My reaction that Nintendo would be releasing a new console: :celebration:

My reaction after I saw the Wii U: :sadvaultboy:

It's not like games for the current consoles will instantly stop being produced once the new generation comes out. The sooner they unveil the new consoles the better, because not only are the current consoles severely outdated, but they're affecting the quality of PC games too.

This wasn't as much of a problem in the past because PC multiplatform games only really took off with the original Xbox console, but now it seems that every game is being made to fit those lower console specs.

I totally agree. There's not need for new consoles.

Hah.