Gamers are certainly divided over how tired they are of the current console hardware, which is a result of some people owning the PS3, Xbox 360, or Wii since they first launched and others only just picking up one of these systems recently. There’s no denying that the hardware is pretty ancient it terms of specs and you only need to look at the cheapest desktop PCs to see how graphics, memory, and processor technology is years beyond the current consoles.

Heading towards the Sony PS4 and Microsoft Xbox 720 release date – it is true that we don’t really know what the name will be for these next-gen consoles, although we do know officially that the brands have started work on them some time ago. This upgrade for gamers and technology reviewers like us couldn’t come soon enough, which is after owning our current console technology for almost 7 years for Xbox 360 and 6 years for PS3.

It is true that both consoles have been refreshed over this time with new models, all of which we have been hands-on with at launch, although these are just minor updates to the specs and design without any major upgrades to memory, graphics, and processor abilities. Considering how fast graphics and processor technology alone has improved in the last 6/7 years would give you insight into how old these gaming platforms are when compared to what is really possible.

Are we ready for the Xbox 720 and PS4 to launch? It is pretty straightforward really, unless you are a new console owner that purchased the PS3 or Xbox 360 just a few weeks/months ago, and there are a large number of people like this. You can see the first-generation machines in the image below, which gamers that bought these at launch feel like it is “a long time ago“.

We’ve heard from a growing number of analysts in 2012, which point to 2013 for the launch of an Xbox 720 and the year after for the PS4 launch. This does make sense considering how both brands launched this generation, and also it sounds like Sony don’t want to release new hardware just yet as seen in this article.

Bottom-line: The Wii U is already here, the so-called Xbox 720 and PS4 will arrive within the next couple of years, which means we’ll finally see the aging hardware upgraded. Considering the extremely low memory alone on current hardware, understandable for the age of these consoles, shouldn’t we see both Microsoft and Sony add an option to install more memory on next-gen hardware just like we can slot in a new hard drive on the PS3? What other ways would you like to see these companies allow customization on their next-gen hardware?

You can also read about some recent Xbox 720 release doubts in this article, and read about the idea of a free to play model for next-gen hardware here.

Some work colleagues and friends have gone in head first with 3D gaming, which is great for them, but it’s my decision to wait for something better and this is the same choice that millions of gamers share.

The next big thing could be an old idea – we’ve embedded a video below that gives you a demonstration by Forth Dimension Displays, you might have heard of this name when watching movies thanks to their 20 years in microdisplays, but the gaming industry is a new direction for this UK Company. The video showcases virtual reality with an FPS game in a raw stage of development, and they quickly point out that it will be the peripheral maker that takes this technology and produces a sleek looking unit.

We’re blown away by how much fun this must have been for the technology editor (Brian Crecente) that demoed the virtual reality tech, and while it has a long way to go before it could be classed as “production ready“, we can also see the potential for gaming.

This is the 3D experience I’ve personally been waiting for over 20 years, and loved the idea back in the late 80′s and early 90′s. It never took-off then and now that the technology is almost ready for gaming it seems brands are as well, especially with Sony recently predicting a return of the virtual reality headset. With this in mind it would be good for Sony to introduce this technology with PS4′s launch, and if that happens we’d also expect something from Microsoft’s so called Xbox 720 as well. Either one of these brands could take this opportunity and change gaming as we know it, which could be seen as needed considering the threat from Cloud Gaming.

Watch the video below and us know if you can see the potential for virtual reality FPS games on Xbox 720 and PS4? If the unit looked cool enough, would you want to game like this?

In Summary: We touched on the importance of 3D gaming towards the end of last year, and how UK feedback showed most people thought of 3D as a gimmick. It’s our view that the real 3D experience is to be had with virtual reality and the technology by Forth Dimension, shown during GDC 2012, is in really early stages but also shows promise of gaming to come, which I’d be one of the first in line for the real 3D gaming experience.

Whenever new software or hardware is released it can sometimes give hints towards upcoming products and services the brand might bring to light at some point, and this has been seen a lot with hidden gens inside Apple’s code that point to new products like iPad 3 and iPhone 5. The same can be said for the gaming industry and brands like Sony, which give hints towards improvements in their next-generation of devices.

PS Vita is a new generation handheld that has learned from the PS3 – We’ve seen a number of hints inside Sony’s PS Vita that show how the PS3 could’ve done certain tasks better, and one of the most demanded features since the release of the PS3 has been cross-game chat, which will likely never arrive on that platform.

The PlayStation Vita features cross-game chat and does it extremely well, which we found out when playing a few games while chatting to someone in Hong Kong (we were in the UK). The voice was very clear and you couldn’t hear the game they were playing, and this feature alone makes gaming with friends around the world much more appealing for handheld and console gamers.

The PS4 will need to learn from this generation – for starters it can and will include cross-game chat from the outset, which is proven thanks to its inclusion in the Vita but of course we’d expect the PS4 to release the hardware potential with a twist for voice chat while gaming. How could faster processors and more memory help with innovative voice features for a next-gen PlayStation console?

