.DX.
Power Member
There has been a lot of confusion as to when this generation of game consoles will come to an end and replaced with the next generation of hardware. Sony has stuck to its guns about a 10-year life cycle, as it did with the PS2. Microsoft, however, has been a little more reserved in saying anything. Finally, Microsoft has hinted that it’s “very, very possible” that “this generation will be longer.”
Chris Lewis, VP of the Interactive Entertainment Business for Microsoft EMEA, had this to say in an interview with Edge Online.
“I think this generation will be longer, because there is so much scalability. When you look at NXE, that is a complete revision of the interface and the look and feel and every aspect of the system. That’s not predicated by new hardware. We have fundamentally done that through software and services. So if you think of that scalability and the opportunity to enhance and develop what we do with this platform, then I think it’s very, very possible–and indeed appropriate–that this generation will be longer.”That doesn’t mean that it’s a guarantee we won’t see an Xbox 360 successor in the near future, though.
“But we’re not specific about when that will happen, and we don’t have a particular timeline that we share right now. But as I said, there’s a lot more still to come.”We know Sony is in it for the long haul - and it kind of has to be considering how profitable the PS3 has not been for them - so there is no reason for Microsoft to rush. Also, Lewis is right in saying that the NXE shows a commitment on Microsoft’s part. With the 360 celebrating its third birthday just days ago, it is unlikely Microsoft would invest so much time and energy in an all-new interface this late in the game if they planned to wrap up shop in a couple of years.
http://blog.gamer20.com/?p=666