PS4: Sony Will Let Microsoft Make First Move

IGN:You may have noticed that there are lots of rumours flying about regarding next-gen consoles. No one knows definitely when Microsoft and Sony will unveil their successors to the current Xbox and PlayStation, but Sony CEO Kazuo Hirai has said that it will let Microsoft make the first move.

[Walker]

Just like this generation ? huh ?

Hurry Up sony, you need to take the market in your hands .

[IAMERROR]

C'mon MS let's see it! Sony is waiting!

[NeverEnding1989]

What a shame. This is the exact situation as Kinect/Move. When M$ announced Kinect at E3, Sony, who presented the next day, had to scramble to come up with their own version of motion sensing peripheral. And that's how we arrived at the Wii-mote HD.

Waiting for Microsoft to go first does put SONY in a good position. But what if M$ decides to do the same thing?

It's sad that the console maker with two generations of 100 million consoles sold is resorting to this. Can you imagine a PS2 era SONY acting the same way? I wonder where all that confidence/arrogance went.

[Red_Orange_Juice]

I think he means the reveal date not release

[osamaq]

now iam 100% sure that the ps4 will come in 2014

[tehpees3]

If Sony really are moving last they will fall behind again.

They will probably show their hand this year but won't move until next year.

[kneon]

@NeverEnding1989

"scramble to come up with their own version of motion sensing peripheral."

I didn't realize filing the patents for Move almost 10 years before Kinect was announced and showing off various prototypes throughout that decade could be considered scrambling. They seemed to really be taking their time to me.

[insomnium2]

LOL that pic is just perfect with that title.

[Shadowstar]

"When M$ announced Kinect at E3, Sony, who presented the next day, had to scramble to come up with their own version of motion sensing peripheral. And that's how we arrived at the Wii-mote HD."

Lol. Coming up with the Move overnight, along with that demo, would have been magic. Despite the claims of some fanboys, Sony is not made of magic.

[Ezz2013]

pricing strategy
This has probably more to do with pricing and resease schedule than what's actually in the box.

sony want to wait to see what price the nextbox will have
and offer something close to it or the same price
so the media don't jump on their back like 2006

[SilentNegotiator]

@NeverEnding

You think Sony threw Move together in a day?

Are you high??

[blackbeld]

I hope Kaz knows what he is doing.

It's an interesting move and it could help but if he launch it 1year after Microsoft again then it would be very stupid.

[Gazondaily]

It does seem like a cop out strategy in one way. It goes to show that Sony doesn't have a vision and isn't willing to take charge. It only sees the next generation in terms of raw specs and competing on those terms. Business-wise however, it makes complete sense and considring Sony's financial woes, it probably is the prudent thing to do.

But it takes balls to to take the lead and unveil first. You're automatically on the back foot because your opponents can tweak and counter your tech and strategies. Let's just hope Sony don't take too long as a head start can be quite detrimental as we have seen this gen. However, if Sony do release late but release a significantly more poweful console then it's MS who are in real trouble depending obviously on things like ease of development etc.

But what does this mean for E3? Surely Sony has to unveil the new console unless it expects MS to unveil their machine much earlier than E3? Sony not unveiling a console at E3 will just be disappointing.

[Hydrolex]

what if sony lunches later than MS but a lot more powerful console ??? That would make me want to sell my new xbox 720 for a PS4

[MikeMyers]

"Why go first, when your competitors can look at your specifications and come up with something better?"

Is this in relation to what Sony did after the Wii got so much attention and then came out with the Move?

These systems are years in the making so even if the Microsoft waited to see what Sony offered it would still take a long time to come out with something better. You also risk giving Sony a headstart.

You have to pay attention to the competition but you can't revolve around what they do.

[sikbeta]

So, pretty much 7th gen repeat all over agian, huh?

[Thatguy-310]

I actually will like them to unveil last. That way they make the last impression which is important. Maybe they do have something great in their hands and want to eclipse the announcement of the next xbox. Plus if they do release their console last in won't be for a whole yr probably a couple of months later.

[Abdou23]

Actually it'e better to give the first impression, that way you make it hard for others to top what you showed.

[UnholyLight]

Yeah I see what youère saying. Its almost like how last week Chevy unveiled their new trucks and BOOM Ford shows off a concept the next day at the Detroit Auto Show and sort of stole their thunder.

I think Sony is just unsure at the moment exactly where they want to price their product. If Mirosoft announces a high price then Sony will be safe in announcing a high price as well, but if Sony announces first and says hey our console is gonna retail at $450-$550 and Microsoft decided on a lower price then it could be a bit of a mistake again just like the PS3s initial entry point.

Its a real fine line that both companies are kind of having to walk on this time around. I dont see the Wii U as a real competitor to these consoles at the moment but some would argue it is key that they price relatively close to the Wii U so as to not lose any sales.

EDIT: As I type though I begin to notice that its like these consoles might actually be cheaper than expected, since a recent article highlighted that the reasons why PS3 was so expensive initially was because of the new tech that was not cost effective at the time.

[B1663r]

Actually, if they announce last, then they look like the 'also ran'

[ApolloTheBoss]

All they need is more advertising next gen and they'll grab consumers by the balls.

[Mr_cheese]

The advertising needs to be constantly good though because it was terrible during the launch. Gameplay and features adverts should be key as aposed to metaphorical weird stuff.