Backwards compatibility has received mix reactions by PS3 owners and while some people wanted all PS2 games to work on the PS3, there are gamers that cannot understand why you’d “want to play last generation games” on a next-gen system? Seasoned gamers know the classics will live forever and you can already see the new PS Vita hardware being used for some classic PSP games like the Sega Genesis Collection. You can read an article here that we posted two days ago, which looked at recent rumors involving backwards compatibility for Sony’s PS4, and the possibility it might not be included although this would be a real shame in our opinion.

Now is the time to enjoy PS Vita games and don’t procrastinate for a PS4 release date that will not come anytime soon – hearing about potential graphics hardware for the PS4 can make a nice read but we’ve got to remember that Sony has stated clearly about any release date being a while yet, and they officially confirmed the PS4 is a “distraction” to their current plans, which involve the PS Vita.

When we see forums filled with questions like “shall I buy a PS Vita or wait for the PS4?” we think “wake up and smell the coffee“, because there is no point waiting for something that Sony has confirmed as a distraction. We’d love to buy the next-generation Sony console as soon as possible, which our reasons are for owning both the Xbox 360 and PS3 since launch – years ago – and feel it’s time for a new generation, although that is not going to happen anytime soon. If you’ve owned any current generation console from launch are you crying out for next-gen?

To see why the current PS Vita is well worth a buy right now – or later this year once Sony iron out issues – then you should read about the mystery new PS Vita games, the cross platform potential for certain franchises, and let’s not forget cross-game chat that really makes the gaming fun as we found out in our hands-on.

Have you jumped onboard the PS Vita train yet? If not, let us know what would be your next hardware purchase for gaming?

According to a recent survey amongst gamers it was found that only 13 percent said they will purchase the Wii U. GameSpot are reporting this compares to those considering unannounced devices from the other big two beating that figure by almost a 3:1 margin.

Since Nintendo first announced the Wii U besides the new tablet controller have revealed virtually nothing else about their new system. The survey was taken from a random 2,546 readers globally by GameSpot Trax. While only 13 percent said they would buy the Wii U, 36 percent planned to get the next Xbox, and 34 percent would be getting the new PlayStation once it is released.

These figures are quite surprising considering there is no information what so ever about any new systems from Microsoft or Sony, while Nintendo’s new console will be released this year. Gamers certainly do know what they want from next gen consoles though, as 83 percent put backward compatibility as an important feature.

This was just ahead of better graphics at 80 percent while 49 percent wanted the ability to download full games to their systems. Many want backwards compatibility but only 24 percent actually feel it will come in the next gen consoles. The Wii U has already been confirmed to have this once it is released by Nintendo.

It does seem that the console makers are now focusing on mainstream audiences now, and some of the core gamers may be feeling a little left behind now. Many want better graphics but many gamers put game play as the most important thing, which can often be forgotten in favor of big cut scenes and graphics.

Will you be getting the Wii U?

The rumor mill about the next consoles from both companies is in overdrive, as CVG are reporting that according to PSM3’s development sources the new PlayStation has specifications that are more powerful than the next Xbox. The same sources are also claiming that Microsoft will beat Sony to the market by a few months with the new Xbox model.

Meanwhile Xbox World is claiming that the next Xbox console will arrive late in 2013 and have a PowerPC based processor. This will be made by IBM and will come with Kinect 2.0 bundled with the console. They also think the PS4 will outperform the next Xbox model with processing power as well, and instead Microsoft is to concentrate on “utility and innovation”.

It is still believed that the two companies will be showing off their new hardware at E3, which will steal Nintendo’s thunder with the planned Wii U re-reveal. There will be many gamers happy waiting the best part of two years before we see a new Xbox come to the market. If Microsoft do beat Sony to the table by a few months and release the new Xbox late next year, it could be 2014 before the PS4 makes an appearance.

Would you be happy with a late 2013 release for the new Xbox?

One popular concept design website showcased a “next Xbox” design that could be, and can be seen in an earlier article. The images are nothing like the radical designs we’ve seen in the past, and some say they look a lot like the current Xbox 360. You’d expect the hardware to jump considerably after so many years, and it does with this concept design including a 2TB hard drive, GPS, a GPU with 8-cores and following some of the latest rumors, a built in webcam that could be used for Kinect type gaming as standard.

The debate that never seems to end with console gaming tends to be one of gameplay vs. graphics, and while some of us want both, others feel that gameplay is more important than graphics and vice versa. Enhancements like giving every GTA 5/6 pedestrian unique mentalities would be possible with next-gen hardware, although it’s fair to say with the next-generation we’d expect a big graphics jump, and for us this is more important when playing games in 2012/2013/2014, we want ultra real graphics and gameplay thanks to the leaps in technology since the release of Microsoft’s Xbox 360 and Sony’s PS3.

