How long will this gen last?

Probably around the same length.

MS and Sony don't give a shit about the hardware being outdated.

The PS4 and XB1 are being sold at a profit for the first time in console history (i belive)

Both MS and Sony still have around 4 Billion in losses from previous gens.

There's no way they'll release another console in less than 6 years.

MS might relese a new xbox a year or 2 (max) before the PS5 if the xb1 is losing in sales abit, just to get an early lead.

But even then you're looking at 6 to 9 years left in this gen.

My bet is 2021, 2022

untill sony say so

It will last as long as it continues to make money.

This.

The planned lifespan and support of this gen will be 10 years as per last gen with next gen dropping 7-8 years in.

I don't see next gen consoles launching until 2020-2021.

It has only.....just begun.

Your poll sucks.

I think it will be around the same length; 6-7 years. I'm good with that as I'm not willing to throw down $400-$500 more than every five years anyway. It's a primary reason I don't do PC gaming much.

2023-2024

720p 30fps NON graphics wh**re PC gamers spend less....

Oh and why my poll sucks and not your smart post?

Topics asking a question that no one has the answer to is lame. Way too many in this forum all the time. The reason is because no matter what anyone says it's speculation. There's no finding a definite answer.

The topic & poll suck. I may as well start asking what year the world will end. Lame!!!

It will last until it's done.

The only reason the last generation lasted so long was because of Kinect and PS Move. There was a good deal of R&D that went into both (maybe not ps move. That was just a wii remote with a plastic ball on the end and a wireless nunchuck) and they launched late in the generation. Both companies needed to support these new peripherals. People seem to forget that.

I hope we go back to a normal 5 year cycle this gen. The last generation lasted way too long.

Given the poor sales of the Wii U, I wouldn't be surprised to see Nintendo launch a new console/handheld hybrid in 2016. I think the next Xbox will probably launch in 2018 and the PS5 in 2019.

i think itll be a 5 year gen...back to normal basically. last gen went on too long.

5 years is enough time to develop a new console. its also enough time to make a console with a big enough hardware upgrade to make it worthwihile and its enough time for publishers and developers to make money on the console. if the console manufacturer themselves cant make money on the console in that time then there is something wrong with the way they are doing business.

the PS5 and X2 will probably use similar technology to the PS4 and X1 (just ramped up a lot and improved accross the board). so a new gen wont mean developers have to scrap all their current tech and start again either.

I think this will be a shorter generation. Nobody seems to be particularly impressed this time around. OOOO shiny graphics. Wait a second... my xbone downgraded to 720p wtf? Every generation in the past always introduced something NEW, and this generation does not. Also with VR right around the corner, I just dont think the generation has the power to support that technology. I was also disappointed that the 4k TVs are not more popular/ more supported with games.

Soon as Digital Distribution and Cloud Gaming becomes the norm. The PS5 and X2 wont be backwards compatible so all those Games you brought this gen will be sold as a remastering.

2021, because developing a new console is very expensive.

I wouldn't be completely surprised if they upgraded at some point because in a few years the hardware will be a joke. I can see it now..... The PS4-2. Some games will only be available on the second version and other would work in both, with modified gfx settings, of course.

7-8 years

I never understood the logic behind comparing console hardware to PC,when we have the older consoles to base our comparisons on.

Everyone keeps ranting about how PS3/360 were as good as gaming PCs at launch without realizing that PC gaming as a hobby wasn't nearly as popular and the PC gaming market wasn't nearly as mature and developed in 2006 as it is now.

How about using older consoles to decide how long the new ones will last ?.Crazy Idea , I know.

If 512MB of RAM that too shared between system memory and GPU can last us 8 years , then this generation of consoles should be able to manage 8-10 years without breaking a sweat.

If tech is amazing and produces technical results that can stand the test of time then we have long gens....

4k PC gaming will start to become norm come next year....

Last gen nothing on PC could amaze on average hardware....

This gen $700 PCs will run 4k graphics maxxed games.....

$700 PCs couldnt touch the 360 only in late 2007 with 8800GT we saw something amazing on low price....2years after launch....

I cannot wait to see what late 2015 brings us...$100 GPU that runs console centric ports in 4k?

I think it's probably be a 5-6 year generation.

The idea of ten years of the Xbone makes me want to vomit.

@undefined: can we stop with the such weak hardware crap. It gets so old listening to it. I dont know how any of you gamed in the early to middle 90s.

fall 2018, 2019 at the latest. no way it lasts as long as last gen

Last gen will be 10 years. I think the 360 and PS3 will fade away in 2016. This gen should last at least 8-9 years I would think. So 2021-2022.

3 more days

Hopefully 5 years MAX. Last gen was way to long.

Hopefully a decade.

Sony and Microsoft saw the huge sales the PS4 got. They realized waiting 6-7 years was a mistake. The awful software sales of anything other then GTA V on PS3 and 360 for the last couple of years told the whole story. People were sick of last gen.

PS5/Xbox Infinity will be here no later then 2018. The next Nintendo console if there is one a year before that.

When $400 laptops will run console ports 1080/60fps will be a sad day for consoles....

To fall from the heights of Xbox360 that ran Oblivion same as $1000+ PC (HDR + AA)?

2029, when SKYNET unleashes death to consoles and PCs. And one super AI to rule them all.

@True_Gamer_: Did my entire post just go over your head ?

