1994 - 2000 (though DC in 1999) - 2005 - 2010/2011...... that is why people vote for 2011.

I voted 2011 by the way.

Maybe they thought handhelds were included or they took see to meane first information on next-gen consoles?

I voted 2009, we all know M$ will release something then j/k.

Wii isn't outdated per say but until it can produce a game that is identical to the other 2 systems it sits in a different category for me with last gen.  It is still viable, so not outdated.  I also wouldnt use sales as an indication of a products age.  Wii sales are high for a number of abnormal reasons.  Most people with a Wii(its a unique, novel, cheap, and for most a fun system )  will buy 1 and eventually migrate to 1 of the other systems as well, so wii will always have a higher sales #.

This.

My question is, what defines the "next gen"?

(A) Does a "Wii HD", at 1.4 GHz CPU (same or slightly upgraded PowerPC architecture), 128MB main memory, 48MB graphics memory, and a 400-450 MHz GPU (still Hollywood, or slightly upgraded architecture) count as "next-gen", or not?  To date, no console, that I know of, from the "next gen" was less powerful than one (or more) from the "current gen".

(B) Does Microsoft releasing a "family friendly cutsy" XBox 360 in a new, little cute case, with a motion sensing "pointing mouse" count?

I say (A) No. (B) No.  ...and I voted 2013, of course. =)

(A) would obviously be "yes", because it's significantly more powerful than the Wii. As long as you can't play your new games on your old console, it's a "next-gen" console.

But it would be competing with the X360 and PS3... thus wouldn't it be a part of this gen, as well as the Wii?  I don't think Nintendo can define a generation all by itself.  And, like the Wii, it would be 100% BC... there's no reason for it not to be.  There's also no reason for Nintendo to not support two versions of the Wii, as long as the HD version fully supports everything the SD version does.  All new games could ship with the ability to play in HD or not -- quite easily, actually.

I hear what you're saying, but I think a generation is defined in terms of competition -- MS and Sony would have to follow suit in short order to really consider such a console as part of the "next gen".

PS2 is 6th gen but it is still competing against the three 7th gen consoles.

And the console you are suggesting is a ludicrous idea.... if the only difference between it and the current Wii was the resolution, then the graphics would look terrible because the Wii isn't really powerful enough to do anything interesting in HD.... if  the processor was different too though (more powerful etc) to cope better with the higher resolution then the bit I highlighted in blue would not be true, and it would be an absolute nightmare for developers if they were asked to make the same disc compatable across both versions of the Wii.

Depends if Nintendo releases the HDWii and if that counts as a next-generation console. If not then 2012 earliest.