Sony will "probably be the last to announce something" regarding next-generation consoles, PlayStation France CEO Philippe Cardone has been quoted as saying.
According to translation of a Le Point interview (via OPM), the Sony exec apparently claims the firm's under "less pressure" to launch new hardware compared to rival Nintendo, which is "pressed for time" due to Wii's decline.
"It's true that there are many rumours, but I couldn't tell you anything," he said. "The Wii is pressed for time because it is in decline. In our case, we have a lot less pressure. We were the last to leave the PS3, we will probably be the last to announce something."
According to multiple reports, Microsoft is planning to showcase its next-generation Xbox at this year's Los Angeles expo, with the public supposedly getting their hands on the console in late 2013.
Sony's top brass have previously been quoted as indicating that allowing Microsoft to get the jump on the PlayStation 4 with its next console would be an "undesirable" situation for Sony, but that's certainly not the noise coming out of the platform holder this month.
Quizzed on PS4 reports in January, Sony Computer Entertainment chairman Kaz Hirai backed up SCE president Andrew House's comments to CVG, claiming Sony is "not making any announcements at E3" regarding PS4.
"I've always said a ten-year life cycle for PS3, and there is no reason to go away from that," he said.
Comments
50 comments so far...
Beetle Bum on 30 Jan '12 said:
their pobably taking their time figuring out how to counter xbox's next gen media box and other technologys like onlive.
metallicorphan on 30 Jan '12 said:
take your time,i think the most important thing is the hardware that Devs can get around easily
oh but for me,the only thing i really want different is no f**king multibutton/hold down to turn off crap...just give me an on/off switch that i only need to press once,and not be lectured next time i turn the machine on after turning it off wrong(which is usually done because of freezes),even my PC has a once only button
everything else i am fine with on the outside
03b2wgm on 30 Jan '12 said:
I don't think anyone will mind too much. If they take their time, the end product will hopefully be better.
Besides, it doesn't sound like they're done with the PS3 yet.
SpandexArmstrong on 30 Jan '12 said:
Translation: we're waiting until the competition lays all their cards on the table, then rob the place! Haha!
I will say that I hope it doesn't look like that Sony alarm clock in the picture!
Barca Azul on 30 Jan '12 said:
Makes sense, they probably know where they want to go and won't want to give too much away until the last minute.
I think until MS show their hand, Sony won't. I expect they will be quicker to market this time with the PS4 or whatever it will be called,than they were with the PS3.
JBoo on 30 Jan '12 said:
Well the PS3's Worldwide sales have been going up every year so i can't see why they would rush out a PS4 yet. The Wii's sales have dropped quite a bit & the Xbox 360's yearly sales are about the same for MS so i reckon them 2 want next Gen to come quicker LOL
sammikid on 30 Jan '12 said:
Still looking forward to alot of what Sony is offering this Gen!
I'm probably going to get a PS4, owned all of them so far, but not wanting to make the leap to a new console just yet. So them going last is probably best in the end for me/us... keep on giving us content/games and you won't hear us complaining.
StonecoldMC on 30 Jan '12 said:
All 3 will release there new consoles within 18 months of the first hitting the market.
So, whenever the Wii U comes out, expect the NextBox and PS4 to release within 18 months of it and we start the merry go round all over again.
03b2wgm on 30 Jan '12 said:
I'm still debating whether to get a PSVita or not.
ricflair on 30 Jan '12 said:
I'm not expecting the CEO of Sony France (or any Euro region) to have the first clue of what Sony are thinking in Japan! Same with MS and Nintendo. I don't think the European side of their businesses, while earning them them plenty of cash, are involved in their decision making at all. And the PS3 has sold more in Europe than Japan or America!
HarleyQuin on 30 Jan '12 said:
I hope not i'm quite happy with my ps3 for a few years yet look what happens when they rush out a new console trying to beat they rivals 360 red ring of death which cost me 3 consoles!
NEO_SUPERMAN on 30 Jan '12 said:
I wonder if Sony will nick loads of features from nintendo and Microsoft like they did this gen.