6 years ago - http://www.youtube.com/watc...

one year later - http://www.youtube.com/watc... (much better)

[UnholyLight]

What country do you live in if you donèt mind me askingÉ I see a vast amount of Sony commercials, and in some cases they are way more memorable than Microsoft commercials (mission accomplished), especially when they had Kevin Butler and he was joking about us Canadians and maple syrup and pancakes lol. I mean, Microsoft has lots of Xbox ads but I really didnèt see a ton until the Kinect came out. Also, Halo 4 got a HUGE advertising push and had spots on Sportcentre(ESPN equivalent) and such. But in reality, here at least it seems Sony does a lot of advertising, and games like that All Stars Battle Royal or whatever its called was advertised LOTS the last couple months.

[UnholyLight]

Not sure why I am getting downvoted so much for my comment. In Canada I see a lot of Sony ads when I happen to be watching TV, is that somehow wrong? haha

[RedDevils]

they're more memorable because it's disturbing. common who on earth show a creepy baby like some scary movies lol

[iNFAMOUZ1]

market in your hands LMAO, damn these sony fanboys are too funny man

[deafdani]

Well, it's true... Sony would definitely benefit much more from getting the lion's share of the market next gen than the other 2 companies, because they're in very bad financial shape.

Microsoft and Nintendo are in a very healthy state, with a good balance between their net worth value and their debts... meanwhile, Sony is in so much debt, they would need to sell about 85% of their total assets to call them all off. That's quite a bad position there.

So, I hope Sony actually makes a big splash with their next console. For their own good, and for gaming's good in general. :/

[dlpg585]

@deafdani
i had no idea that sony was in such bad shape, is it sony's entire company or just it's gaming division?

if anyone else could back this up/deny it that would be great

while i personally haven't been able to nab a ps3 due to financial reasons (my 360 was a gift) i wholeheartedly support their influence on the gaming world and would be sad to see it go for any reason.

i also feel that if sony waits a year to release again they very well may have a repeat of this generation. whichever company makes their console a must have this generation will gain the lions share of the market. this includes the wii u.

[shinrock]

we all know sony don't market well.

[ConstipatedGorilla]

I'm rooting for Sony. This could save their asses. I want to see a return to the PS2 days! I'm no fanboy - I own all 3, but why would you want to see the competition wiped out?

[jivah]

@deafdani Sony isnt in bad shape. Its actually doing good as a company right now much better than before... AMD on the other hand is another story.. They are in horrible shape and the future looks dim

[deafdani]

@dlpg585

Good for you for demanding a source instead of just blindly believing what some stranger in the internet spouts. Here you go:

http://www.notenoughshaders...

This link above is a quite comprehensive study of Sony's financial state, and yes, said poor state is for the Sony company as a whole, not just the entertainment division. Now, for those that don't want to read this admittedly long article, here's it issues in a nutshell:

1. Sony's total worldwide assets amount to 166.22 billion dollars.
2. Sony's total worldwide liabilities (basically, their debts) amount to 135.61 billion dollars.

Quote from the article:

"Since total assets include everything that Sony owns (cash, buildings, divisions, intellectual property, etc.)…Sony would have to sell over 80 percent of their total assets (Total Assets = Every single thing Sony owns including cash) just to pay off their total liabilities.

If you combined the June 2012 total liabilities of Microsoft ($54.91 billion), Apple ($51.15B), Google ($21.33 billion), and Electronic Arts ($2.27 Billion), that would equal to $129.66 billion in liabilities. Sony would STILL have $5.95 billion more in total liabilities than Microsoft, Apple, Google, and Electronic Arts combined. It really paints a picture of just how out of control Sony’s total liabilities have become."

I'm not necessarily saying that Sony is doomed and will go bankrupt soon, but their financial state is quite grim. All the more reason to hope that the PS4 (and Vita) ends up being massive successes that help Sony out. We don't want them out of the gaming landscape, do we? :/

[Anon1974]

@ deafdani.

I've seen that article before and as an FMA and former broker, I can't tell you how flawed the whole thing is, from it's focus on debt to the mistaken importance it puts on market cap as a sign of company health (using 2000 before the tech bubble burst as a staring point? Really? Because there's a reason that bubble burst, everything was tremendously overvalued just as stocks are undervalued across the board today)

You seem to forget, Sony runs a financial business. Banking, Insurance, Securities. These industries make money by issuing debt instruments, and lots of them. That's how these business work, by creating, buying and selling debt. The world's debt markets absolutely dwarf the stock markets. Obviously they're going to be carrying more debt than a company like Microsoft or Apple, because neither of those companies runs a bank.

For comparison, look at Bank of America, the 3rd largest company in the world. They have assets of about 2 trillion dollars and liabilities of about 2 trillion dollars yet no one is concerned. It's because they understand to run a financial business, you issue and sell debt. That's what Sony's financial businesses do, so they're expected to carry debt.

I'm not saying for a second that Sony's doing just fine or doesn't have challenges to overcome, but in this case comparing debt is really an apples/oranges comparison. Creating debt is how the financial industry does business.

[mwjw696]

@deafdani Thank you for finding the article for us. I was looking for it every place.

The sad thing is most Fanboys with a close mind with blow it off as garbage and never understand why it is so important to all of Sony.

