What makes a console "next-gen"...?

[TheBardsSong]

kain_kusanagi said:

TheBardsSong said:

ClassicGamingWizzz said:
is ouya a next generation system ? answers me please

I'd say so. It's part of the 8th gen with smartphones, Wii U, 3DS, and Vita.

No, you're talking about completely different devices that excist outside of eachother's circles.

Tablets and Smartphones have their own generations. Handhelds like the 3DS and Vita have their own generations. Home consoles have their own generations. The Ouya is not a follow up to a 7th gen machine nor is it a signifcant upgrade from the PS360.

It is the first of a new catagory of android boxes. Time will tell if they can compete with the big boys. If it lasts the generation and the Ouya 2 is released to compete with the 9th gen system then the Ouya 2 would be a next gen machine. But the Ouya isn't.

It doesn't have to be a successor to an existing console or a significant upgrade to be considered part of a new generation. The PC-Engine was a successor to no previous console, and was technically an 8-bit machine released alongside several 16-bit machines. It's considered a part of the 4th generation alongside the SNES/Genesis/Neo Geo, is it not? Explain your point.