The one good original idea Sony had with the PS3 was Playstation Home. Just a shame we all know how that turned out. Let's hope they get it sorted for the PS4 as it has the potential to be amazing.
Chris_Shanahan87 on 30 Jan '12 said:
don't be fooled by MS and Sony playing press with each other,
Xbox 720 and PS4 are heavily in development now.
DavidVM on 30 Jan '12 said:
I'm not buying this ten year lifespan thing, at least not without an overlap (which Sony handled pretty well last time). I don't expect graphics to be significantly advanced from this gen for the next gen. but I do expect load times to be massively reduced and since the PS3 has the longest load times since the ZX Spectrum, I fail to see how it will compete at that stage.
I think the fact that Sony as a whole have been in the red for the last three years might have a fair amount to do with their reluctance to write off the billions it takes to launch a new console when their current console is making them a tidy profit. Microsoft have much deeper pockets these days and could well push Sony into the same place Nintendo are right now...
Agent75 on 30 Jan '12 said:
After the success of the PS2, Sony has been king of the cock-ups and I can't see that changing, more so with the Vita launch in Japan (take a look at the sales figures...). But Sony officially stated last year that they won't be last in with the PS4, yet it looks 100% certain that the Wii U and Xbox 720 will be out first. The Wii U is out this year (in all regions), so that's done and dusted. The Xbox 360 is 6 years old, it's time to move on, plus publishers have put pressure on Microsoft. There's just no way Sony are going to sit back and continue with the PS3 when the Wii U and Xbox 720 will be living the high life. Sony has passed the PS3 tech over to the Vita, the PS4 will be announced this year, or maybe early next year. Sony will be last in again, so unless it has something a hell of a lot better than the rest, it's doomed. But the PS3 has sold decent, even though it's in third place. I own a PS3, it doesn't bother me, but in Sony's eyes, being third, isn't good enough. The big guys at Sony seem to be saying one thing, then another. The PS4 will be here soon.
Agent75 on 30 Jan '12 said:
Sales are quite poor in Japan. Same will happen in the US and Europe. Wait for the price drop.
IplayVideogames on 30 Jan '12 said:
They can take their time with PS4, just like PS3 it's obviously going to be the best console in the next-gen so it's not like they need to rush.
El Mag on 30 Jan '12 said:
Sony ate Freddie Starr's hamster.
True story.
Probably.
thelazyone on 30 Jan '12 said:
Well, if they wait, then they risk nintendo and microsoft taking part of sony's market share...
Its a difficult one for them, i think most sony users are happy the way things are but Sony cant afford to lose they market share and re-claim it like what they have done to the ps3.
Nintendo needs a new machine sure, their console cycle is different, im sure mircosoft will feel like that they too are almost ready.
As with sony?? - well i dont want a new ps4 now, will I want one later? Well who knows? I might already bought nintendo's or microsoft's latest outings.. Most people buy one machine anyways.. They hardcore lot here (me included), will end up with two at some point sure, but most families wont.
I still think the Wiiu will sell like hot cakes too
Maybe they put a little too much tech in the ps3? Is the extended life cycle of the ps3 a good idea or not? - What do u guys think?
MPH on 30 Jan '12 said:
So... you've left the PS3? Say whaaaaat dawg? I'd say that's some bad translating right there.
Ali_ on 30 Jan '12 said:
This is a far more sensible approach from Sony. If the only power increase Xbox can manage is 6x, which will be almost immediately eaten up if everything runs at 1080p and 60fps, then waiting to show a console that actually has a clear advantage would be the smart move. PS3 was late on release because of BluRay but, this time, Sony could use the time to put out a clearly more powerful system, instead of the smoke and mirrors that surrounded PS3's launch.
TOKEN on 30 Jan '12 said:
8-16 GB GDDR ram should do the job.
TheDragonDoji on 30 Jan '12 said:
Personally not done with my PS3 and wouldn't buy the PS4 on release anyway. Though I respect Sony for the whole 'On our terms bitches!' perspective.