It would have been nice if he also updated it. Since it is a comprehensive list of the down sloap of Sony to this point. Sony has already begun srinking or preparing for some kind of major change by selling off 2 of its major buildings. One in New York for $1.1 bil, and the other in Tokyo for $1 bil. Not sure why they need the money that bad, or what is going to happen to the employies.

The future is grey for Sony, not dark but Sony will never be the same.

@Darkride66

I think you only saw in that article what you wanted to see. He makes many points not just dept and marketcap. I sugjest trying to read the article again. It is not just money that is Sonys problem but its entire company structure that needs to change.

[die_fiend]

@darkride

Where do u find Bank of America as the 3rd biggest company in the world? Fancy linking us up on that. It's as if you're trying to come across as an expert in the field, when all u seem to do is comment on here...ignoring the debt, what about the recent losses? Those are pretty hefty. Maybe if they had u as their financial adviser this wouldn't have happened? Shame really

[Saigon]

I think you'll need to think of it like this. If Sony is in so much debt or bleeding dry as some would say, it wouldn't be wise to keep coming out with new products as much as they do. Each week I receive emails of a dozen or so new products that Sony has decided to release. If they were in so much debt, than they shouldn't come out with the Next PlayStation to save money.

The biggest issue with Sony is not the company as a whole. Sony has certain products that are not selling as they should or use to. Sony, tried to hide the products that are not selling well by switching or combining product divisions to hide these losses, but these losses were too significant and eventually peaked through. You also have to take into consideration the Tsunami that occurred and affected the company. I am not making excuses but I think people need to look at the factors (and there are plenty more) and not the underline number that so many people point out.

[ziggurcat]

@ walker007

i don't think sony needs to hurry up.

and it kind of makes sense to force MS to make the first move... that way, sony can pull the old "oh, you think *that's* impressive? well, get a load of *this*" move and blow everyone's minds.

also, nothing is going to hit the market until next year anyway, so be a little bit more patient... there are some amazing games coming out this year (and probably next year, too).

[miDnIghtEr20C_SfF]

You can't copy things that are successful from the competitor when you come out first!

This is pretty much saying, we are a bit nervous on what you have, and think our stuff isn't good enough to go at the same time. We need to see what you have so we can copy it and have it, or make it a bit better when ours comes out.

Lol... they have no time to waste, and no money to spare.

[DeadlyFire]

Xbox 720 2013
PS4 2014

Case closed! :)

[WitWolfy]

Probable... But not impossible either...

[DeadlyFire]

I expect both to get announced officially at E3 this year. Sony might hold back on production until they know the final Xbox 720 specs. So they can one up them and ship a few months behind. E3 we will see some impressive visuals either way.

[shutUpAndTakeMyMoney]

" "Why go first, when your competitors can look at your specifications and come up with something better?""

ps4 > wiiU already. Why?
http://www.nintendolife.com...

They got all the info they need. Smart move sony smart move.

Sony lost marketshare mostly because of price.
They most likely want to make a more powerful system for same price as xbox.

[nirwanda]

They have already shown it if you beleave vgleaks.com

[hesido]

I think it is not something that is as simple as letting them make the first move, as if they can react to it and make big changes, they can't, at this point. I think they will roll it out as soon as possible.

[3-4-5]

That means they aren't ready...If they do this they get extra time so they can actually launch a functional product.

I think we will hear about both of them within 2-3 weeks of each other.

[ABizzel1]

I don't think it'll be like last year. I think it's more so to see exactly what they need to put into their box to compete with the Xbox 1080.

For example the rumored specs for the PS4 are:

1.6GHz AMD Jaguar 8-Core CPU
AMD 7950M or AMD 7970M-
4GB GDDR5

That's a pretty powerful console and basically a high end gaming laptop (excluding Xfire), but there's still more that can be done to beat that, so if MS comes out with a console that does Xfire, or use better tech then Sony may have time to react and add what they need to stay competitive from a technological standpoint.

Smart, but risky. I would just build my console to be the best it can be, and go ahead and plan a strategy for how to get the most out of my hardware for another 10+ year cycle (1st party exclusives, Gaikia, PS+, PS Home V2, etc...)

But hardware wise I guess they could improve the CPU clock (which could also be done by firmware update).

Add a better GPU (the rumors has a 7950M or under-clocked 7970M, so getting a 7970M+, or finding a way to do Xfire without heating issues could help.)

Or more RAM (4GB GDDR5 for games and 2GB GDD3 for system).

[dboyman]

Yes Sony more RAM is needed. 8GB GDDR5 I recommend....

[AngelicIceDiamond]

@Walker I dunno about you but I prefer Sony & MS to share the market. Instead of having it one sided.

[IAmLee]

snd now.. we play the waiting game...

[cjflora]

Sony will win this generation hands down. The winner isn't who sells the most in the beginning, but who sells the most over time.

Sony built the PS3 to be valid for 10+ years and people will still be buying them long into the future and they will continue making money with it. People were still buying PS2's like crazy until a few years ago.

The console generations aren't sprint races, they are a marathon and Sony sets a reasonable pace for themselves to ensure they finish well.

