| fatslob-:O said: Gens are not defined by successive releases from a sole console manufacturer otherwise we'd already have more than the defined 8 generations. Generations are most likely defined with respect to how console manufacturers shift to a new hardware cycle in tandem with each other ... The SG-1000 and the Master System are both in the same generation despite both having different game libraries but that doesn't mean 4th gen started with the Master System ... That specific case sets a precedent for new generations to follow so it makes no sense to brand the Switch as 9th gen when every other console manufacturer hasn't started a new hardware cycle yet ... |
The SG-1000 came out summer of 1983 and was discontinued at the same time SG-2000 released exactly one year later in July 1984. In July 1985 (exactly one year after SG-2000 released) they discontinued it at the same time as they released what was SG-3000 in Japan but was rebranded as the Master System. The Master System - just like the SG-2000/PS4 Pro - is an upgrade to the SG-2000 and THAT is why Master System didn't start the 4th generation.
There is a completely different picture being painted with the Switch considering it's an actual successor not just a rebranding of a previous console.
Although I have to agree with your point that generations are defined with respect to how console manufacturers shift to a new hardware cycle in tandem with each other. Here's the problem with your sentiment that the Switch can't be 9th gen. The Sega Dreamcast launched the 6th generation in November 1998 yet the Xbox didn't release until November 2001. That's a 3 year gap between consoles in the same generation which means we have until March 2020 for a PS5/Nextbox.