Chris_Shanahan87 on 30 Jan '12 said:
best console in what sense? Out my 360, Wii, and PS3 - the PS3 is the one that collects dust.
Barry316 on 30 Jan '12 said:
Probably should clean up more often then you scruff.
thelazyone on 30 Jan '12 said:
Mine does too, but that's only because of the shiny black finish!
Chris_Shanahan87 on 30 Jan '12 said:
yeah, because the fact that the PS3 was more powerful than the Xbox 360 REALLY made a difference.
Wii was the weakest technologically, and yet wiped the floor with both the Xbox/PS3 in sales and had some of the best games of the generation. Same with the DS and PSP
When will people realise that power isn't everything? I want new consoles because I do enjoy pretty games, but I would never say the PS3 is better than the Wii, never mind the Xbox 360. Try comparing a game like God of War to Mario Galaxy and tell me which is better.
bjjcjc on 30 Jan '12 said:
As long as they give the thing a decent GPU, fast Blu Ray Drive as in at least 10x speed, (which cost a fortune when the PS3 was initially released but will be cheap as chips now) and a unified memory architecture with plenty of the stuff, which will no doubt be accompanied by a cell processor on steroids!!!!
Re software, ffs just redesign the interface from ground up!!!!
coolpro on 30 Jan '12 said:
I don't care when it comes out. There is only thing that Sony need to do which I feel made the PS2 the success it was regardless of graphics & power etc
Two words - BACKWARDS COMPATIBILITY!
The loss of this on the ps3 when it was slimmed down & the ambiguity when the fatboy first came out as to which games would/wouldn't play meant that the loss of the back catalogue of games was immense!
Sure now we get HD remakes of various titles but there are still some great ps2 games that mean I'm still stuck with a ps2 round the back of the TV for when I want to play - Battlefront 1/2 or GTA3/vice city are prime examples.
The ps4 MUST be able to play ps3 games. It's an obvious stance to get current users to adopt any new system early.
heatuk10 on 30 Jan '12 said:
I don't believe they will. It is too much of a money spinner releasing games on the PSN network and like to said as HD remakes. It's basically another way to drain money from us...
jm3811 on 30 Jan '12 said:
Sony have taken this habit to be the last to announce something - the way they justified the PSN outage was quite a performance.
Now I'm not too excited to see what the PS4 is made of. In fact I don't care. Main reason is the fact that there are less and less games that are worth it when the overall gaming business is becoming unbearable.
feeg86 on 30 Jan '12 said:
This makes perfect sense. There's still a good few years of decent games left in the PS3.
bjjcjc on 30 Jan '12 said:
If they are sticking with the cell processor, there is no reason why they cant maintain full backwards comparability.
Backwards compatability on xbox 360 and ps3 was done through software emulation as both had completely different architectures from their predecessors (original xbox was intel wheras 360 was PPC for example?)
svd_grasshopper on 30 Jan '12 said:
people moaning about backwards compatibility again?
just keep your ps3, since it has 'plenty of life in it yet'.
don't base any decision to buy something brand new, only to use it for the same old s**t again. it's twisted and retarded.
Toasted_PSP on 30 Jan '12 said:
No way I want something like that, imagine hitting the wrong button in a frantic part of a game only to have the whole system shut down because you accidentally pressed the power button which shuts the system down with no warning.
SavageEvil on 30 Jan '12 said:
Sony can't afford to rush anything out in this economic climate, it would have to be priced perfectly or it will die at retail. I see Sony leveraging Cell tech once again as it was bare bones in PS3. Home should be integrated directly into the system and not be an afterthought, the OS needs to be better from the core. I hate the slow interface on PS3 when you access it while in a game. If you have a browser on your system make sure it's compatible with the Internet. I expect BC from day one, there are just too many people who own PS3 games that they sure do not want to have to pull out their PS3 to play. Sony might try some shady ass trade in program and allow you to download it via PSN for a price to which I will curse them to hell and tell them to shove it. I fully expect PS3 to target PS3's short comings, a seriously beefed up Cell Processor and a Custom GPU from perhaps Power VR, sorry but those low power high performance numbers are just too hard to not pay attention to. PS4 should have better security built from the ground up and a much more useful OS. I definitely want my HDMI 1.4(minimal) support for DTS 5.1 and up, DD 5.1, DTS True HD and all the accompanying audio decoders. Possibility to output to two HDMI sources at once, which pretty much guarantees power under the hood. 1080p@60fps standard with a 720p mode as well. PS4 needs Bandwidth lots of it make it happen.
