Sony Worldwide Studios head honcho Shuhei Yoshida has predicted that Microsoft and Nintendo will be first out the door with their next iteration of gaming platforms, with publishing giant Ubisoft adding that it expects to see next-gen machines in the next couple of years.
Speaking during a chinwag with Develop, Yoshida, "it was Microsoft that released the first of this generation of consoles," adding, "Naturally, in my opinion, Microsoft will make the first move. Or, because Nintendo’s approach was not to upgrade much on its basic hardware – Wii doesn’t even support HD resolution – so they might be the first to move."
Ubisoft’s Murray Pannel also chipped in on the matter, believing it’ll be another 2-3 years before we see a new machine from the Big Three: "I do see in the next 12 months if not growth then stabilisation, before what I assume to be a new transition into new consoles probably in the next two to three years,” he said.
Despite this, Pannel said he feels there is still plenty of life left in existing platforms, and forthcoming technology such as Kinect and Move will prove instrumental in enhancing the way we play and experience games.
"It’s difficult to say what’s coming next, because we’re not with Sony or Nintendo or Microsoft. But there’s still life in all those machines," said Pannel, "I genuinely think games can get better. Experiences can get more rich and varied, and the new platforms, Kinect and Move, can help enhance that, certainly."