While all the ins and outs of the next-generation of consoles have yet to be finalised, this hasn't stopped one investment firm speculating about how profitable it could be. While Sony famously didn't charge a thing for its PS3 online service, it will be on the PS4 and that should net Sony a big chunk of change.

According to ISH Electronics and Media, the move will make Sony as much as $1.2 billion (£770 million) a year by 2017 and bring the Japanese electronics maker in-line with Microsoft with its revenue channels.

“Sony has already taken a major step towards a more profitable and competitive PlayStation business with a single but significant commercial decision to place online multiplayer gaming behind the PlayStation Plus subscription paywall,” IHS’ Piers Harding-Rolls said while speaking with MCV.

Image: StealthyBox

In comparison to these projected figures, Sony made just $140 million from PS+ subscriptions in 2012, whereas Microsoft made over a billion. This stark difference will have played a big part in the two companies' profitability.

“Sony's decision to emulate Microsoft's paid-for multiplayer gaming strategy levels the playing field and will allow it to invest more heavily in its PlayStation Network infrastructure and services and to compete head-to-head with Microsoft during the next console generation,” Rolls continued.Combining this added revenue with cheaper development costs, more developer friendly hardware and a transition to more digital content sales, leads to IHS to believe that Sony is well placed to be far more competitive in the early years of the next-gen than it was in the first few of thee current.

KitGuru Says: You've all told us before that you're more interested in the PS4 than the Xbox One, if you're not simply PC fans. I've been away for a week though, has anything changed? 

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