I think Microsoft CAN win a generation.

[Dr.Henry_Killinger]

Legend11 said:

Microsoft hasn't won a generation but it can be argued that the "Xbox" already has. 

Think about it this way, the original Xbox was bashed by fanboys because of the following:

1.  It was dominated by Western games, especially shooters
2.  You had to pay to play online
3.  It was basically a PC in disguise because it was just using customized PC parts

Now compare that to its strengths:

1. The most powerful console of its generation
2. Easy to develop on
3. Easy to port PC games and it made multiplatform development much easier

Now look at the points I've mentioned and look at the console that is winning today.  Basically the PS4 shares far more with the Xbox than the PS2.  That's not even counting indie gaming or apps or any of the other things the xbox brand has  brought to the table.  The  "Xbox" won and it can be seen by the fact that Western developers that dominate now on console.  The entire landscape has changed and we're seeing Konami, Capcom, Square and others that have been pushed down because of it.

I remember gaming on the Xbox and my friend bashing it for being the shooter console, well I wouldn't be surprised if he was playing Destiny right now.  Sony followed the "Xbox" formula perfectly so it's pretty funny (at least to me) to see PS4 fanboys bashing the xbox One and declaing that "Xbox lost".

Let's be clear. At least here, when we talk about winning a Generation, its about who sold more globally.

At the same time, I agree that the Xbox was probably the most influential in its gen because it was the most technically advanced and popularized those features. At the same time, apps and the like truly came from PCs and affected all the new consoles last gen, even Wii had Netflix and Youtube. Western focused development is simply a matter of the growing importance to gaming in the U.S, irrespective of brand.