x box 2

Third-party execs say console makers are still mum on exact release period.

September 05, 2003 - During a presentation at a Credit Suisse First Boston conference in New York, Activision President Ron Doornink told reporters the next generation of consoles may come as late as early 2006.

The systems are two to two-and-half years away (late 2005 to early 2006), he explained, adding that all three console manufacturers, Microsoft, Nintendo and Sony, have yet to reveal concrete data to third-party publishers.

"There's very little information that we've received thus far from the first parties," he said. "It's still awfully early and we're getting very little confirmed through (console manufacturers)."

That said, if Sony Computer Entertainment America remains consistent with its previous launch dates -- which occurred in September 1995 and October 2000 -- then gamers should expect to see PlayStation 3 in fall 2005. Given SCE's problems with its ambitious "cell" chip design for PS3, however, the date could be pushed back.

Recently, Nintendo has said it is working on a successor to the GameCube and that it doesn't plan on giving its competition a headstart in the upcoming console wars. Which would be a change for Nintendo, given its safe-but-not-so-smart strategy of being last to get out the gate.

Microsoft officially has not revealed its cards, but it's become clear the company's long-haul strategy is to use the first Xbox as a testing ground for a better future console (presumably called Xbox 2). All three manufacturers are expected to deliver more powerful machines pushing extensive online features.

Chief executive of Electronic Arts Larry Probst said he expected by year's end to know whether the new systems will appear in 2005 or 2006.

We'll have more on the looming console wars in the near future.