Latest news on console wars.

PS4 is set to be revealed together with NewBox this coming June at E3 later this year.
http://www.eurogamer.net/articles/2012-01-...-e3-2012-reveal

Also, ray tracing is expected to finally and formally break through the mainstream market this year.
Its interesting considering PowerVR is unrivaled in the ultra portable market, but they have yet to enter the fray against ATi and Nvidia.
Though they DID have their console debut iirc with the defunct Sega Dreamcast.
Ppl have been speculating that ATi or Nvidia is gonna buy them out, but we'll see soon enough.
http://futuremark.yougamers.com/forum/show...ad.php?t=159528

Going through these latest facts, ray tracing is still at a more earlier stage than previously speculated.
Though I doubt that ray tracing is gonna make it in time for consoles, this is just a heads up for console gamers, what graphical prowess could you drool over the next time around.

Theres a few things to note too.This is just pure speculation on my side, but bear with me.
The Last of Us, the latest recently announced exclusive from Sony, although set to be a PS3 release, could be a cross gen game.

What I mean is the game could be playable on the PS3 AND the future PS4, with the game being able to scale better graphically when played on the PS4.
This wont be all too surprising considering pc utilized even more scaleable graphics since forever, a measly 2 levels of scaleable graphics arent so far fetched.
If Sony ever use this cross gen strategy, they could further expand the longevity of ps3, and have considerably strong launch titles.

I also happen to have a reliable source that God of War 4 would see a March 2013 release, and this could add to the cross gen possibility even more.

Think about it.You have some strong titles coming out on ps3, and you want to have strong launch titles for ps4 too.Having these strong titles to be cross gen would kill two birds with one stone.

Agreed. I doubt the cross gen concept will be for long term. Either way SONY has to cannibalize PS3 with PS4, just like any other company.

From what I understood, when PS2 first released, backward compatibility was achievable, that meant that games could be released on PS2 and have it play better on PS3. Just like the nightshade_nova suggested, this time with greater scaled graphics.

Game developers however, denied SONY of it's plans to have this backward compatibility run on long term. Whilst some still develop games for PS2, most moved on to PS3 as they understand that when PS3 blooms, their revenue and R&D will be recovered much faster than sticking with PS2. Bluray technology that guaranteed* anti-piracy was also a major factor. With PS2 game prices crashing down (and piracy digging a hole for the already falling meteor), PS3 that is constantly being developed and guaranteed* no piracy became legit. Also, don't forget the fact that PS3 has better online features that opens up a fresh new market.

With the history of PS3's launch, the idea that kept SONY running (latest technology hardware style), the recent launch of PS Vita that promises cross platform gaming with PS3, and the fact that PS3 just reached maturity in it's life cycle. (Plus the fact that sales of PS Vita being trashed by 3DS during Christmas week) I highly doubt that PS4 will be out anytime soon. IMHO, 1.5 years later.

However, do take note that PS4 release is highly affected by M$ as SONY has already learnt it's lesson. They won't dare to play the "I release late with better technology" card anymore. A next gen console is still a next gen console, plus you release PS3 so late, how to expect ppl tahan gatal looking at 360's next gen graphics?

Better technology yes, but not later or anything far behind XBOX64012802560512010240

Regarding the technology, the idea behind PC's upgrading trend (slightly powerful but it's the same technology) is due to the fact that their R&D and the actual technology is advancing much faster than the current product life cycles. Meaning to say, I have product ABC in the market, but XYZ is already developed. I know for the fact that if I release XYZ, ABC will be cannibalized. But ABC can still earn me loads of money and the R&D for ABC ain't recovered fully yet. So what I do is, hold the production of XYZ, innovate ABC and prolong the life cycle.

Same goes with cars. Do you see solar powered cars or totally emission free and totally non-petrol cars around? The technology is already there, but all you see is hybrid cars that was founded more than half a decade ago. (And the same old Vios for close to a decade now, even the face lift was 5 years ago)

SONY and M$ will utilize whatever they have upon first sight, due to the fact that they are in a different battlefield, where timing and season plays a major role. You're talking about customers with heart of youth and curiosity that killed billions of cats. Example, we heard nothing about bluray till PS3 come about, M$ is willing to release faulty buggy systems and have updates to fix it, Wii made motion sensors and everyone tries to take a stand coming out with motion sensors to infiltrate the market, even Bethesda gave a buggy Skyrim and patch it up later just to release in November (although you can't blame Bethesda as sandbox games bugs are really hard to be discovered for a team less than 40)

All in my humble opinion. Just sharing my thoughts Do correct me if I'm wrong

Wow...0.0001%...you really dont want to open up your mind to possibilities...

Nvidia once said that they wont EVER partner up with Global Foundries, and look what happened.

How old a company is is irrelevant, bigger titans has fallen.Remember Lehman Brothers?
And recently Kodak which introduced the first digital camera filed a bankruptcy because they cant keep up.

Desktop graphics market are much volatile compared to mobile graphics, and you cant expect to depend on other division forever.
Its not so farfetched that ImgTec might give up halfway through, cut their losses and focus on mobile graphics only.   

There is such thing as 'sinking ship', and if that happens, big shareholders might bail them out, or they might just let go.
And thats when much of the 'salvaging' comes.

I rest my case.