PlayStation 4

[micfranklin]

Sony will just pop out another console at the end of this decade that will cost $700 and people will still flock to buy it.

[eric]

Unlikely. There's just no reason too. They're going for the wrong market, and this launch will be the end of their console.

[Professor]

Nah - Sony's next "console" will be the same thing as Microsoft's next "console". It'll play games. but it'll also be a media center, computer, and cable box. You will be able to wirelessly attach any handheld device to it seamlessly, watch recorded or live TV, request movies or reruns of TV shows, download and run apps, power your speakers directly, and play whatever supplants Blu-ray.

Oh, and it'll be wireless. Totally wireless. Not even a power cord. Or, perhaps ONLY a power cord.

Your new entertainment center will consist of an 80" UHDTV, a Sony/Xbox, a subwoofer, and a however many speakers you feel like putting around your room.

[eric]

Sony won't make a next console because Microsoft is preempting them with the media center right here, right now. They're going to find that it's too late and too difficult to catch up, and in turn they'll be done making consoles.

Sony really doesn't make anything well anymore. They're kinda just irrelevant at this point.

[micfranklin]

Microsoft was just as likely to commit suicide, given what the Xbox One was originally like....

[eric]

No not really. The original plan was still the best, it's just the grumblings of a few loud people that made them halt progress on the future. Now that they've changed it, nobody has anything to complain about, so those that were planning on buying a PS4 because of those dumb reasons now have no reason to not buy an Xbox One, and they will. Watch and see.

[exploited]

[eric]

No, what happened was a bunch of teenagers got all bent out of shape about something they didn't understand, and thought would destroy Gamestop (which would be good for consumers anyway). Instead, they through their support behind Sony which doesn't even allow backwards compatibility on their console. Now that Microsoft has reversed it's role, we're back to it completely owning the PS4 on release.

[Spider]

What does "completely owning" mean? What percentage difference?

Sony has just confirmed that demand has outstripped their supply chain, and they can no longer guarantee day one delivery for anything ordered after the 6th. MS has significant supply advantages though, so its entirely possible they could come out ahead on launch day, even meaningfully so.

Meh. Launch is a stupid time to buy. I'll probably wait a couple months. This generation will probably be a lot like the last one, with both consoles more or less selling equally. Take a few years before we know.

[eric]

I'm not going to buy either, since I don't really want to be distracted.

But completely owning will mean that this will be Sony's last console. Realistically the actual sales figures don't much matter. What's going to matter is whether or not Sony can stay in business.