In a couple of posts yesterday, industry site Develop’s Rob Crossley has leaked information from Sony ‘sources’ that suggest several studios are working on PS4, and that Microsoft are readying their next Xbox for 2013.
Both stories will have struck fear into the respective PR departments, who are clearly still trying to sell this generation of consoles to a hungry public, but we heard on Twitter yesterday that Crossley had given each company plenty of time to respond before the articles were published.
The Sony one seems the most solid. “Preliminary work on PlayStation 4 games has begun at several internal Sony studios,” it begins, citing the usual ‘trusted source’ and being slightly vague on what that work may entail. “Various game projects are at very early stages,” it says.
It’s not known which of Sony’s studios has started the work.
The Xbox story, which calls the new machine ‘Xbox Next’, says that “Microsoft and industry partners are working towards a 2013 launch” and says that ‘multiple sources’ have told Develop they expect the console to be revealed at E3 2013, just months before its release.
Both Sony and Microsoft declined to comment on the reports.
Forrest_01
I’m thinking reveal in 2013, with a possible release window of 2014/2015?
As much as i hate to say it (as i am still enjoying this gen without concerning myself over whether i have the ‘next best thing’), that sounds about right to me.
Youles
Yeah, I think you’re right about the dates, and I suspect Europe will be behind Japan & the US anyway. Fine by me due to funds and a huge backlog of games!!
KeRaSh
If the next Xbox really arrives in 2013 then Sony cannot afford to wait until 2015 to bring out a PS4.
The Lone Steven
I can see the Xbox 3 being released in 2013 as the xbox 360 was released in 2004/3 but i can’t see the PS4 being released in the same year as i think it’s still got some juice left in it for the developers to squeeze.
Plus, who thought the Xbox Next is a good name? It seems lazy. The 720 would have been fine or Xbox The third.
I think 2015 is the earliest we will see the PS4 being offically announced then released the following year as Sony tends to release their consoles ten years after the previous one.
nofi
“as i think it’s still got some juice left in it for the developers to squeeze”
No, I think it’s just about squeezed. UC3 is probably as far as it’ll go.
The Lone Steven
I think there is still a bit left. UC3 is going to be an excellent example of what the PS3 has to offer. I think Skyrim is an excellent example of what both consoles are capable of doing. :)
Awayze
No it’s not squeezed yet. PS3 is capable of 1080p 60Hz games. There’s still some graphical power left to be tapped. Easily capable with some hard work and coding.
UC3 is still 720p 30Hz.
KeRaSh
While more might be possible, the better question would be if squeezing out that last 5% of power is profitable. New hardware that is easier to program for would make it easier for devs to release 1080p 60 fps games. The PS3 has reached a wall and it’s name is “system memory”. It’s clearly holding devs and technology back.
Forrest_01
Xbox the third makes it sound like royalty!
I’m sure it will be a very capable machine, but i doubt it will have blue blood running through it’s circuits. :)
Devil2k
I’m calling “neXtboX”.
TSBonyman
I think Apple might own the rights to the name neXtboX :)
Darksidesystems
My money is on X-cube but written as X3
bacon_nuts
X-cube/X3, good call, i like it.
yogdog
Don’t like X3, sounds too much like the ‘X’series of space simulation games on PC (awesome games!) So the name could be taken by Deep Silver.
JBoo
it will be called xBox 4….[something] just because the new playstation will be called ps4. thats how microsoft think, they like fooling gullible idiots like they did with calling the 2nd xBox, xBox ‘3’60[looks like its their 3rd console you see]
Starman
I doubt it. Even the dumbest people I work with didn’t think it was there 3rd console!
a inferior race
or because they were marketing it as a revolution in gaming?
moshi
Isn’t Xbox720 even lazier of a name!
pitchforkdisney
Sorry to be a pedant but…Hmmm by your calculations the original playstation was competing with the ZXSpectrum and C64 back in 1985! 5 years between generations – till the PS3.
kivi95
What are you talking about? Xbox 360 was released in 2005.
And where do you get 10years afrom?
ps1: 1995(1994 in Japan)
ps2: 2000
ps3: 2007(2006 in Japan)
As you can see that is 5-6 year between the ps consoles. I won’t be annonced in 2015!!! It won’t even be released in 2015.
It will probably bee annoncend in 2012-2013 and be released in 2013.
Lewis Murray
Sony wont use all the capability of the PS3. Gamers have given Sony a big FU this generation, and sent the clear message that they much prefer rushed out unreliable hardware launches, last-gen hardware/storage, subscription gaming and overnight cancelling of the old-models support, over the wait-until it’s ready and the time is right approach of old.
Next time you buy Xbox, think what message you are sending the industry…
p9ul
I’d imagine both consoles will launch within weeks of each other before Christmas 2013. Sony won’t want MS heading a 12 month headstart again, and it should the first playstation that’s not using a new optical storage format – it was blu-ray production problems that caused the PS3 delays.
Start saving – November 2013 could get expensive…
tonycawley
Microsoft next? That’s some next name for a console, as my students would say!
DrNate86
I’ll be happy for a new console as long as I can move across all my psn games, I’ve built up quite the insurmountable backlog!
MayContainEvil
Hope Sony learned from the PS3 that it needs to release close after MS so that they don’t go and build up a huge user base shaped competitive advantage.
I also hope they keep the blu-ray player, surely to switch format would be annoying – I play blu-rays on my ps3 all the time. I wonder if Microsoft will use blu-ray next gen?
AG2297
Yeah surely Sony must use Blu-ray although they can use a much more modern one with much faster read times which would help with load times as the current read speed on the PS3 from Blu-ray discs is pretty poor.
Jas-n
It’ll most likely be compatible with Blu-ray XL(?) Discs and will definitely have a faster speed, Blu-ray was in it’s infancy when the PS3 was released (BDP players were still ~£1,000), where as DVD was in it’s adolescence, so it had evolved as far as it would.
It’s like the initial X360/PS3 sales comparisons that didn’t take into consideration the release date gap.
Lewis Murray
LOL, it seems all the bedroom “experts” here source their information entirey from the internet,and as we all know, the internet is the biggest liar…
Bet you didn’t know that the PS3’s Blu-Ray drive is actually faster thant he 360’s DVD… Of cours you didn’t, as Microsoft have ensured that information sinks to the bottom, and their sponsoring of the false information is what the fanboys all cite.
Here are the FACTS: http://forum.beyond3d.com/showpost.php?s=fd6091dc1caf54cf92fe7fed3c8a6830&p=1021813&postcount=1
Origami Killer
I think that this year the playstation 3 has reached it’s peak. We have had Move, the eye camera and the best the exclusives can reach in terms of their capabilities.
TSBonyman
I queued up launch day for ps3 but i can’t say i’ll be doing the same next gen. This generation has come with a sharp learning curve and i’m not sure i want to continue supporting the industry so much any more.
cam the man
I’ve always pre-ordered to get it delivered on day of release, beats waiting ti a queue.
Jim H [Teabags]
In all honesty, I would be content with my PlayStation 3 for at least another few years. I’m getting to that point where I have such a massive backlog that a new console would kill me entirely.
Forrest_01
Death by backlog?? *gulp*
I better start booking some time off so that i can get some games finished up then!
bunimomike
*donates laxative*
plutoniumdragon
About time I reckon, I just hope the new consoles are not too dated (technically) when they finally release.
Also I think the PS3’s game performance is difficult to quantify, for me it feels very dated and my PC buries it but at a lower price point there should be a fair amount of life left in it.
I doubt they’ll kill it dead when the PS4 comes along, look how long the PS2 survived :)