Let\'s throw around some speculation...

I\'m sure you guys are aware that Sony plans to officially announce and unveil their next console before the end of March.  Rumor now has it that Microsoft will do the same.  With the official announcements there\'s probably going to be more talk amongst developers on the specifics of the console.  What do you think we\'ll find out?

Sony will announce the PS3 and it\'s going to be the most powerful of all the new consoles, however it will also be recognized as the most difficult to develop for though this won\'t hinder the development community one bit.  Why do I think it will be the most powerful?  Sony has experience with hardware, more so than MS and Nintendo anyway, and they\'ve poured mountains of cash into Cell development so I don\'t doubt its power, but I doubt it will be the next coming of console gaming.  

I also believe that Sony will announce some kind of online service similar to Live.  Sony will own when it comes to a good looking console and they will announce a Spring 2006 launch in Japan with a US launch in the Fall.    

Microsoft will announce their next console, probably named Xbox 360, and announce it will launch this November, both in the US and Europe, in two forms.  One with an HD and one without.  They might outline some improvements to be made with the Live service as well as some additions.  The console will be powerful, and I believe very comparable to PS3, but will be slightly less capable.  (think PS2 vs. Xbox visuals now)  I fear it will not be backwards compatible and they will stick with DVD as the format in an effort to keep costs down.

Nintendo will wait until E3 and few will care whatever it is Nintendo came up with for their next gen console.  Nintendo might mention their next Gameboy depending on how well the PSP is received.

I speculate than Itagaki-san will make at least one inflammatory comment about the competition this year.

What about Reggie?

I believe we are going to see a few tech demos from famous games just like PS2\'s tech demos
PS3 will be the most powerful but Sony wont show all their cards.They will keep some specifications secret from the competition.
I also dont see any reason for PS3 being hard to develop for.We already saw some OpenGL colaborations and Nvidia colaborations with Sony to make development easier.I mostly see hard to exploit its full performance since it would be too powerful and it will need more time to get there.Thus said the results from the performance developers can get the first year it will blow away what will be seen in XBOX2.

On the other hand XBOX2 will show some surprise support from japanese developers and XNA demonstrations for it.i really dont know what to predict for XBOX2

Originally posted by Unicron!
Thus said the results from the performance developers can get the first year it will blow away what will be seen in XBOX2.

You do know Sony has to sell this thing at around $300, right?  I think it will be able to do some things Xbox 2 can\'t but blow it away?  Nope.

Besides, it will be 3-4 years before we see what the systems are really capable of.

Well.I sure do see a cell processor which is almost finalized and manufacturing costs could fall.
PS2 was also very expensive.Not just because it was powerful.it was new in architecture as well.Sony always loses money with each console when its launched.And we are talking about huge loses.PS2 was also sold in a loss.
Sony is trying to find alternative solutions.They are not relying on current hardware patents but on newer more effective.

As for the last paragraph its irrelevant

The massive power of the new systems combined with tricks like "normal mapping" should make for some immersive realistic worlds.

I am really looking forward to the pre-launch photos, tech demos and other hype.  

I started coming to this website when the screenshots for the PS2 were being released.  

You know, like HALO and Munch\'s Odyssey.

I am predicting now that the new Xbox console will be the most powerful and one of the easiest to develop for. I think this next generation Sony/MS will be on some SNES/Genesis stuff with each one going back and forth for the lead. Sony will overtake MS near the end of the generation when they are both looking ahead to the NEXT next generation.

Also the Nintendo console will have more power than the PS3 and be easier to develop for than both MS and Sony\'s consoles but will have some wonky controller/console issue that scares everyone but 1st/2nd party developers away.

[Bobs_Hardware]

As far as I know, the Genesis was ALWAYS leading the SNes.. it wasn\'t until a year or two after Sega stopped supporting the Genny (throwing it\'s efforts into the Saturn) that the Snes overtook it..