[GribbleGrunger]

Why have people disagreed with this? How many times does Sony have to say outright that they have a ten year lifecycle (and prove it) before people actually get it? How many times does Sony have to say 'it's not a sprint it's a marathon' before people start to understand their long term strategy? It's not as if what they say and what they do isn't what happens. It beggars belief that this industry (including so called experts) just don't understand it, especially when Sony spell it out every damn year and during every damn console/handheld launch. Sony must sit there scratching their head at such stupidity.

[nukeitall]

Exactly!

This generation with Xbox 360 and PS3, Sony released a year afterwards. When it was released, they were behind on their online network and after 7-years, they still don't have cross game chat.

Sony then released PS Vita after 3DS, and well the story is pretty similar. 3DS sales are rocking and PS Vita is dropping.

So what is going to be different this time?

Remember when Sony was the leader, not the follower?

The entire industry is turning on it's head, Nintendo and MS is the leader and Sony is the follower completely opposite of last generation with GameCube, PS2 and Xbox.

Well Sony, I have a tip for you! Who wins next generation is more likely to do with what you already planned and which of you is more agile in management than the long run.

In fact, for several generations the most powerful console has not won the console war.

[gumgum99]

@Walker

Microsoft going first was only half the reason the PS3 dun goof'd. The other is price.

[die_fiend]

Excellent strategy if you want to sell the least consoles. Haven't Sony just learnt this lesson?

[bluetoto]

Releasing last was not what put them in the red, at least not the biggest reason. Releasing at such an insane price was. Only diehard sonyboys were spending $700 on a console.

The 360/wii hasn't sold as much as it has because it's the better console but because they have always been cheaper.

Most gamers are consumers first and people are ALWAYS going to buy the cheaper system when buying a console as a gift. (MS did a great job at fooling these people into thinking the 360 was cheaper until you add all it was missing, wi-fi,pay-to-play, etc...

It's one of the quiet reasons why this gen has some of the worst fanboys. Many bought/received a 360 because they couldn't afford a ps3.

Normal gamers just accepted this and saved up or waited for a better ps3 price while enjoying their 360 in the meantime. (my group)

Others however feel embrassed that they couldn't afford the other system and have to constantly find ways to validate only owning the lesser of the two.

This last group will disappear next gen if the two consoles have similar prices.

[TBONEJF]

And they NEED THEIR SALES in their pockets. Look how they market the PS2 they launch first before SEGA with dream cast & original Xbox 1 and they buy LOTS OF EXCLUSIVE titles like GTA, FF etc. But they only focus on BLU-RAY & their HDTV line up. they really need to market the shit out of the PS4.

[showtimefolks]

release a system at $600-500
don't have many games within 1st year
psn service not great at start
gives ms a year ahead start at a lower price point

and in 2013 ps3 passes xbox360 sales wise after xbox had a great holiday season

sony started delivering exclusives left and right while forza,halo,gears and fable did the job for ms

psn/plus great service and psn still free yet xblive is still better service(only thing missing in psn is cross game chat which will come with ps4)

if sony makes a quality product which they do most of the times and have great software support for it up front than it will do fine no matter if it comes out 2 months before or 10 months after the next xbox

i still do believe both sony and ms will release their next consoles in fall 2013. There are a lot of thing MS did right and gained a big market share but let's also not act like ps3 failed when its on pace to be the highest selling system this gen too just like ps1 and ps2.

because we take sides is why publishers always take advantage of us, we don't say nothing when we should because its our favorite game series or favorite company. MS showing next to no games in last 2-3 years at E3 yet every year it was did MS win E#? i mean didn't we watch the same showing or did some fanboys get to see some exclusive stuff?

bad E3 but gives away free xbox360's slim and all of the sudden ms won E3?

[Mounce]

But Sony said they knew from their first mistakes that they never wanted to be Last to the race again ;O CMON SONY...

This better be a Bait-and-switch tactic in which you make people believe you're coming in late, then pull out fast and go AWWW SKEET SKEET SKEET!!! and blast us all in the faces and tell us we're all skanks and that PS4 is OUT!

The question is, would it sell better coming before the 720? Is Wii U being seen as competition at all, or same as 360/PS3 to the Wii and that it is just 'There' but not competition?

[iamnsuperman]

Fairly smart really. What he is saying is we are not going to announce now and give Microsoft time until E3 to improve/adjust their product. Nintendo have shown their cards which both Sony and Microsoft can adjust to that. Obviously it isn't major changes but borrowing the odd idea isn't such a big thing. Sony will announce when Microsoft do and no sooner or not much later than that.

[MYSTERIO360]

Totally agree Sony are playing it smart, i just hope they don't release it so late like they did this gen. They need to finish everything hardware wise this time

[hazardman]

I agreed with you but to think that if sony announces 1st that MS would somehow do a complete overhaul is ridiculous. That would mean delays and before you disagree or agree look it from a business sense and not a gamer or fanboy. From what we've been reading rumours have them with almost similar spec with PS4 being slightly more powerful and Xbox3 I guess putting all their chips on kinect. So whoever announces 1st wil be ok. I just need an announcement and a release date so I can preorder already.

[iamnsuperman]

O no I agree but it will be more minor things (mainly software related) that is easily copied and improved on. Also price. Microsoft could set out to undercut Sony if Sony unveil its price to early. Things like this need to stay secret until as late as possible and that is really what he is talking about

[kenshiro100]

I agree with this. Sony isn't stupid at all. They know what they're doing.

