What do you guys think the next generation of game system will be?

Not sure about next-gen counsels or consouls but I reckon new consoles for quite a while to come will just be more powerful. Just a guess, though. Even though they are already very, very powerful, they still could be better and a well-built PC easily beats both the PS3 and XBOX360.

I’d be surprised if the console makers aren’t thinking about the next generation. They have to if they’re going to stay on top. Just because you haven’t heard of it down the grapevine doesn’t mean they’re not actively working on something.

I also don’t think that games will necessarily be more expensive just because they have better graphics. I mean, games nowadays don’t cost much more than they used to on the Mega Drive, but they’ve come an awful long way since then in graphics and quality.

Ergh. I hate the whole Wii deal, unless I’m playing with a friend (and the novelty eventually wears off then, too). When I wanna play games, it’s usually because I’m too lethargic to do anything else. Thumb movement is enough for me. :)

Also; all of the companies are furiously thinking about the next generation of consoles. How do you think they plan on making money? Microsoft have spent the cost of a small country on Xbox division R&D this year.

The future is really exciting.I agree with damien -they’ll definitely be more powerful.We might as well go back to the past and revive the games dead by then and play them on console.

I HOPE the future of games, movie DVD’s, music and software is in downloading. I am INUNDATED with these things in my little apartment and would love to have “a better way”.

Honestly, I’m not really sure where the next gen of gaming consoles is going to go. The Wii was a pretty big surprise and now motion gaming seems to be a big fad, and while it sure beats pressing buttons on a joypad in terms of interactivity, so many of the games using it use it as a gimmick only, nothing truly innovative has been done with it yet. Consider a game like Animal Crossing – how much fun is it really to do the same action over and over and over again? It gets old really quick, which pretty much describes my feelings of the Wii console and all its games.

So I think the next gen consoles will really think about motion control, and implement it in a more realistic and valuable way. Of course it’s the first step towards the “ultimate video game” of total immersion in a 3D world where you physically ARE the character, which in my mind is the ultimate console.

But I don’t see the next gen consoles coming out anytime soon. I think there will be a large number of years before the next gen for a few reasons. Number one, the economy, fewer game sales -> less money to Nintendo/Sony/M$ -> less R&D funds -> companies choosing to stay with the current hardware model and its userbase, or choosing to make more money by funding and releasing first party games. Also consider that Sony and Microsoft take a HUGE financial hit when releasing new consoles, cutting edge technology is very expensive but they have to keep the price of the console reasonable so that the Early Adopters will buy it, so they end up subsiding the first year or more of console sales; I highly doubt these companies will be able to take this risk unless the economy strengthens. Number two, I really can’t see what the next feature is that makes gamers WANT and NEED that next gen console. Graphics nowadays are pretty awesome (minus the Wii), internet connectivity is at a prime (but still not at its full potential thanks to M$ wanting your money in order to play online), and the development tools are pretty stable and documented so games will continue to come out and increase in quality (compare Final Fantasy 7 to FF 9 for an example).

Then again, the companies will ALWAYS be working towards the next gen console, as the first out the gate gets a nice bonus profit. It’ll be interesting to see what they come out with!

Oh, one idea could be true voice integration, where you can actually speak to a character without a dialog tree. That would sure be a killer feature but would also require a ton of R&D work. I know there’s a game that already uses this concept, not sure what console it’s on though.

A better PC than the one I currently have

The next generation will be put you in a 3D cyber world. You are free to move wherever you want to with your own body. No restrictions. Something like Wii but Wii is still very primative.

They’ve been promising that for ages already.

@dynamicduo:
I enjoy that idea! I know Japan has a few games for the PS3 that involve Voice Recognition, and from what my friends tell me, they work… “okay.” So much went into making the VoR to work correctly, the gameplay suffered, like Tom Clancy’s new game, World at War. Not to mention, most of these games are nothing but talking, so you just sit there, yelling at your TV, which I already do, but I would rather the TV not have the option of yelling back at me!
Although, if they did dump, oh, let’s say, another 128 million on perfecting and streamlining the SDK for the PS3, and bring its price down, and integrate the VoR so it becomes part of the game, not the entire game, then I would accept that as a feasible “next gen” kind of thing to do.

Who knows, I was just wondering after that debate\talk. The funny thing is, none of us thought of the VoR, which I love to use with my Mac, for MacDictate, everything! I never though of putting it in a game.

They already have a new DS coming out, its called the DSi. Its already out in Japan.

Well yeah, but there’s nothing really innovative about it. Even the camera quality is surprisingly low. Its hardly the next generation of game system. But I am amazed at how hot it’s selling in Japan!

Xbox 720, PsWorld, Wii with Dvd. (actual name i think it will be because thats all the difference will be between the first and second one)

PS4 in 2010 or 11

@dynamicduo The game you’re thinking of is Tom Clancy’s EndWar. I bought it, and was really surprised at how well the voice integration works. Really well done.

As for where the NextGen is going, I’d say something along the lines of utilizing the controller more. And not just for the wii. Touch screens will soon become more common i would think. And i hope to dear god that actual hardware becomes a thing of the past. Make downloading the main source of inventory, or at least make it available.

the power glove always was, and will be the future.

i love the film the wizard. double dragin rules :)

The names always change so I really wouldn’t concern myself with that. In terms of improvements, you will probably see some of Wii’s motion based controllers integrated with the system but it won’t be for all games. As the Wii has shown, it’s fun for casual gamers but hardcore gamers want what has already been established… controllers.

The next improvement, as it always is, will be based on graphics. As we move forward you’ll see more and more games starting to look like the special effects you see in movies (ever have one of those moments where you have to ask yourself if it was real or just an effect?) Basically, until it looks exactly like a real person, location, animal, etc… there will be teams working on improving the look and movement of game worlds and their characters.

Besides graphics, you’ll see a heavier integration with all electronic devices, but mainly the home computer. And yes, downloadable games are going to become the norm as it saves companies money and renders consumers unable to “resell” games at cheaper prices.

None existent !! The future of game consoles will probably be for them to be phased out and everything to be streamed off the internet !!

Xbox 720,PS4(Is real),And The wii cube

Looking at the comments above, Every nintendo 8th gen console name has wii in it and with microsoft its Xbox with sony its PlayStation. Looking at the games in the past, Nintendo never carried on a name in its next gen. And each and every console for all the game companies had an innovative feature that attracted its audience. If it didnt add some sort of innovative feature, it would result as a failure to most critics. One example of this is the GameCube which of course came out with some amazing games, however it didnt offer something new such as when the nintendo 64 gave the 3D graphics or the wii with its somewhat restricted but innovative motion. Same with microsofts Kinect with its complete motion sensor.

Another feature most consoles should have is a variety of a game selection that is enjoyable, if there is just repetitiveness in all video games for the console, nobody would like to play the console right? There arent many examples of this but its a must for game designers for their console.

This “Ultamite Video Game” is sure to come from somebody sooner or later most likely after 9th gen. which nobody has even thought about whatsoever. However, I assume its not going to be called the Wii2 or The Xbox1080 or the PS5. It most likely will gain a new name unless it has some resemblence of the previous console. Nintendo however did reveal the U Wii which is suppose to be the same as the wii but give a ‘better experience for core gamers’ rather then being for famlies.