It appears that Sony are aiming to release the successor of the PS3 (currently dubbed Orbis) out before Microsoft get their next console out, according to sources. The report, which says that the PS4 has been in design planning stage for about two years, says that Sony are confident “it will have the console at market ahead of the next generation Xbox next Christmas.”
According to VG247, the sources say:
“Sony are completely in the belief that they have the jump on Microsoft this time. […] You should be watching the timing of next year’s E3 keynotes, and who’s going to go first.”
Sony has apparently already put the new console in the hands of favoured partners and publishers, including Ubisoft, while other developers will be fully briefed “by the end of this year.”
“Top line publishers already know about it. […] Developers working with publishers – like Ubisoft, for example – already know what’s going on. They’re already working on it.”