We must also remember that the next-gen consoles have to last much longer than PCs in graphics terms, so seasoned gamers expect revolutionary graphics and maybe much more than current PC hardware thanks to partnerships with manufactures. This task would be harder thanks to the time it takes to launch a new console, although the machine is dedicated for gaming, which gives a massive advantage.

In the last year we’ve seen more and more YouTube videos trying to show what the Xbox 720 and PS4 graphics would look like, and this is mostly done by using PCs that have the latest processor and graphics hardware, which could well be the standard for the upcoming console hardware. You can see a video below this article, and we’d love to hear what you think about graphics like this rendered in real time (NOT pre-rendered cutscenes), imagine gameplay like this on the next-gen console.

How important will graphics be to you when buying the PS4 or Xbox 720 (as it’s commonly known)?

Currently when a demo hits the PlayStation Network or Xbox Live you have to wait for it to download, which can often take a while, however demos on OnLive are instantly streamed, meaning that you don’t have to sit there waiting whilst your download progresses from 1% to 100% – would a similar feature be a success when the PS4 and Xbox 720 arrive?

Firstly we don’t have a clue how much such a service would cost to implement, but in the long run we think a demo streaming service could prove popular with the fans, here’s why:

People hate waiting for downloads to complete, so that is one major perk of streaming, however that’s not all, OnLive allows you to play a full game for up to 30 minutes and then when you buy the full game you can continue from where you left off, this is great for games which have annoyingly long introductions where you are introduced to characters and taught the game basics etc.

There are two disadvantages when it comes to streaming demos, firstly it is reliant on an internet connection, but let’s face it if you are used to downloading demos you already have an internet connection, secondly no-matter what anyone says streaming is no as pleasing in terms of visuals, don’t get me wrong OnLive looks great on my HDTV, but my 360 looks better.

We think that a simple warning message stating that demo visuals are not necessarily on par with the full game would be acceptable, in my experience I have played a demo to get an idea of gameplay and see how a game compares to its rivals and/or predecessors, streaming a demo should allow for this without the inconvenience of eating up local storage space and waiting for large downloads (which are only going to get larger when next-gen consoles arrive).

One thing to remember is that internet connections are ever-increasing in terms of speeds, yes this will allow for quicker downloads, but it will also allow for smoother, more reliable streaming. We really think that the advantages to streaming demos outweigh the advantages of downloading them, do you agree?

According to an article on IGN there is set to be GT5 DLC releases every other month, but the games creator has said work is already underway on the next installment of the franchise. Kazunori Yamauchi was talking to the site and said “of course we’re working on GT6 already.”

With the last installment of the game running years behind schedule it makes you wonder how long with have to wait for GT6. Although we don’t know how long before Sony brings out the next PlayStation console, we may not see GT6 until the PlayStation 4 is already available. There was speculation recently that the next gen consoles could come late next year, and it would be really surprising to see the next Gran Turismo title before then.

Talking about the current title Yamauchi said that after the game was released around a year ago there have been about 15 updates so far. He added that these were to get a platform for the system and now future expansions can bring content to the game. Now there will be cars and trucks added to the title and what can’t be added via a DLC will be saved for GT6.

What would you like to see in GT6?

An article over at Gamingbolt is reporting that Microsoft will be stealing Nintendo’s thunder by revealing the next Xbox at CES next year. The event will take place in January and because Microsoft normally releases products a while after first reveling them, the console is expected to be available for the holiday season next year.

Because Sony is spending big at the moment regarding R&D it is thought the PS4 won’t be that far behind either. The news has been leaked via the Windows Weekly show and the new Xbox has reportedly got the codename Ten, and is also to have embedded Silverlight and to have integration with Windows and Windows Phone just like iOS.

With yesterdays rumors though one of these must be wrong or at least slightly off track, and just like any speculation nothing can be proven until there is an official announcement. Many of you have told us you are not ready for the next generation PlayStation or Xbox to be released. The thought of paying out big sums of money now doesn’t appeal to many gamers.

Do you think we will see the next Xbox by the holiday season next year?

While the speculation continues that the Xbox 720 will be the first to the table, Colin Sebastian analyst with RW Baird believes it will be Sony getting to the market first. GameRant is reporting that Sebastian stated they believe both Sony and Microsoft won’t have their devices ready for a 2013 release.

They do believe though that Sony may have the PS4 release ready first and will likely be in 2014. He added “There is still a lot of investment for both companies to recoup in the current generation.” The PlayStation 3 was originally thought to have the longest shelf life, but recent system updates and the success of the Kinect with improved versions of the Xbox 360 have changed this.

The PS3 has seen a price drop but this is not likely to fall much more if anything in the next two years, so maybe Sony will release the next PlayStation early. Last time round Microsoft stole a march on the competition with the Xbox 360. This time the first new console will be the Nintendo Wii U, so whether Sony and Microsoft will wait and see how that is received before showing their hand remains to be seen.

Who do you think will be first with a new console out of Sony and Microsoft?