it seems to me that this generation of consoles XBOX 360, PS3, Wii have been overwhelmed with fanboys, but what i dont understand is why it has gotten so out of control. Even during the ps3, n64, and xbox were around it never seemed like it was that big of an issue whay the hell and were the hell did all these fanboys come from and why has it spiked this gen so badly

How on earth did you manage to classify the PS3, N64 and Xbox as one generation?

Its amazing.

@Rath: Now you are thinking Portals.

@OP: because this time around the race is much closer. so people like to discuss their favorite systems. Furthermore, the direction Ninty has taken is not taken well by everyone.

I agree with Fax here, I think a lot of it is to do with people not being happy with ninty's direction.
However, I do believe there were a lot of Sony fanboys in the last getneration due to the success of PS1, also when I was at school, we had many arguments over the snes / megadrive, as to which one was superior. So, in response Fanboy's have always been about, I think we are just noticing it more due to Nintendo's huge domination this time around.

Ignorance and lack of maturity. I'm a huge supporter of Nintendo, but I won't go out of my way to bash or make naive comments about another person's preference; at least I try not to.  I think people feel threatened (especially after Sega dropped out of the business) when their platform of choice isn't "winning" either because of the harm it might mean for the console maker or the effect it could have on publishers. 

Well this is the first generation of video games. Video games and fanboys were both invented in 2005 when the XBox 360 came out.

 It is a close race now.  PS sold over 100 mil and destroyed the N64 and Saturn.  Not to be out done the PS2 sold over 100 mil and even topped PS number.....GCN, XBOX and Dreamcast were yet again destroyed and had no chance.  This time nintendo is winning in sales so the PS fanboys are mad.  The 360 fanboys are mad since they had a year head start and have as they claim the best library and yet still failed to hold the #1 spot.  The Wii fanboys are mad since third party developers are giving them the finger since the Wii doesn't do HD graphics.  This gen each system has its problems and the Wii will win in the end by not by such a lead as the PS and PS2 and therefore every side will try to claim some sort of winning.  The Sony fanboys will say they have the best console and technically speaking they do.  The 360 fanboys will say but we have the best library which at the moment it seems they do.  And the Wii fanboys willclaim but we sold the most.  Etc....fanboys are stupidbut it i getting bad this time around i agree.

As Yahzee says, it is because they are mostly young children and their parents can only afford to get them one console, and they want to convince themselves that they got the best one

They're in the same Malstrom-generation:

1st: Everything before NES, so Atari 2600, and gaming computers like MSX and Commodore 64

2nd: NES, and the entire console legacy folowing it: Sega Master System, Genesis, SNES, PS1, Saturn, N64, Dreamcast, PS2, Xbox, GameCube, Xbox 360, PS3, etc.

3rd: The Wii, and the consoles that are going to follow in its footsteps in the future.

The Internet.

There must be dozens, hundreds or even thousands of sites dedicated to particular consoles all blowing their respective trumpet about how great or amazing a particular console is. Forums are everywhere allowing people to express themselves or vent frustrations which fuel others into responding.

The last generation (GC, PS2, XBOX) was the start of it when the Internet exploded and people started to find online communities, which are everywhere now!

Prior to that (N64, PS1, Genesis, Master System etc) there was no way for people to really spa off each other!

Hell even this (fantastic) site fuels all sorts of speculation about future sales trends with its statistics/tools which will naturally attract anyone interested in quoting figures etc.

Fanboyism is here to stay!

Next generation expect stabbings and shootings!