Regardless, I agree with Ginko..

I think with a sleek and easy to develop console MS can gain huge ground. I am not going to say which console will be most powerful because the graphics are always simular amoungst all the consoles.

What I wanna know is what the ps3 controller will look like. I don\'t think sony has the balls to change it. I use to love the design of the  Dual shock. I enjoy using the the xbox controller more now. I don\'t seem to like the two joysticks been side by side on the dual shock.

[Paul2]

Originally posted by Bobs_Hardware
As far as I know, the Genesis was ALWAYS leading the SNes.. it wasn\'t until a year or two after Sega stopped supporting the Genny (throwing it\'s efforts into the Saturn) that the Snes overtook it..

Regardless, I agree with Ginko..

Well, both Genesis and SNES have great games on them.  One have games that the other system doesn\'t have.

But I think SNES some games that I like more than Genesis such as Final Fantasy series which I never played before until FFVII on PSX.

Most games are usually on both format, snes and genesis.  but i found snes to have better graphic and sound.

But you are right about Genesis having a slightly upper hands, especially in america.  Maybe like you said, Sega screw up big times by introducing new system every one or two years thats consumers couldn\'t keep up with it.  Like the Sega CD add-on, then Sega 32x, and finally a true upgrade of Sega Saturn that just killed it.  hard to program and its expensive when compare to psx.

SACRILIGE BOBO! THE PROPER NAME IS MEGADRIVE!!! WHATS WITH YOU YANKING IT UP WITH "Genisis"!! Ugh..

But yes, I think the new Nintendo machine might get a few strange looks from the general public, given what they\'ve said so far. I\'m going to agree with Ginko too. But we don\'t really know Nintendo\'s plans, so I reserve the right to change my position once I get more information.

I would also like to add that Microsoft will adopt an aggressive strategy to sign up, acquire or otherwise secure loyal developers for it\'s new Xbox.

Originally posted by Paul2
...... and finally a true upgrade of Sega Saturn that just killed it.  hard to program and its expensive when compare to psx.

Are you talking about the unreleased upgrade
that was supposed to turn Saturn into a Model 3 console?Black belt or something it was called?
Or the extra RAM memory you put on the Memory Card slot that was used by some games only?

I\'m going to go WAY out on a limb and predict that Nintendo\'s new console will be designed with some sort of party-style multiplayer "maybe VR glasses?"  where players gather around the console instead of the TV.



Just a guess.




It seems like all of the console companies are keeping their cards to themselves and putting on their poker faces.  Apparently, the next Xbox is going to be released before this year is over?

I think some people will still wait for Sony\'s PS3.  I know I will.

Originally posted by Unicron!
Well.I sure do see a cell processor which is almost finalized and manufacturing costs could fall.
Sony is trying to find alternative solutions.They are not relying on current hardware patents but on newer more effective.

Every console ever made is sold at a loss initially, but you are kidding yourself if you think Sony is going to sell a $1000 machine for $300 as an example.  

The cell chip is scalable, it\'s meant for all kinds of things ranging from a toaster to a super computer.  Depending on the function there will be different variants of the cell.  If you think the PS3 will get the top of line cell, what\'s been shown recently, then you are living in a dream world.

PS2 was also very expensive.Not just because it was powerful.it was new in architecture as well.Sony always loses money with each console when its launched.And we are talking about huge loses.PS2 was also sold in a loss.

You make it sound as if MS won\'t do the same...MS screwed up with the Xbox because they bought off the shelf parts and made a horrible deal with Nvidia.  That\'s not the case this time.

Also, Nvidia and ATi are building the GPU\'s on these next generation machines, both of which are at the top of their game.  I don\'t think there will be significant amounts of difference between the visuals of each console unless there is a serious oversight concerning other components of the system.

As for the last paragraph its irrelevant

Hardly irrelevant, that\'s when we\'ll see what the machines can really do.  Until then everyone will still be figuring them out.