4K pc gaming a norm next year ?.Not really.Not when 33% of the largest PC gaming community cannot even run games at 1080p.

Last-Gen could not do amazing things on mid-range PCs ?.That's arguable.

lol,700$ PCs running 4K + max settings,A single 780Ti cannot manage 4K @max settings,Neither can the upcoming maxwell cards 970 and 980.

700$ PCs couldn't touch the 360 because the PC graphic card market wasn't developed , as I said,you cannot use the state of PCs to determine how long will consoles last.2 Different markets.2 different situations.

EDIT: Corrections

Console centric ports like FIFA can run in 4k on a $700 PC easily....I was talking about those.

And no the 360 just costed ALOT to make and make HUGE losses in revenew to MS.... Loads of cash went into making it.

Can you say the same about the xbone? Heck the PS3 costed $840 to make (BR and all but still) .....Can you imagine a $840 costing PS4? Maxwell powered monster? GTX 980 in PS4? Imagine the possibilities? (The TDP is low the temperatures on stock too)

Not this again

Without bluray the PS3 would have launched at $399, just like the Xbox 360. The RSX was a dumbed down $299 7800GT, a card that was on the market for 16 months by the time the PS3 released.

PS3 was 10x stronger then PS2. PS4 is 10x stronger then the PS3 and far easier to develop for. End of story.

It depends.

I think that consoles should last 5 or 6 years at most, and the then be replaced by better hardware. On the other hand, if the theories about the death of consoles and rise of stream boxes and smartphones, as main gaming devices, are true, then i want this gen to last forever.

MS and Sony will milk this gen for as long as they can. They have profitable hardware from the go, that doesn't appear to be breaking down with any regular faults. This is the start of another 10 year console generation, so a new console from MS and Sony 2021 or 2022 and the Xbox One and PS4 phased out by 2024.

Nintendo will likely release a new console in 2018, as they never follow the other console manufacturers schedule's and stick to their own.

Probably a while. It's too costly to keep switching systems.

I'm interested in knowing why you think that though. With the hardware they have, most current games are already struggling to run on them. I can't see this last more than 5 years.

2019, last year didn't even count, so already one year behind.

For who? You?

10 million people just bought the Iphone 6 for $500, a phone that they likely really didnt need

Theres a new $500 PC GPU being released every 2 months

Console gamers are so cheap they cant pay $399 every 5 years?

M$ mentioned 10 years in a lot of interviews and said that they hope that this gen will last longer . Even if this gen ends sooner , I don't expect next consoles to be traditional . I expect them to be streaming devices with all in one entertainment and stuff .

Remember how the Wii sold like crazy last gen? Then it's sales stopped one day.

That is what the PS4 will experience in the next few years. Right now it has the momentum that everyone must have one. Once the people wake up (like Wii owners) sales will stop and Sony will be forced to come out with the PS5.

Nintendo doesn't have the power to determine when a generation switches over, only Sony and Microsoft.

During this time the XBOX ONE will only be gaining momentum and expanding its exclusive library while pulling in new console owners.

My bullshit worth 2 cents for the day.

Goal post shifting already ?.

We went from 700$ PCs running 4K games at @max settings to just running in 4K.

Even so,It depends on your perception of easy.

FIFA is 1080p/60FPS on PS4/X1 now if you are implying that a 700$ PC can run it at 4K,same texture settings (high I think) and 60FPS then I'd like to see some proof.

Also,if you know why PS3 costed 840$ then why do you bring it up.As it was rightly pointed out PS3 would've been 399$ if not for the Blu-Ray player.

And I don't understand the relevance of this discussion.Simply put the condition of PCs cannot determine how long Consoles will last.

The PS3 was 256MB of system memory, 256MB of VRAM , a nerfed 7800GTX and lasted 8 years,even after taking into consideration Moore's law , the upgrade over the last generation of consoles is too big.PS4 and X1 won't break a sweat lasting 10 years.

around 2018, I think we are back to 5 year lifespans, I doubt 3rd party would be happy with another 8 year console cycle.

@scartm said:

The 360 costed $715 in 2005 to make

The Xbone costs $471 to make including the KINECT....

Please dont even try to pretend that this gen is as strong hardware wise as the previous....

Keep those goalposts moving...

Probably 6-7 more years. Although even after the next gen launches people will probably be playing the Xbox One and PS4 for another few years like they are the 360 and PS3.

The 360 did not cost 715$ ever to make.Next time use a better source.

The hardware costs for the 360 were 204$ and the overall production cost was 323$

Link : http://www.xbitlabs.com/news/multimedia/display/20061120132150.html

And I am not even trying to pretend that this generation is as strong as its last gen,Its actually stronger.

Its funny how you accuse me of goalpost shifting when you are the one who went from , 4k @max settings to just plain 4K and didn't even mention the framerate.


EDIT: I just can't seem to get the link function to work properly

2020 max

This generation of consoles are already heavily outdated and since they are profitable since day 1 ( more or less ) i dont see why this generation will go more than 6

Goalposts keep on the move!!! 1 year later from launch 20/11/2006? Nice source....

Stronger gen? Yeah right.... Oblivion ran on a $500 PC same as the 360? Using HDR and AA at the same time?

Try harder

I hope it lasts 8 years and the next consoles are streaming devices. I don't think they can deliver the hardware on $400 anymore.

last gen only has 3 more years of life left