While it's evident that this year's E3 is going to something special, the announcements of the new Xbox and PlayStation could just as reasonably occur before the expo this June. In the mean time, there are plenty of rumors going around. As reported by GamesIndustry International, Baird Equity Research has come out of the 2013 Consumer Electronics Show with the belief that these consoles will cost between $350-$400 in the US.

The firm has also offered an estimated launch window for both consoles: PlayStation in October, and Xbox in November with the caveat that there "may be early production issues with Sony's PS4." According to Baird's Colin Sebastian, "Our checks suggest that next-generation console hardware will be largely built from 'off the shelf' high-end PC components, along with hybrid physical/digital distribution models, enhanced voice controls and motion sensing (Kinect integration with every Xbox), and broad multi-media capabilities."

He says that "Moreover, a PC-based architecture (Intel chips in the case of Xbox) should have a number of advantages over custom-developed silicon: for one, the learning curve for software developers will be shorter than completely new technology. Second, the cost of production and retail price points should be lower than prior console launches. Third, it will be easier to build online services around PC chip architecture, including flexible business models (free-to-play, subscriptions) and multi-media (over the top) content offerings."

$400 price point for next PlayStation, Xbox consoles [GamesIndustry International]