I tell you what the Wii U or whatever it's called will not be overly expensive, so it will sell off the back of the Wii success at a good price point. Will look attractive to buyers in this crappy economic state and warrant the purchase as it's clearly an upgrade from the lowly Wii visually and the controller will further cement that. What will the PS4 and next Xbox bring to the table? They have little casual presence and will only look marginally different in visual department so high price wouldn't be justifiable to the masses. I see Nintendo going on a two generation roll with this, casual market is filled with too much potential and they got in on the ground floor and rode the wave, next system is just to capitalize on it and looks to do so in Nintendo fashion of bringing something new to the table. Sony and MS have their work cut out for them, hardcore gamers can't support them, the casuals have more cash and more say as we saw with all the casual oriented focus especially with MS.
Is that why your Blu Ray player doesn't play CD's and DVD's? Oh wait it does...nothing twisted about that, all about getting the most out of your purchase. I expect my old games to be supported at least one generation later, if everything is just tossed out each generation then you will think of streamlining your purchases. Then we will have purely online stuff like onlive which for me is not something I want to deal with. Lot's of people probably feel like I do, they love to own the things they purchased and digital ownership is like "buying a house" in the US these days. You don't own anything, the land belongs to the state and your ass is just renting it. Besides digital ownership is just playing into the money makers hands, they set term limits and after that time it reverts back to them and you have to purchase it once again to use it. Great way to maximize profits and have no middleman to worry about. I'll take my BC compatibility thank you very much.
ashadian on 30 Jan '12 said:
Sony as a whole have been screwed of late but i think they will be back this year big time! They've took control of the phone arm and now are merging all their divisions and ideas together. Sony Entertainment network+Playstation Network are all combining with music unlimited and video unlimited etc. Look at how much an improvement their new Xperia S and Ion Phones are over the previous ones???? Smartphones is where the profit is at the moment and Sony have been slow to react but they have an advantage over Samsung etc in that they also have the entertainment and content already! Vita is a quality bit of kit! Sony are back baby just watch this space!!!!
svd_grasshopper on 30 Jan '12 said:
does it even cost a penny to have a BR player run DVDs? possibly something to do with it.
plus not even 1% of ps3 owners still play ps2 games. the percentage is much higher with BR owners still playing DVDs.
coolpro on 30 Jan '12 said:
I remember when the ps2 came out & I bought it on the launch day, to save some cash I px'ed my old ps1 at the time as the ps2 was backwards compatible. Did the same with my ps2 with my ps3 for the same reason. It was an incentive to upgrade. When my ps3 went bang & I had to upgrade to a Slim as there was no other choice & I bought an old ps2 so I could still play the games I wanted & enjoy to play.
Saving money is neither twisted or retarded. Wanting to continue to enjoy something that you personally like is also neither twisted or retarded.
There is only one thing that is twisted & retarded about your statement & it is not the comment you are mentioning or the person that is making it.
Ali_ on 30 Jan '12 said:
It didn't really, that's the point. Maybe an extra 5-10% power when used properly but that's about it. Had they launched just 6 months after the 360 and at the same time, or before, Wii, when they were meant to, they'd have been a lot further ahead, but the hold ups with the BluRay committee scuppered their early chances. They've done well to pull back to level pegging with Microsoft.