[NYC_Gamer]

I believe both 720/PS4 will be very close in performance with features and exclusives being the real difference

[Conzul]

That's how it *should* be.

[aquamala]

I agree, with both using off the shelf PC components, I think we'll see very few third party exclusives, it should be easy to port between these 2.

[-Falaut-]

I am of very strong opinion that we're not seeing a successor to the PS3 this year. Microsoft's next console, yes. Sony, no chance.

And if I'm wrong I'll... I'll *looks around* drink this beer.

[Liquid_Ocelot]

You cheater!

[Veneno]

I dont know. If microsoft gets another head start this next generatiin they could create an even bigger lead than before that Sony has to catch up to. I think Sony knows that and will launch more stategically. But Sony messes up a lot so who really knows?

[Vandamme21]

I'm really looking forward to ps4..can't say the same about Xbox 720..I'm not interested in gears or halo...Microsoft needs to anounce some new ips. The reason why got an Xbox 360 was because of ninja gaiden 2.

[OhReginald]

but microsoft was waiting for sony to announce the ps4 first. I guess neither of the companies will announce their consoles now....

[Prodigy-X]

They said let Microsoft have the first move but not the first to release. You get the clue ;)

[adorie]

Oh, I think this gen is going to be so dirty, we're going to have to wear protective suits just to read the articles.

[Tzuno]

Sony develops games in their computers with Microsoft software. :)

[OhReginald]

linux

[Liquid_Ocelot]

Ouch! :)

[sonic989]

correct

[hazardman]

They're probably using Macs

[WitWolfy]

MGS 4 was probably made with a Mac.. They display the MAC Pc's just about everywhere in the game lol

[EffectO]

It certainly worked well for Vita in Japan,lol

[WetN00dle69]

I see SO that means that in case the new xbox has better specs than the Ps4 they can go back and modify their system a bit to beat the new Xbox. Good move Kaz.

[Consoldtobots]

im not sure im a big fan of this whole tit for tat approach between the big 2. That just turns it into alot of overlap when it comes to games. IMO you need to have a vision of what level of gaming experience you want to deliver to the end user, future proof the design for the next 10 or so years and then start production gearing towards an in store date. This would totally cutoff MS from copying everything you do and force them to make choices in order to compete.

In short im saying, STOP announcing your system specs that many months or even a year ahead of time giving your opponent time to design up to your platform.

[DivineAssault]

im pretty sure the dual shocks will remain compatible but a new touchscreen controller seems inevitable.. All the blu rays have dual screen extras & features so its coming in one way or another.. As long as its simple & only used for HUDs, Maps, inventory, etc for games, it would work just fine.. No need for full gameplay on the screen or a massive pad controller.. Just a simple screen big enough to see things & small enough not to distract.. Menu navigation & other small additions to gameplay mechanics would work just fine w/o investing too much into the crazy ideas nintendo is doing..

Ive played all the castlevanias on DS as well as Zelda OOT on 3DS & the real time maps & inventory navigation is the only good thing a second screen is good for.. Menu navigation similar to tablets might work well too.. I just hope that battery life isnt an issue if it has a big LCD screen on it.. & that rumble functions arent sacrificed..

What he said still doesnt mean he will let MS make the first move.. He was probably referring to nintendo. I doubt there will be enough resources in their budget to make changes this late in development...

[OC_MurphysLaw]

Anyone thinking this move would give them time to adjust hardware is delusional. This is just a marketing move/pr stunt. I am betting Sony is really hoping MS holds off on announcing til E3. I dont think Sony wants this next gen race to start yet. The longer its delayed the more they will be ready for their unveiling. I think they really want to do another e3 like with the ps3. Announce a year out and then launch the following year. The longer ms waits the more time they have. Plus with the wiiu not setting the world on fire Sony has to feel good about their current situation.

[Tonester925]

Save the best to last.

[jay2]

Erm, odd stuff not good that it's not going to be March.

[CatXFlash]

At this rate phones and tablets will catch up and the Cloud will evolve with Nvidia's Grid... hurry the F%$# up SONY and MS.

[JBSleek]

Assuming Microsoft won't have the same hardware hiccups and has a brand recognition now I think letting them have a year or more ahead is kinda interesting.

Sure you can have more powerful hardware marginally and Sony has some pretty cool exclusives but it has almost been 8 years since the last generation.

And Microsoft has one of the most aggressive advertising budgets in technology.

But not gonna count Sony out of course. I say both will have about equal market share just as this generation.

[dcbronco]

Even if Sony waited another year I'm not sure they could catch MS on power. I believe MS will have a fully functioning HSA chip. Or as close to it as anyone will have in 2013. And HSA will increase the power of that console 2 or 3 times if not full HSA. SOny will have some HSA capability because that is the route AMD is moving to. But AMD works with Microsoft on HSA and it's Microsoft engineers that are pushing the tech. Because of that I believe Microsoft will have an advantage. AMD doesn't have a full HSA chip on their roadmap until 2014.

[N4g_null]

Now that is a topic worth talking about.

