Gamasutra has updated their weekly podcast with the first in a two part roundtable discussion focusing on the various challenges developers are facing with next generation console development on the PS3, Xbox 360 and Wii.

Featured are:

• Brian Eddy of Midway Games (Stranglehold / Xbox 360, PS3)
• Nicolas Eypert of Ubisoft Paris (Red Steel, Wii)
• Todd Howard of Bethesda Softworks (Oblivion, Fallout 3 / Xbox 360)
• Bryan Intihar (Previews Editor of EGM)
• Aubrey Pullman of Microsoft Game Studios (Forza Motorsport 2 / Xbox 360)
• Evan Wells of Naughty Dog (Unnamed Next-Gen Title / PS3)

Thankfully, the discussion stays away from overtly technical talk, instead opting to focus on staffing, budget and management issues.  The panelists all seem to agree that due to limited budgets and an ever increasing amount of required development time, developers must choose more carefully which areas of graphics,physics and AI to specialize in rather than striving for all around perfection.  Other topics include middleware, specialization of staff, the definition of “next gen” and what is undoubtedly every one’s biggest concern, realistic trees in video gaming.