Sony: PS4 to be announced after next Xbox

Sony will not likely announce its next generation console before Microsoft makes its move, a key executive at the PlayStation firm has said.

Weeks after it was suggested that Sony would reveal PlayStation 4 plans at E3 in June this year, PlayStation France CEO Philippe Cardon said the firm is "under a lot less pressure" to release a new console.

In an interview with Le Point, Cardon (pictured) was quoted as saying Sony would "probably be the last to announce something".

Two months ago the PlayStation Europe boss Jim Ryan said it would be “undesirable” for the PlayStation 4 to launch later than its rivals – suggesting there has been internal debate on the matter.

Develop understands that incubation groups at several Sony games studios are working on next-generation game concepts.

Meanwhile, Microsoft is rumoured it will reveal a next generation console at E3 this year – though various Develop sources suggest a 2012 launch is highly unlikely, with the second-half of 2013 most likely.

Nintendo will jump into the next generation this year, with its curious new console the Wii U.

The PS3 launched a year after the Xbox 360, giving Microsoft a noticeable head-start on sales that Sony only caught up on recently.