Wii U is the beginning of the Next Gen. Microsoft and Sony are observing and taking notes.

[Wii_R2_Hardcore]

Mr Khan said:

Ajescent said:

happydolphin said:

I love this thread, you raise an excellent question. When do you define a generation, which players do you consider, etc. etc. Very good question.

To the haters (Adjacent and dgc1808), you probably haven't read Wikipedia's history of video gaming. If you did, you'd realize this is a very valid question.

@OP. Btw your sig totally turns me on.

I'm "hating" because I absolutely hate "dick-waving" threads, they piss me off no end.

But it isn't? Perhaps the thread title could've been more evenly named, but the question is certainly valid.

For my part, i have my own names for the generations that i feel validly describe each of them

1: The Early Years: Odyssey, Pong, Telstar
2: The 8-bit Dark Ages: 2600, Vectrex, Channel F, Intellivision, Colecovision, 5200
3: The 8-bit Golden Age: NES, Master System, 7800
4: The 16-bit Revolution: SNES, Genesis, T16, Neo Geo
5: The 3D Format War: PS1, N64, Saturn, 3DO, Jaguar
6: The 3D Middle Age: PS2, Xbox, GC, DC
7: The Interaction Revolution: Wii, 360, PS3

And a separate list for handhelds
1: The Early Years (different from console early years, but still): Microvision, Game & Watch
2: The Full-game Revolution: Game Boy, Lynx, Game Gear
3: The Color Age: GBC, NGPC
4: The 32-bit Advance: GBA, NGage
5: The Interaction Revolution: DS, PSP
6: ???: 3DS, Vita

The 7th generation was more about breaking down barriers of what games are and how users interact with them than anything else. The real advent of "non-games," the incorporation of Web 2.0 philosophy into game design making the online gaming experience far more dynamic, there is a common thread between Wii and PS360 that transcends motion controls or attempts to call this the "HD Generation" that leaves the Wii out of it.

In hoping that we'll see at least 720p set as a real minimum standard finally on Wii U, perhaps this coming gen can be the HD Generation, but we have to see if there's anything else Sony and Microsoft will do to create a common thread there.

Well, maybe the problem with the title has to do with people thinking that whoever begins the Next Generation will define it? Obviously not true. Or is there a rule I don't know of about not putting Nintendo, Microsoft and Sony in one sentence? Seriously I don't know what's wrong with the title. Maybe is my username. People may think I am a Nintendo fanboy therefore a Microsoft and Sony hater. That's not the case.

Anyway, I have read excellent discussions on this site and thought I could have some answers, I wouldn't mind some crazy ones, about what is it that the other two companies may bring to the table. I guess I am going to have to wait and see.

 

Edit: I almost forgot to say that Mr Khan's answer his pretty cool too.