Xbox News: MS: Xbox 360 'about halfway through' its lifecycle - ComputerAndVideoGames.com

And with this:

Sony: No PS4 for "quite some time" News - PlayStation 3 - Page 1 | Eurogamer.net

Maybe the Nintendo Wii U will be the most powerful console for quite some time.

Well, the Nintendo Gamecube was the most powerful console of its generation, but that couldn't rescue it from its doom. The best titles and biggest development support of that generation went to PS2 and even to newcomer XBox.

That trend has continued even more visibly this generation and Nintendo will have to try a lot harder to make sure the WiiU won't tank before it has even been released.

I thought the Xbox was the most powerful :3 But the difference, if any, has to be extremely insignificant.

But regardless of that, I agree. This isn't really big news. Nintendo has had the least powerful system for what, 6 years now? They are just now getting a console that can match with the 360 and PS3. Now the real competition starts between the big 3...just like the good old days of last gen. Sony and Microsoft have no reason to start a new console.

Well, I used to be a Nintendo fanboy in the Gamecube days, so the typical fanboy misinformation we used to share amongst each other may have clouded my memory.

Either way, in hindsight the PS2 mercilessly obliterated the Cube in terms of vastness, width, maturity and overall quality of its library (I bought a PS2 at the end of its lifecycle and only then realized what I had been missing all that time).

Actually according to developers the Wii U is 50% more powerful than the PS3 and Xbox 360 and Valve said it's a lot more more powerful than the PS3 and Xbox 360 so they're not just playing catch up but surpassing them.

Now if this statement is true Nintendo will have a more powerful console than the Microsoft for 5 years and by the sound of Sony's statement they'll probably stick to their original plan and release the PS4 in 2016. That's along time for Nintendo to have the most powerful console.

True, though since they've had the weakest for 6 years, now they have to play catch-up by having the strongest for as many :P Then they can all be on equal grounds again!

Though, it is worth mentioning that reports are often over the top. Remember when they said the 3DS was as powerful as the 360? Not going to happen.

Either way, more power to Nintendo. Give me a system that surpasses the other two, and actually has third party support, and I'll gladly come back. I may not be a Nintendo fanboy anymore, thanks to the Wii, but if they can do it...well, Nintendo is still the king.

It annoys me that no one gets 10 year life cycle doesn't mean another console isn't coming within 10 years. The PS1 and PS2 were said by Sony to have 10 year life cycles when they launched as well.

Hopefully the Wii U will have next gen graphics. If it does, it could mean that Sony and Microsoft do have a reason to release new consoles. If new graphics engines are made that only work on Wii U and PC because the PS3 and Xbox 360 can't handle them. that would probably encourage them to make next gen consoles. Of course they wouldn't say that the life cycle is about up though. That could cause a decrease in sales of their current consoles.

Well the gamecube was the second most powerful graphically. The PS2 did have a better library though, and it was next to last in graphics (only beating the dreamcast).

Yeah but the difference with PS1 and PS2 is that they were sold at a profit so Sony could afford to bring the next gen earlier. With the PS3 they've been selling at a loss for a for a long time and the PSN hacks repairs cost them millions. But since the PS3 has just started turning profit if they stick to their ten year lifespan then they might make the money back. Plus with all the costs it would take for development and research on the PS4 I don't think Sony can afford it right now.

And true it's not like their going to say 'oh yeah don't buy the Xbox 360 because the Xbox 720 is right around the corner' but they could just not say anything if it's coming soon.

They have to respond whenever rumors come around or it seems like they are in fact planning on releasing a new console. I mean if I was a CEO of a company and there was buzz about us releasing a console next year and we actually were, I would lie and say there is nothing even in development.

Of course there possibly could be nothing in development for anyone else. We will just have to wait and see.

But by 2016 I think low end PCs will be kicking the crud out of the PS3 and Xbox 360 in graphics.

They already have...

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