A report has gone up on a Japanese website which seems to state that Sony have shelved their plans for their next generation of home consoles. If (!) this translation can be trusted, it seems that Sony might be tuning the PlayStation 3 and putting their faith in their handhelds rather than producing a PlayStation 4. The PlayStation 3 was released in 2006, but Kaz Hirai says Sony is still fully focused on its current home console instead of looking ahead to the next generation. The SCEI chairman told Japanese website PC Impress Watch: “[The PS3] has a ten-year lifecycle.”

What does this mean for the future of home consoles?
“This means that we aren’t even at the halfway point. There are certainly many more desirable first- and third-party titles coming out. As we announce and implement new initiatives on an annual basis, I still believe in the importance of improving the software and feature set of the PS3.”

The most concise quote is possibly this one:
“I think the value of the PS3 will continue to rise. Because of this, a near-future PS4 or next-generation home console is not something that we are even debating now.”

We’ll have to wait and see when more information comes to light!!!