PC has no generations then. No wonder its the largest, superior gaming platform it is.

If it's their next gen system, I'm seriously disappointed. They haven't even build up a proper library for Xbox One yet. Disappointing first party lineup and even third party games have been extremely underwhelming in numbers and quality compared to 7th gen. If Scorpio is their next gen system, it makes me look at the Xbox One asking, was that it? Was that all you had to offer? But of course if you can't get people excited about your games you can always try to release more hardware instead. Which seems to work pretty well considering how hardcore gamers in general have been pretty positive about PS4 Pro and Scorpio. Which puzzles me. Sure Xbox One will still get games, but it makes it look like Xbox One is Microsoft's second priority from now on. There are barely any games that defined their 8th gen system. And will there be any that defines their 9th?

It also doesn't help that Microsoft haven't been more precise about what Scorpio is. Sony at least made it clear that Pro is just a PS4 for people who have 4K TVs. Microsoft's messaging have been all over the place.

Can't wait to see what Moon Studios can do on it.

XB1 is kind of like NiN's Wii U for MS. The difference is based on the architecture and system design, and well as being a software company, MS has been able to change the console from being mostly a media machine first, into a gaming machine first. This is something NiN would have had a very hard time doing with the Wii U, other than removing the tablet controller and bundling the pro controller with the system then dropping the price.

NiN is launching Switch not much more than 4 years after Wii U launched, and MS is supposed to be launching Scorpio 4 years after XB1. Now 4 years between launches is basically the norm for MS though. Yes, the 360 lasted 8 years, but that was an odd gen where consoles launched on par, if not better than the best PC's. The way I look at it, 360 was 2X, 4 year cycles, bundled into one very powerful console. The fact that XB1 was already an entry level system when it launched, its served its time and more.

With the muddy Scorpio messaging, I wonder if MS had/has multiple prototypes and has been deciding on which system to go with. We heard this was the case with Neo, and apparently PS chose the weaker model so they could launch holiday 2016. For MS to wait an entire year to launch a slightly better Pro, would get them nowhere. To launch a next gen system, in terms of all hardware, not just the 6Tflop GPU, they would be giving themselves a chance. They obviously would need to be careful on price as too expensive won't sell much, so the power has to stay in check with price, or they have to subsidize it.

I get the feeling that MS realizes their downfalls with XB1 and has decided to start making up for it by launching a powerful, affordable, console, like they did back with the 360. The next step would be to make sure you have more games for it, or a peripheral device that sells it, like VR.

How is it the norm for MS to release a console every 4 years?

The original XBox lasted four years for multiple reasons (late to the gen, wanting to get to the next gen first, no fighting chance against the PS2, etc). And the XBox 360 lasted 8 years. Which of their two consoles makes that norm you speak of and why?

I find it very difficult to see a norm of 4 years when only one out of two of their consoles lasted 4 years.

Nintendo isn't really on their own timeline. They're just sticking with the 5-6 years between gens. Last gen got Sony and MS off a little, as they went 7-8 years.  I think this gen they're going back to at most 6.  So, the Switch is still next gen, regardless of power. It's coming out ~6 years after the 3DS and ~5 years after the Wii U, so no difference in time there.

XBOX to 360 - 4 years

360 to XB1 - Yes, the 360 lasted 8 years, but that was an odd gen where consoles launched on par, if not better than the best PC's. The way I look at it, 360 was 2X, 4 year cycles, bundled into one very powerful console.

XB1 to SCO - 4 years (as far as we know)

It makes sense that Microsoft would want the "next gen" to begin with their Scorpio... they could claim to be king going forward without competition from Sony (as far as the semantics of "generation" are concerned) by declaring the PS4 Pro "previous gen".

Of course, it'd be pretty funny if the Switch kept pace or even outsold it.

Sorry. I don't see a norm there. 

PS1, PS2, PS3, PS4, PS?