It has been a little over four years since the PS3 was released. Previous industry trends indicate the PS3 is almost half way through its life cycle. That isn’t the case with today’s high powered consoles. For the first time ever, different kinds of software can be pushed to consoles that help to extend their shelf life. Brand new methods of game control such as PlayStation Move, and network integration with other devices also help the console to improve as it gets older. For those reasons and more, Sony is not considering a PlayStation 4.

There’s no doubt that the current economic recession is having an impact on the video game industry. Companies are downsizing, consolidating or closing (which means games are getting delayed or canceled), games stores are cutting back and game-related publications are also feeling the pressure. Of course, a recession cannot last forever and the game industry will thrive and continue to evolve

It’s not clear what the long-term affect this “economic downturn” recession will have on the game industry but a few things might be extrapolated from current trends.

Here are a few predictions of game industry-related results that stem from a mix the current economic recession, corporate tendencies and a bit of fantasy. Fee free to post your suppositions in the comments area below.