Beebop10 on 30 Jan '12 said:
Obviously it's memory they need to go a little crazy with . With both Epic and Crytek calling for PC competitive quantities of memory, they'd be well advised to heed them. Look at how many games are built with UE3 and Cryengine 3 is hardly a slouch . Considering the current price of ram and the fact that these dev guys, at the cutting edge of development are shouting, "more ram please" (Crytek want 8GB), it'd be mad for Sony not to almost overdo things.
ricflair on 30 Jan '12 said:
I think backwards compatibility has more benefits when the console just starts - you can trade/flog your old one and put the cash towards the new one, and still play your games while decent games for the new console are relatively thin on the ground.
It's more of an issue for me with the 360, more to do with the amount of XBLA stuff I've got, I don't want to lose that when my 360 eventually dies and then have no option but to stick another box around my TV in addition to the new xbox (if I actually get one). There's something about having games linked to the account that just makes me feel like I'm missing out on them not being there more than my disk games.
Izo on 30 Jan '12 said:
Funny I get the same feeling but maybe because we're old fashioned and prefer having an actual copy our shelves, Steam has helped show me the benefits of an account approach though.
WHITEyy118 on 30 Jan '12 said:
To tell you the truth no-one knows, not even 'top brass' bosses at either MS and Sony know when they will release their next gen consoles. There will be plans, powerpoints and graphs hinting at a TARGET release but nothing set in stone. Unlike other technology, mobile phones and TV's for example, gaming consoles have a much much larger life span because of the few pieces of hardware on offer and the lack of competition.
They are probably right that Wii U is only being released because of a sharp fall in sales, possibly because of Kinnect and PS Move, while Xbox and PS3 are doing fine. So why change anything? But IF things do take a dramatic change, Wii U being a major success or OnLive blooming, then both MS and SONY will need to respond. That's why as said before, the next gen consoles are obviously underway. My guess is by now both MS and SONY have at least a few different models all with different specifications utilising todays technologies, but until they are pushed for a release they will continue to design and improve what they have.
panantukan on 31 Jan '12 said:
I've got no probs with Sony's "quality over quantity" approach. It's served them well thus far - even to the point where MS have tried to copy it as their own in an attempt to justify their lacklustre number of exclusives this year.
I wonder whether Sony made this decision after finding out that the 720 is being built around a year-old, sub £50 graphics card - i.e. they realise that the longer they wait the more meagre the 720's specs will look in comparison. I mean, it's already looking like little more than a mid-range gaming pc (even housed in a pc case!) so I think Sony have perhaps determined that there is little threat present and they can take their time in building the mothership...
SpandexArmstrong on 31 Jan '12 said:
Hmm I must be the only one who wants a new gen soon. I really feel that this gen has had its time. That's why if given the option, I'll be playing GTA V, Bioshock Infinite, etc on Wii U. I crave new experiences!
1Nightmare1 on 31 Jan '12 said:
If MS announces the next gen xbox at this year's E3, then I bet Sony will follow with PS4 in their conference.
billysastard on 31 Jan '12 said:
they can take all the time they want because there is no way in hell i'll be buying one after the ps3
panantukan on 31 Jan '12 said:
No, you're not alone!
I would have the PS5 now if I could! Given that I have the disposable income to buy any new console at will (it's not exactly like a car/mortgage is it) I don't see why anybody would willfully extend the waiting period. I mean, it's not as if we haven't had a fair old run with the current consoles - Perfect Dark Zero feels like a lifetime ago!
luttman23 on 1 Feb '12 said:
I don't mind keeping my PS3 another year or two - the only thing I'd like changed is the menu system. It's awful. I use my PS3 in my 'man time' room and watch Freeview through its 'PlayTV' addon, only thing is in order to get to it I need to go to 'TV/Video Services' then scroll down past 'my channels' (which is only online TV) past 'Love Film' which I don't use, past 'Netflix' which I also don't use, then i'll find I've scrolled too far and have to go back up to 'PlayTV'.
It would be an easy fix to be able to order the icons by preference, then I could have PlayTV at the top. I'm not asking for a complete change like the 360 has had a couple of times already, just a little customisation besides backgrounds and menu icons. Actually, sod that, YEAH I want a complete change, like the 360 has had. A totally new menu system.
Other than that It's great.