[dcbronco]

I think both companies will announce very soon. It is well passed time for new consoles. And like Darcy said, there is no room for changing hardware much. The best they could do was add RAM or something if they want to launch this year. And they need to launch this year. Sony hurt themselves last generation by pushing Blu-ray on gamers. The cost of Blu-ray won't be a problem this time. That mistake allowed Microsoft to gain a strong footing in the industry. So now they just have to launch the best thing they can now and fight it out.

[FlyingFoxy]

well i have my PC for FPS games, since MS use Rare's talent for Kinect and not real games like Conker, i say screw em.. Xbox has too many boring FPS games now and they are much better on PC. so i may get PS4 because the Vita is an awesome handheld.

[matrixman92]

idk what u are talking about...the only fps games exclusive to 360 are Halo and perfect dark zero to my knowledge lol

[schlanz]

because that strategy worked so well last time

[cjflora]

They're doing fine. Don't be a tool.

[Hicken]

Correct me if I'm wrong, but DESPITE releasing LATER and at a HIGHER price point, isn't Sony right on Microsoft's heels in terms of units sold?

And that's assuming they haven't already PASSED Microsoft, which could well be the case.

Oh, and let's not forget that, yes, SOME sales will have been lost- particularly early on- to the PS2, which Sony has also been fielding for the majority of this generation.

Not to say that some things couldn't have been better, such as early game support and a more appealing online offering. However, all things considered, I'd say yeah, the strategy worked pretty well.

[sandman224]

Well, that settles it on who will come out first. Looks like ill be getting the next Xbox first. Now Microsoft don't let this be an excuse to delay the release of your next console.

[Cyb3r]

This might make MS hold back from announcing the next xbox

[fOrlOnhOpe57]

Feels like High Noon. *Glances at clocktower at 1 minute to midday* lol

[PS3gamer4life]

Who cares who comes out 1st who go have games to play

[KMCROC54]

If MS does go first they best make sure they have patents on everything they go to show announce or even hint at. Also make sure the writing is crystal clear & understandable. So no can dance around it. Dying to see what they present.

[LOL_WUT]

If he's talking about unveiling their next console after Microsoft have done theirs then I see no problem but, in terms of releasing then Sony is in big trouble.

[HonestDragon]

Waiting to see what a rival company will do is a good move, but at the same time, Sony will need to be active in giving information about their next projects, too. Staying back can be a good tactic, but being informative will help potential customers as well and I wouldn't worry about specifications.

I've always found people only base their next-gen purchase on specifications, which I find ridiculous. People tend to put too much emphasis on what a console is made of. I just hope that Sony will be able to have a better start in this generation than the last one.

[adorie]

It is a good move, ONLY if they release close to Microsoft, 1-3 months tops, or we could have a repeat on our hands, then again, it's hard to say... anything could happen.

This is quite exciting!

[cleverusername]

How could they possibly think that'd be an advantage!! They've been playing catch up all gen!!

[cjflora]

They have been catching up the whole time, meaning even though they started later they've been gaining because they're selling more consoles. Regardless of what the current totals are Sony is selling more month to month and catching up, eventually taking the lead. I have a feeling that as soon as the next Xbox comes out sales will virtually stop, whereas PS3's will continue to sell.

[GribbleGrunger]

Yep, and even if Sony release a year later they won't have the cost of Cell or Blu-ray development to factor into the price. This means that the PS4 will probably release at a similar price to the 720 which is a completely different situation to this gen.

[shinrock]

i didn't know Sony could tell M$ what they can and cannot do.that's funny.

[landog]

BOTH sony and ms have been stalling way too long as they lose more and more marketshare to pc, mobile phones, tablets and even the wii u....

its been way too long without new consoles and the average consumer can not honestly care less about what the ps3 or 360 have to offer, yes the die hard gamers like us on N4G are still pumped for new games like last of us, ni no kuni (cant wait :) gears judgement ect...ect.....but most of the people i know in the real world are just waiting for the next call of duty and won't buy a single thing until then....its sad....but ps3 and 360 have been around too damn long, consumers look at them as outdated tech....

many of my co-workers and freinds show me their iphone games and say things like "dude this shits on anything on ps3, these graphics are amazing"

"i put more hours into this game than anything on my xbox 360 all year"

new consoles HAVE to come out very, very soon!

[badvlad]

Only sheeps think that these two giants dont talk with each other about their next gen at daily basis

[cleverusername]

BAAAAA

[Thunderhawkxbox]

Sony officially scared this is what happened to last generation they waited for Microsoft to announce Xbox 360 and they changed ps3 spec to make it more powerful by giving excuses to delay releasing ps3 blaming a fault in their laptop batteries they had to recall them and saying they had to delay ps3 release date because of that and now they want to do exactly same thing again

[kenshiro100]

...No, no, and no.

[hardcorehippiez]

hahaha someone has filled your head full of shit. if you honestly believe that drivel i dont know what to think

[WitWolfy]

Who knows maybe its true... Just because PR talk didn't confirm it doesn't mean it isn't true.

[hardcorehippiez]

no it was shortages of blu ray laser diodes which is something that also pushed up the price of standalone blu ray players sheesh people do some research

[sdrawkcab]

I know I'm not the only one who puts the caption "599 US DOLLARS" next to the picture of Kaz.

Giant enemy crab!

Here's to yet another memorable E3!

[sdplisken]

NEXT GEN STARTS WHEN SONY SAYS SO

[YodaCracker]

Apparently not, according to Sony.

