Electronic Arts' chief financial officer Eric Brown spoke about the unique nature of the current hardware cycle during a presentation at the Goldman Sachs Technology and Internet Conference in San Francisco this week.
The current hardware generation will be an extended one for numerous reasons, including a new development focus on online multiplayer, digital content extensions and new motion controllers, Brown said, according to IGN.
"It's a possibility that we don't see a sharp and distinct console transition like we've seen in the past,” he noted, adding that next generation hardware development would require a multi-billion dollar investment and its arrival probably wouldn’t coincide with major graphical enhancements.
"… The question I would ask is, 'If you were to produce that, what would you display it on?' There's really nothing in terms of broadly available consumer viewing technology other than 1080p televisions."
Brown also said that further price cuts will drive greater adoption of existing consoles.
"I think pricing has not come down as much as we would have expected at this point in the cycle compared to the last. We do have a long way to go with respect to pricing. Last cycle, approximately 48 per cent of PlayStation 2 units were sold at a price point of $149 or less. Clearly at $299 we're nowhere near that price point."