14 DAY TRIAL // Neither Sony nor Microsoft has announced clear plans for their next generation of gaming devices, but that’s not stopping analysts from talking about the specifications of the hardware and their ability to attract buyers when they are finally out.
Michael Pachter, a research analyst working at Wedbush Securities, is quoted by GamesIndustry.biz as saying, “Next-generation consoles are going to have big hard drives, they're also going to have disc drives.”
“I would guess that the PS4 and the Xbox 720 will have 2 TB hard drives. That pretty much means you can download anything you want and never get rid of anything. You'll have room for a couple of hundred games, no problem,” he adds.
His statements were part of a larger keynote at the Digital Game Monetization Summit in San Francisco.
Previous rumors have suggested that the new consoles from both Sony and Microsoft will launch with fully developed and integrated digital distribution models, which would allow players to get all the content they are interested in without ever going into retail store.
It’s unclear whether Pachter is simply speculating or if he has actual access to sources inside the two companies.
Other rumors about the PlayStation 4 and the Xbox 720 suggest that they will include upgraded motion tracking systems, better support for 3D and more processing power.
A source inside Microsoft also claims that its next-generation device will be launched in time for Thanksgiving 2013.
Official announcements about the pair of devices will be made before or during E3 2013.
Until then, gamers who are eager for new gaming technology can buy and use the new Wii U home console from Nintendo, which is built around a new GamePad controller, with a touch screen and motion tracking capabilities.
The device will be available on all major markets after the December 8 Japanese launch date.