Sony chairman Kaz Hirai made it very clear that Sony has no intention of revealing any new PlayStation 4 hardware or announcing any details about a possible new console at E3 2012.
Earlier reports by MCV, led to rumors that both Sony and Microsoft would unveil their plans for next-gen consoles at E3 this year. When asked by Electronic Theatre to confirm or deny these rumors, Microsoft refused comment and Sony laughed at the idea.
At CES this week, Sony chairman Kaz Hirai addressed the PlayStation 4 rumors. When asked by a journalist to confirm or deny remakrs from head of the PlayStation division Andrew House, Hirai stated that no new PS4 hardware would be announced – and maintained Sony's stance that the plan for the PlayStation 3 is for a 10-year life cycle.
"Andy (House) is absolutely right in that we are not making any announcements at E3," Hirai responded. "I've always said a 10-year life cycle for PS3, and there is no reason to go away from that."
The PlayStation 3 was released in November of 2006 which means if Sony and Hirai are serious about the 10-year plan, then we shouldn't expect a PlayStation 4 until 2016 – with plans unveiled a year or two before. So hold off on the next-gen console talk for a few years everybody.
With Sony just releasing the PlayStation Vita, it'd be dumb of them to turn people's attention elsewhere, especially another piece of hardware. Sony admitted that a lot rests on the success of the PlayStation Vita so I'd expect them to shift the majority of their manpower towards that.
