When Sony touted PS3 as a "ten year" machine, critics and gamers were quick to laugh it off as PR jargon. However, Sony has proven with the PS2 that they're capable of making a ten-year system. Ed Barton, analyst for Screen Digest, reminds gamers that God of War II released seven years into the console life and it "stands up pretty well to a lot of current generation games."

"A hardware transition is a very expensive and traumatic experience for the entire industry and its consumers," he said. "I don't see why people wouldn't like the idea of any of the console manufacturers supporting a platform for ten years." We agree with Barton. Sony's plan for a ten year system truly makes sense, especially in the current economic environment. Current-generation systems still have a long way to go in terms of being affordable to the masses. Game development is already plenty expensive this console cycle -- if the industry rushes too soon into a new generation, how much more expensive will it be?

Console launches can cost "$3-5 billion," and with the economic climate right now, it's unlikely any company -- either Sony or Microsoft -- will want to jump into a new console cycle any time soon. For now, it looks like Sony's ten year plan with the PS3 is a pretty smart one. Kaz Hirai would agree.