Console wars didnt start until ps came out.

Here is a rough idea...

1st generation: Consoles that were not cartridge-based.
2nd generation: First cartridge based consoles.
3rd generation: 8 bit consoles
4th generation: 16 bit consoles
5th generation: 32-64 bit consoles
6th generation: 128 bit consoles
7th generation: Most advanced consoles

Okay, so apparently the Intellivision is a 16 bit console... And some of the consoles in the 2nd generation could be 8 bit consoles... Yeah, it's not accurate...

I wish someone would offer a prize, of piles of money, ribbons, and a piece of chocolate cake for a good, simple, delicious definition of the word: “Generation”.



What an immense service it would confer on The Industry!



Generation!



What is it? Where does it come from? What does it do? What ought it to do?



All we know is that it is a mysterious personage; and, assuredly, it is the most promised, most hyped, most accused, the most invoked, and the most provoked of any personage in gaming.



I have not the pleasure of knowing my reader but I would stake ten to one that for seven months he has been imagining new Killer Apps, and if so, that he is looking to the next “Generation” for realization of them.



And, should the reader happen to be a gamer demanding more from the present “Generation”, I have no doubt that the gamer is sincerely desirous of seeing all his dreams for fantastical epic games be easily made, if only the next “Generation” would only undertake it.



But, alas! That poor unfortunate personage, like Figaro, knows not to whom to listen, nor where to turn. The hundred thousand mouths of armchair quarterbacks cry out all at once:



“Integrate online gaming with everything.”

“Instruct your consoles to output to my HD TV.”

“Re-introduce the old arcade games.”

“Make experiments with online advertising.”

“Offer gaming work-kits to gamers.”

“Play DVDs.”

“Plant the new high definition disc into the console like Blu-Ray!”

“No! Offer HD-DVD add-on for those who choose.”

“Make online free with virtual worlds.”

“No! Offer subscription online for integrated experiences!”

“Deliver us Achievements to make Pavlov proud!”

“Encourage the arts by telling your developers they are the new Shakespeare.”

“Rear and perfect even greater epic games.”

“Nurture bald space marines.”

“Discipline us with brown. Colorful games are kiddie.”

“Use cutting edge technology. Turn the console into an entertainment computer.”

“Cure Cancer.”

“Defeat Hollywood at their own business model.”



“Do have a little patience, gentlemen,” says the young ‘Generation’ in a beseeching tone. “I will do what I can to satisfy you, but for this I must have resources. I have been preparing new business models to tax you, which are quite new, as well as incredibly large hardware prices. You will see how pleasurable it will be to pay them.”



Then comes a great exclamation:



“No! Indeed! Where is the merit of doing a thing with high costs? Why, it does not deserve the name of next ‘Generation’! So far from loading us with fresh costs, we would have you price drop your hardware immediately to a manufactured suggested retail price of $200.



“You ought to suppress



“Micro-transactions.”

“Hardware replacement costs.”

“Paying insurance on your hardware.”

“New revisions of systems after I bought mine.”

“Software prices.”

“Online subscription prices.”

“Talking to Indian guy ‘Sharma’ about my broken hardware.”

http://malstrom.50webs.com/drowningintheblueocean2.htm

on the console wars thing about the playstation. There was a pretty big battle between snes and genisis before that. Although not to the scale of today by any means.

 I included the NeoGeo because it's a home console and it was released during the 4th generation.

Also, the N64 is undeniably the more advanced system of the two, between it and the PS1. While the PS1 had CDs (and this CD-quality sound) in its favor, the N64 could push a higher polygon count, had sharper textures, analog stick support on every game, no loading times, and near the end of its life cycle could display in 640x480 thanks to the RAM pack.

Just look at a game like OoT, Goldeneye, or Banjo-Kazooie, and tell me that the PS1 could handle that.

 There was a time before the playstation was released buddy. I guess you werent around for the SNES vs. Genesis days. That battle was at times worse than today's. There are still some people that are Genesis Fanboys and SNES Fanboys.

for me, next gen means a leap in console tech which is significant, this of course leads into a significant leap in visuals/sound/graphics/gameplay although gameplay usually takes time to make that leap.

So based on my definition, both the PS3 and 360 are next gen consoles, while the Wii is more like next gen controller, that being said, the Wii is till a next gen console being that it's the successor to the gamecube, so really it's by sheer virtue that it's the gamecube successor that it attains it next gen status, but this next gen we talk about would be more appropriate before these consoles released cuz right now their current gen machines