expected lifespan of the ps3/xbox 360

[paUlYnsTraviSm]

Does anyone know when the current consoles are likely to be replaced?

Does the PS3 have to potential for a longer lifespan than the Xbox 360?

For currently running the same/very similar games with little to choose between the two graphically why is the PS3 twice the price?!

Cheers

 

[Shifty Geezer]

For currently running the same/very similar games with little to choose between the two graphically why is the PS3 twice the price?!

It has more expensive components and a bigger investment to recouperate. Both will likely be replaced in a similar timeframe, and both will probably have reasonable next-gen persistence, being supported by software long into the next gen's life. Unlike last gen these new boxes aren't economic turkeys that need to be dropped as a bad idea ASAP. Your reason for posting seems to be a justification for a purchasing decision. Longevity of the platform is no such deciding factor.

 

[el_rika]

Does anyone know when the current consoles are likely to be replaced?

Does the PS3 have to potential for a longer lifespan than the Xbox 360?

For currently running the same/very similar games with little to choose between the two graphically why is the PS3 twice the price?!
Cheers

My educated guess would be that it is because the PS3 has an incorporated BluRay drive which allows for BluRayHD movies playback. This is at least one of the differences that dictates a higher price.

 

[grandmaster]

I have a feeling that both Xbox 360 and PS3 will both be successful enough to stave off next gen replacements. My guess is that we're looking at 2011/2012 even.

Economically speaking it's in the interests of Microsoft, Sony and indeed the third party publishers to get as much hardware out there as possible and to sell as many games as possible.

It used to be the case that PC gaming showed up the consoles for being quite long in the tooth by this time in the generation cycle. But I'm not seeing it this time.

There's also the sense with Wii's success that technology on 360 and PS3 went 'too far' this gen. There's also the question of what a next gen console would give that's a tangible advantage over what we have now... 1080p and better AA isn't going to shift hardware. Better, smarter games that tie into the continued growth of online etc is where I'm putting my money.

 

[PalmiNio]

I have a feeling that both Xbox 360 and PS3 will both be successful enough to stave off next gen replacements. My guess is that we're looking at 2011/2012 even.

Economically speaking it's in the interests of Microsoft, Sony and indeed the third party publishers to get as much hardware out there as possible and to sell as many games as possible.

It used to be the case that PC gaming showed up the consoles for being quite long in the tooth by this time in the generation cycle. But I'm not seeing it this time.

There's also the sense with Wii's success that technology on 360 and PS3 went 'too far' this gen. There's also the question of what a next gen console would give that's a tangible advantage over what we have now... 1080p and better AA isn't going to shift hardware. Better, smarter games that tie into the continued growth of online etc is where I'm putting my money.

Totaly agree. Nintendo has clearly shown that the old ways of the console industry is not the best way.

PS3 is a great machine, but looking on the productcost (the estimates) and the investment cost the PS3 is a realy bad business. The problem for Sony is that they don't have the same walk as they had with PS2, this time they have 100 times harder competition.

Xbox 360 will live longer than Xbox 1. My guess is 6 years, 2011, when the next generation shows up. The 360 will ofcourse still exist.

The PS3 will never, as a whole (including initial investments), generate money before PS4 is showing up. But the advantage that Sony has is that they now have invested a huge amout of money in 2 technologies that they easy can adapt to the next machine at a low cost (CELL n BluRay). MS can not stick with DVD next time and as allways they have to turn to external chip designers for hardware.

 

[Sonic]

Considering there isn't any huge or specific rumors right now about new consoles coming from Microsoft or Sony I would imagine there is at least three good years left for both platforms before seeing their replacements. We all remember the speculation on B3D years before the PS3 was even unveiled and all the talk about CELL and we don't even have that level of discussion right now on this board.

I would also consider these consoles to have a nice long life seeing as HDTV penetration continues at a steady pace. With more sales of these TV's we will probably see more sales of PS3 and 360 as a complement to the TV's being sold.

On the technical side of it there are always advances but #1 priority for the MS and Sony is getting their platforms profitable and remaining that way for the future. Milk it for all its worth really.

Sony might end up jumping the gun if they just can't become profitable on PS3 at all, but with their new platform would probably not end up being a PS2 - PS3 leap, more like a Dreamcast to Xbox leap or something like that. Might be more, might be less.

Microsoft is probably working away at a new console but who knows when they would wish to bring it out considering the 360 still has plenty of life left in it and will only get more profitable as times goes on.

Nintendo might be the one to bring out a new generation console first to get into the HD market but retaining the Wii simplicity. In 2010 or 2011 they could easily bring a machine to market that has great graphics with ll th bells and whistles (FSAA and all the good stuff) while still being affordable.

 

[Megadrive1988]

I really am not interested in a next-gen Xbox and PS4 if they're only going to offer modest improvements on what 360/PS3 do today. IMO, having current-gen like graphics at 1080p, with more AA, sharper textures and somewhat better framerates won't be enough. I'd rather wait until they can do more CG-like graphics, regardless of resolution (720p or 1080p).

There was only 4 and 5 years from the release of original Xbox1 to the release of Xbox 360 and PS3. Next time it should be 6 years from the release of 360 and PS3 to Xbox Next and PS4, in 2011/2012, allowing for a larger jump in graphics. The CPUs do not need to be increased massively from the current Xenon and CELL. A 2x to 4x increase would be fine, but graphics could increase 10 to 20 times, given that high-end PC graphics are already 4-5x beyond console graphics (looking at single GPUs nevermind SLI and CrossFire).

Having much more powerful GPUs in next-gen consoles does not mean they have to be expensive. They could still launch at $299 for a basic SKU and $399 for the SKU with all the bells & whistles, and there would be NO $499~ $599 SKUs at all, like there where this gen. Blu-ray will be dirt cheap by 2011/2012. Sony has already made the investment in CELL, and will probably go with a 16-32 SPE version of CELL. Microsoft will go to Blu-ray, and probably a 6-12 core version of Xenon.

I don't know if a HDD will be standard or not. Maybe not in a $299 Xbox Next/PS4 SKU.

Next-gen consoles will focus around reasonable price, new control interfaces, greatly expanded online network and services, impressive 'next-gen' looking graphics, but not go overboard on totally new CPU architecture which was partly responsible for jacking up PS3 price.

I think Nintendo will once again be behind Microsoft and Sony in terms of hardware, but not as massively so with Wii compared to 360/PS3. I think the Xbox Next, Wii HD and PS4 will all seem to be of the same generation. I also think that by fall 2012, all the next-gen consoles will have launched, and that current-gen consoles will be around until 2014-2015, three to four years into the next cycle.

 

[grandmaster]

The global recession will also play its part in delaying any next generation console - in the current climate, it would be mad to launch a new premium-priced games machine.

 

[Arwin]

I think the PS3 and 360 will be well supported by software until 2012. Their lifespan may be extended through the release of something like a new controller, and both may experiment with releasing something experimental (3D, controller, whatever). Beyond that it is very much wait and see. The recession may play a part, but we had bad economic weather in 2001 and 2003 as well.

Much more interesting is seeing where the software side of things will be going. This will be more important than ever.

 

[Cheezdoodles]

Lifespan is only determined by one thing, and thats how profitable a product is.
Keeping that in mind, with how things are right now, things would look like the X360 is the product that will last the longest. That being said, i believe the two will last aproximately the same time