Quote - I imagine a  real-time/software hybrid render.  The whole process will be reimagined from the root up, and it will be fast.

Well, you've got an Octane Render plugin for Poser and the much more integrated options for using LuxRender that Reality 3 will offer too... both coming along.

Both offer different levels of GPU support... and, well Octane at least, as I understand it, is probably at the cutting edge of what's currently possible there?

Will SM want to invest heavily in redesigning Firefly, or a replacement, from the ground up... or just continue to enhance the plugin infrastructure that allows interoperation with the above two render engines... maybe also with Blender and Cycles... VRay et al, if you're going for the more expensive high-end in your workflow...

...and interoperation with whatever else comes along, next?

This is the question on my mind.

I think Poser needs an internal, biased render engine, yes.

I'd really like to see them continue to enhance Firefly. I really hope it is not discarded any time soon.

But, IMHO, I think the most we can realistically hope for is some incremental improvements to Firely, to bring out the best that it is currently capable of?

I'd rather push for the possible, than the impossible... if you see what I mean?