[Gaming_Guru]

The funny thing with that comment it turned out to be true, XBOX 360 added an HDMI port to their consoles after the PlayStation 3 released.

In all honesty, people take the PR comments too seriously and have to understand they need a slogan to get into people's heads that says they are better.

Like the slogan, "it only does everything" in the literal sense no, but in a multimedia sense yes.

[Yodagamer]

The next gen console starts when the first 8th gen console comes out, oh would ya look at that it's already here.

[ghostrider32]

I assume you desperately want Sony to have a monopoly on the Industry.

[AO1JMM]

Fanboys are going to be going nuts off this for weeks.

[Kran]

Sorry but "Sony Will Let Microsoft Make First Move"...

that just sounds like bitch talk.

I'm not on Sony's or Microsofts side, but I just don't see why the devs have to talk this way when it's clear both consoles will sell.

[Kos-Mos]

I`m so glad Nintendo doesn`t have a douchebag attitude like Sony and ms.

[Gaming_Guru]

I say with next generation it's safer to wait, but as with this current generation it was better being first. A lot of buyers were naive about HD content, multimedia devices, and digital content. Hell Microsoft's 360's first generation console had no HDMI port, even though Microsoft said games will be in HD, and people bought into that.

With multimedia devices more common like phones, tablets, and smart TVs buyers will be more educated this time around. I find customer inertia is the only thing stopping people now to convert.

[Bolts]

I'm already disappointed in the nextgen from both sides, Sony and MS. Seems like these clowns are releasing 1080p gaming consoles in the face of a 4K future.

The nextgen, whatever it is, is going to be under whelming as hell. Yawn.

[Veneno]

I actually think you have a point here. From PS1 to PS2 was a shift frkm CD ROM to DVD. From ps2 to ps3 we had dvd to blu-ray, while microsoft and nintendo didnt innovate. And its looking like there will be no major shift in format coming from Sony. It might be possjble that this next generation will only be a small upgrade instead of a quantum jump like we've seen before.

[Raoh]

Relax people.

Xbox gamers are more desperate for a new console than playstation gamers.

While PS3 games are only getting better and better, xbox 360 games are only seeing small improvements and mostly its just better development tricks with lighting etc.

While sony has God Of War: Ascension, Beyond: Two Souls, Sly Cooper: Thieves In Time, The Last Of Us, Puppeteer. Not to mention the oferrings of games from free to play like Mag, Killzone 3, Dust 514 and DC Universe. As well as Playstation plus offerings if your inclined to add $50 a year for what can be considered a rental system similar to netflix/hulu but for games with some of them being able to be kept permanently even if you do not resubscribe to plus.

360 has Gears of war judgement and the timed release of Bungie's Destiny. You could bring up som XBLA games but then you also would have to do the same to PSN games.

Also as mentioned on neogaf, that's just the when to unveil comment. Release, price and specs are later, meaning MS could announce in March with plans to release in november 2013, Sony could announce in may/june and release in september/october/november at a cheaper price.

We still don't know what is going to happen.

[Ezz2013]

you are talking with logic ..that don't work on n4g

and yeah as ps3 owner i'm happy with what they offer of amazing exclusives

[FrigidDARKNESS]

Hes scared to release thebps4 because all reports says it jis not as good as the 720..
My thought is if you confident in your new system then go ahead and release it regardless of competition. This type of act from Kaz is unacceptable.

[Daves]

check out 'vgleaks'

Don't know how up to date it is.

[isyourhouseonfire]

Translation: "You're going to win, but we're going to make it look like we wanted it that way."

[TheKayle]

Proelite on Neogaf (he is a true insider)

"Originally Posted by deanos:
- I still dont get how these Data Move Engines are going to close a 50% gap.
Sounds like nothing more than a wishful thinking.

- Deanos, I've already received word from special sources that the special sauces will not only make up the gap, but overshoot it like jizz launched from a wizard's penis."

http://www.neogaf.com/forum...

Talking about the "special sauce" that Data Move Engine (that sort of blitter that is inside the durango ) should be (and still seem that on the diagram miss something) as Aegis said

[slampunk]

The only reason Sony would wait is due to issues or being behind in development.....i'm sure after this gen whoever is ready first, will announce first....

Previous gen.....2011 sales worldwide....
PS2 - around 150 million plus
Xbox - around 24 million

Current gen
360 - around 75 million
PS3 - around 77 million

MS have easily won this generation if you look at the market share they have taken from Sony......it has taken the entire gen for Sony to catch up / surpass.....so why would Sony want to wait again.....it makes absolutely no sense?

I will purchase both consoles as i have this gen.... but prior to this gen i had only ever played sony consoles.... delaying made me open my horizons towards MS and although they aren't perfect, they did offer some great things this gen....They (MS) would be over the moon with how far they've come this gen and i'm sure have exceeded their own expectations will sales etc.....

If PS3 released at the same time as 360 Sony would have a far greater market share coming off the amazing success of the PS2...

[XabiDaChosenOne]

Slow and steady wins the race, good move Sony.

[BladerunnerZX]

It seems that many gamers have forgotten Sonys 10 year plan for PS3.

If you are a PS3 owner just enjoy the upcoming AAA games like the Last of us , God of War ascension , Beyond Two Souls and hopefully the Last Guardian within the next year or so.

