I think Nintendo's portable consoles have gone as far as they can.All they can do is just add a bit more ram or a higher processor. At least the Wii can move forward to hi-def graphics but after that....I really don't think virtual reality is a good idea.

Nintendo will probably make a new console in 2012-2013. Microsoft might make one on 2011-2012. Sony, however might release no new systems until 2015-2016 and that's a long time before a new console.

I don't think consoles will ever move to purely digital format. There are too many, like myself, who like to have real games, to have and to hold and to cherish and all that.

I'm totally the same, I hate the things but it is inevitable. It'll happen, mark my words:)

It's hard to say because retailers make a lot of money off of video games and they aren't going to let their retail copies disappear without a fight. Even Steam has to make sure they're prices are generally above retail prices.

What if the next gen uses SD cards to store games like the N-Gage? Games would become cheaper. By the time the next gen rolls around, 32 GB SD cards will be really cheap, and they're cheap to manufacture already. Oh, and they're small, too.

If they do, just pray that it won't be as bad as their prevoius venture: the Virtual Boy.

One problem with SD cards are their read speed, not really fast enough for high end games.

Won't that be improved by the time the next gen rolls around?

If they do, just pray that it won't be as bad as their prevoius venture: the Virtual Boy.

Hey, the Virtual Boy's awesome. Where do you draw that conclusion from?

Microsoft will pack in the newest version of their camera thingy, expand live in both prices and utility, improve graphics to at least 1080p (who knows, maybe they'll have better resolutions then) and make more retail games avaliable digitally.

Sony will continue supporting their PS3 long after the 360 and Wii burn up and some of its best games will come out while everyone is play Xbox 720 and PS4. (Like how God of War 2 came out on the eve of a new genration) MEanwhile, their new system will make a bigger push to motion controls, drop all backwards compatibility to save costs and probably be the size of a small car. In other words, it'll be powerful. The PSN online will stay.

Nintendo is the world's most confusing game company. No idea what they would do. They could jusy copypaste motionplus onto a console with the same power as a PS3, or they could go back to the status quo, now that motion controls have become that. Hopefully, they'll have a non-vitality-censor innovation that will rock the industry and break TVs yet again.

"Wii is like the NES and the Atari 2600: it will last for at least 10 years. I don't think that Nintendo will release a new console before 2012. Is obvious that they are on a different route that is not graphics based.
Xbox, hell yeah. MS will do release one because they can and won't stop.
PS...I guess that Sony will release the PS4 before 2011 due to the bad sales."
Well, I'd have to disagree. Wii is not on a graphics based route, but it is on a gameplay based route, and games on 360 and PS3, even without good graphics, often can't run on Wii without serious gimping. Nintendo WILL have to make a new console if they want third parties to care.

The N64 lasted about 6 years,the GameCube lasted about 6 years,if Nintendo continues the pattern,then we should get a new console in 2012. Most likely the Wii+. I just hope Nintendo isn't the target for shovelware again. I also want an optional controller for every game,I'm not a huge fan of motion control.

Well I'd love to see cartridge home consoles again since the loading times are just so much faster. I see that on my DS in the half second when I put in the cartridge the title and image appears on the menu. On the Wii it takes a few seconds to read the disk just to show the image and music...

Although I tend to feel the same and as a game collector, I'll always purchase a cart. version of an old game before the VC counterpart BUT music has already moved that way with tremendous success and movies are going to end up predominantly going that route in probably a year or two...it's going to happen to games, like it or not. One of the main reasons? Sorry, but businesses know you'll still play games regardless and by going to strictly downloading they are saving money hand over fist in production costs.