The next-gen countdown is seriously on now with many pointing to the tip of May because the time when Microsoft is potentially set to finally reveal what it has in store for the subsequent generation of consoles.

Rumours and speculation are rife, but as we creep closer, it’s easier to get beneficial what’s actually in store.

Sony’s early-ish reveal of the PS4 has helped with this but until Microsoft reveals its hand we still don’t know how the following-gen showdown will go.

Always-on, backwards compatibility, two different SKUs (one actually being more of a fixed-top box); the potential of the Xbox brand is gigantic.

Wedbush analyst Michael Pachter believes the following-gen of consoles turns into a lot more like TVs or, dare we are saying it PCs, with users adding to them incrementally through the years as and after they want, effectively doing away of the normal console cycle…

“I think console hardware goes to become more analogous to televisions, where incremental changes are more frequent, but frame breaking changes happen only every decade or so.”

“That suggests to me that we are going to continue to play console games, but that the ‘cycle’ may become irrelevant, with people upgrading for other features, much as we’ve got done with televisions.”

“I think that the way forward for games is bright; the demographic expands each year, as formats like mobile and social bring new gamers into the market once a year.”

“Even if it really is the last major iteration for hardware, i believe console gaming is destined to continue growing, not less than on the rate of GDP growth, if not slightly more.”

On The subsequent Xbox…

“I think the following Xbox would be positioned as a multimedia device, with built-in TV tuner and router eliminate the will for cable TV boxes.  I expect it to be subsidized by cable providers, and think it’s going to set records for initial sales. The PS4 will probably catch up over the years, but may start off as only a gaming console, although Sony was adding multimedia features with every new console.”

“I think that Sony might make a near fatal mistake if it chooses to dam used games, tilting the playing field sharply in Microsoft’s favour; I hope Microsoft doesn’t waste this chance to indicate how gamer friendly it’s by advertising that the recent Xbox will play used games.”

If you examine videogames then you’ve probably heard of study Analyst, Michael Pachter.

He is probably the most prominent voices within the industry and as an analyst for investment banking company Wedbush Morgan Securities; he’s the writer of countlessly quoted publisher reports and host of his own show, Pach Attack.