No way does the PS4 launch this year.

[mr_kubrick]

Some ppl are just getting tired playing 720p Games on FullHD TVs.
I mean, upscaled 30fps Games are so 2008...

[NBT91]

That's the thing, with all of those and others. Not to mention awesome multi plats like Tomb Raider, MGS5 / Phantom Pain and MGS Rising (and Ground Zeroes?)
I just can't get excited for next gen consoles. I would much rather be able to play all of those than buy a PS4 and play MotorStorm

Will buy the next gen consoles, sure. But no way their launch line ups are going to be even HALF as interesting as the titles launching this year on current gen and really... What's the point of having a more powerful console if there will be barely anything to play. I hope PS4 has B/C compatibility.

[AhmadSA]

Hey, Motorstorm is freaking awesome.

[Bolts]

Very few of the current gen of games are actually full 720p native. Just look at the texture resolutions in most games, many are really sub-HD. The fact that tablet games now have higher native resolution than the current generation should be a wake up call.

[Max-Zorin]

N4G is gonna be Saving Private Ryan next gen.

[urwifeminder]

May have to sell some more assets to pay for it all choke sony.

[susanto1228]

I think Sony's tired of playing catchup in any case I don't think MSfot is doing anything special to please Sony. I might even go as far as saying that right now Msoft is dictating the Console market just the way Sony was doing back in the day...sad really

[Ps_alm3k]

I HAVE A DREAM,.. that one day, next gen console owner will not talk about what console they own is better. But about what exclusive they own.

[jerethdagryphon]

first ps1 games 1994
last ps1 game 2005

time games made 11 years

first ps2 game 2000
last ps2 game 2013 (pro evo soccer 13)
time games made 13 years

first ps3 game 2006
last ps3 game unknown
time 10 years projected

so far sonys kept there word and games were made

[dubt72]

C'mon Microsoft, sweep the leg!

[jacksheen0000]

Both Microsoft and Sony will mostly come out at the same time or close to one another.

Remember it takes most DEVs about 6 months to a years to master a gaming console.

Not to mention, most game in development takes 2-3 years to make.

So lets say if Sony releases the ps4 in 2014 it would give Microsoft a 2 years head start.

[bocajbee]

Meanwhile with the Wii u...

[AhmadSA]

Keep waiting for each other. I still have tons of games I haven't played yet!

[biRdy]

I just want to see both consoles released so I can see great innovation from both companies again and not this boring lets keep lowering the price of our consoles til the other guys give up. I'll gladly buy either console if they seem worth it, I do like 60% of my gaming on 360 but doesn't mean I have some sort of fanboy-lock on my money like these people here.

[StrawberryDiesel420]

Sony should reveal the PS4 with Live gameplay of Demon's Souls 2, Killzone 4, and LittleBigPlanet 3 and blow everyone away. That would make me want one for sure.

[banjadude]

While I think those games would be great, if they used Legend of Dragoon 2 or a new Siphon Filter, I think they would "insta-win"!

[Freak of Nature]

That would have a great impact, true. But I think a next LBP will be handled by another studio with MM's backing down the road.

However, *Media Molecule's* new IP (other then Tearaway)which has gone through extensive R&D and dev time for just about 3 years to date might be a candidate for PS4 launch....

Now throw in The *Last Guardian and Uncharted 4* and the Internet will explode...

[Funky_Homosapien]

This is chess not checkers mofo's and Kazuo Hirai understands this.

[Nivalis]

Not saying anything more than this,

The Last Guardian is now a PS4 Launch title, Naughty Dog have been working on a launch title for the PS4 since June 2012.

I will now promptly disappear and make damn sure i cannot be linked to this comment in any way.

[Freak of Nature]

I hope they are both powerful allow for easy dev times, and give us exclusives by the bucket load...Win/Win....

Competition breeds quality and diverse choices.

They will both be released close to one another is my bet.

[Thunderhawkxbox]

To be honest I don't care about sony oh yeah i am xbox fan Microsoft going to win this time 100 % good move for Sony some loser like him running a company that's why they are in debt too much they are scared of risking anything ( they should call miss Kazuo hirau )

[StreetsofRage]

In other words, Sony isn't ready yet.

[black911]

PS3 sales and 360 sales had 0% to do with launching first. It was about price. Sony launched a $600 console but yet they still manged to catch up and sell more than microsoft. Who only sold well because of RROD and xbox live. Next gen wint be the same. It diesnt matter whos first. The Wii U is the first console launched but yet sales are terrible. Its all about price,games and hardware smSony this gen just waited to long.

[contradictory]

is it really wise to do that?
i can see what they're coming from here
but it's risky.

you don't really need a powerhouse
all you need is to have the devs on your side

and this is personal but goddamnit, i want jRPG's coming back.
maybe Ni No Kuni will be able to resurrect them to their former glory? here's to hoping for that.

[baph777]

Excellent move for Sony. They've got the best selling console in the world right now and this ensures that PS4 won't be an underpowered console that is basically two PS3s taped together ( ie. just a little better than WII U as all these Nintendo fans that keep saying Sony doesn't have the money to release a powerhouse next gen keep harping), and that for the 4th gen in a row Sony will finish up the gen as the top selling console.