Releasing a console halfway into 8th gen doesn't automatically make it 9th gen. I'm sure the advertising will say otherwise to get attention. Just counting the days before Reggie's face pops up on websites again with quotes like "This isn't just a new game console, it is an entirely brand new type of gaming device, offering unique experiences for the entire family." Shouldn't need to be said, but NX is in no way an "upgrade" but its own device.

Silly question, NX is Nintendo's 9 generation console. Specs have nothing to do with it.

It's a next gen system.

The term "generation" is a completely subjective and arbitrary term. It means different things to practically everyone. Often times the reason one console or handheld is considered X generation and not Y is "because", and that's it. So at the end of the day it literally doesn't matter at all.

I understand your question and I get why you would ask that but honestly if it's an entirely new concept with a new name, os, controller, etc. most people will consider it next gen or at least Nintendo's next gen.

Tbh though the concept of console generations is pretty arbitrary and subjective to many different people, I don't think this type of categorization will last...

No one does. Because there's no correct answer.

Why do I have the wicked bad feeling that NX will suddenly NOT be a next gen console, thus making a good chunk of us here look silly?

In all seriousness, I'm pretty sure it's a new gen console for sure.

So which generation is the gameboy a part of?

Would be crazy NX is just a slightly overclocked version of the Wii-U with a new control scheme much like the Wii was compared to the Gamecube.

Hopefully a full upgrade because we don't need a half upgrade right now.. :/