Kotaku: Microsoft And Sony Targeting 2014 For New Consoles

[Kashanova]

time has definitely gone quick to me, I was checking the manufacturer date of my 360 and its almost 6 years old. I hope the next gen comes out sooner rather than later.

[EnigmaNemesis]

Quote: Originally Posted by bcruise

Where do Mac users fit in that pic?

It is about gaming, so obviously they don't fit in at all...

http://instantrimshot.com/

[cardswin2006]

That sounds about right for a couple of reasons:

1) The existing consoles have some life left. We are just now getting to the point where the PS3 is about the cost of a NEW Xbox360...6 years ago. Plus the technology is still putting out stunningly beautiful games (Uncharted, GOW, Killzone, Alan Wake, etc.) For those of us who own a 360, we are still waiting for MLB 2K to figure out their animations with the current graphics. I can't imagine them trying to work out the kinks with a NEW engine and graphics capability. We've only had one GTA for christ sakes!

2) The upgrade in technology doesn't seem significant enough at this point. Let's face it, games are getting eerily close to reality to the point where photorealism is a real goal of publishers. Now when that is set into motion that can still create problems, but anyone that has seen screen shots of this generation will agree that graphics have come a long way from PS2/Xbox. NBA 2K11 actually looks like an NBA game at a passing glance. That is a leap that makes someone buy a console. Will the next consoles make enough of a leap that publishers can take advantage of to make a buyer want to shell out $400? So far I haven't seen a technology demonstration that would do that.

I remember seeing King Kong (for 360) on an HD screen at Best Buy the first time. I literally stopped in my tracks and told my wife to come see this--it looked amazing! Now that game just looks average to us jaded gamers. Will the next consoles be able to create that stop-in-your-tracks-and-take notice type of event?

[DickDalewood]

The hole, IMO, in your theory, is that EVERY gen, gamers have gone, "Damn, this game looks amazing! Almost real! How could they possibly improve on this??" Then six years later, the new console is out, and we look back and go, "Wow, I can't believe THAT used to be what was considered the standard."

I guarantee you, when the first AAA title hits the next crop of consoles, we'll be sitting here going, "Holy crap, I didn't know that games could look this good!".

Let's take The Show for instance... AMAZING looking game. However, textures can always be improved, the crowd can certainly be made more realistic looking, and the cities and "backgrounds" are def not to that "photo-realistic" point yet... especially when viewed up close.

Do games already look incredible in the hands of the right developer? Of course. But like I said, we don't know what the next jump could be because we haven't seen it yet.

When we do... look out!

All that said, I definitely think 2014 is a perfect time frame.

[cardswin2006]

I definitely agree with you on the fact that we did look at games from the Xbox, Ps2 generation and think there could only be marginal improvement, but I really think that this time they are hitting their noticeable peak. Like I said, most games look very realistic in screenshots, it's usually the animations/gameplay that throw it off. The problem is that with the next console generation games are going to get A LOT more expensive to make and A LOT more complicated. Yes, this has been true with past generations, but look at the technology being used for LA Noire, for instance.

That is going to be have to be the norm in the future for games to be taken seriously as a AAA title, and that can't be cheap to input. Ironically, graphics have not been the source of complaint this generation, and when they are, it is only because now people EXPECT realism (take your critique of the thousands of individual crowd members, for instance). No, the current problems have to do with bug filled games, wonky gameplay mechanics, and short game length. I don't see any of those issues improving next generation with larger processors and memory.

Basically, AAA productions have hit a critical mass where more effort is not profitable (unless gamers start to warm up to the idea of $80 - 100 games) and the existing man hours required are not getting smaller.

[8and9]

Nice, can't wait.

[Blzer]

2014 is the best rumor I've heard yet, but even still I don't want Sony and Microsoft to think they must compete head-to-head with console launches and make it much more expensive for us. I'd rather if Sony could wait to launch a new console 18-24 months after Microsoft, they make the time to do it. I reckon this would get more sales even from people who get a new Xbox, and that would perhaps make it the superior machine once it releases as well (one that could last even longer than Microsoft's new console would as well, etc.).

That just might be me. Oh well, 2014 - 2016 would be ideal here.

[DickDalewood]

Quote: Originally Posted by Blzer

2014 is the best rumor I've heard yet, but even still I don't want Sony and Microsoft to think they must compete head-to-head with console launches and make it much more expensive for us. I'd rather if Sony could wait to launch a new console 18-24 months after Microsoft, they make the time to do it. I reckon this would get more sales even from people who get a new Xbox, and that would perhaps make it the superior machine once it releases as well (one that could last even longer than Microsoft's new console would as well, etc.). That just might be me. Oh well, 2014 - 2016 would be ideal here.

Sony DID that with the PS3... and it allowed Microsoft to gain a huge market share.