How long will the PS3 and Xbox 360 be around?

WiggyDiggyPoo

Both will last for some time yet, combination of very large installed user base, compatible online services and the large amount of non game content mean even if the games dry up they will keep working.

What will happen is only what has already happened to some games is that their online servers will be shutdown, its also possible services like BBCiPlayer may stop being updated eventually on the older tech.

Personally I'm looking forward to using my 360 for the next few years still, I'm certainly confident it'll reach 10 years and still be strong.

Also, MS have released an updated 360 based on the XOne design, its not widely available ATM but is a sign there's life in the old dog yet, I wouldnt rule out a 'final' PS3 redesign either.

New 360:

McKendog

New titles will be released on PS3 and X360 for quite some time due to the slow uptake of the next gen consoles in emerging markets such as Eastern Europe, the Middle East and Africa.

You should certainly be in no rush to buy a PS4. Millions of gamers will not even consider buying one until the price reaches £250 and therefore those people will continue playing their PS3s. A very positive sign of Sony's intent to keep the PS3 going strong was them announcing Gran Turismo 6 as a PS3 only title (will be ported to PS4 at some point but was a surprise it's not a launch title).

Third party publishers still have more money to make on the current gen than next gen due to the the massively bigger installed bases. The only reason they would not release on current gen is a generous marketing deal from Sony/MSFT, which will happen but not to that many titles.

Added to all of that there are generally big hardware improvements in the first couple of years after release, meaning many early adopters actually bought a second X360/PS3. I bought two X360s, the second costing half that of the first and went from 16GB to 250GB!

GAZZAAAAAAAAA

Still be around for a good couple of years,plenty life left in both consoles.