I personally don't think the 8th generation will be the most interesting someday. it will just mix in with the current gen consoles and be just another console line that might not have much value to dive into.
I'd argue gen 7 and 8 will be replaced by the newer gens. and be inferior in every way little reason to come back to
With the exception of the switch since it's both a handheld and a home console so that could keep a niche that way. If nintendo however decides to keep the handheld and console combo gimmick going for all future gens, also the switch will just blend in with the newer consoles and it won't stand out and just be a console that was great for it's time but not much usage to come back to.
Everything wii u, ps3 or xbox 360 and onwards will probably just be inferior compared the current gen, less reason to come back to. exclusives will be ported, the console more powerfull. There will not be anything that differentiates these consoles compared to them older counter parts.
It's just about power consoles are pretty much pc's these days after all.
The new gens will probably have all exclusives of past console. better online, better specs. Might be some exclusives left but who knows really. The best stuff will probably be ported to them newer consoles gens for sure.
Indi games will probably always be available online for a small fee on new gens, physcial sure that's going to stay on those 8th gen consoles but i highly doubt most people would care about that.
Since when does power decide a console generation?
If that was the case than Wii would definitely be a 6th generation console, and it's not.
And btw, it has only been 2 years since Switch released, just like the Dreamcast.
Wii U was the successor to Wii, a 7th generation console. Making it an 8th generation console. And the Switch was the follow-up to the Wii U. Better graphics, more power, better hardware. It's not a sidestep like the Xbox One X, it's a whole new console with all-new software that won't play on a Wii U.
And Wikipedia? Like that's a reliable source? This is the same article that completely lumps the 3rd generation of consoles into the 2nd generation. Atari 5200 and Colecovision are not in any way in the same console generation as the Atari 2600, Fairchild Channel F, and Magnavox Odyssey 2. But that's an entirely different conversation. We should be entering the 10th generation, but since everyone takes Wikipedia as gospel, it's just easier to go with the accepted generations.
While the switch is better power wise. it's not a major upgrade compared to the wii u. it's still weaker than the xbox one of ps4. wii u and switch are the same generation of consoles I'd say. 8th gen.
I don't think we can compare the wii u - switch with gamecube to wii era. Also as a counter point for this, the wii came out in a time when other newer consoles gens as the ps3 and xbox 360 came out wii U to switch happened pretty fast 2 consoles in 1 gen.
But sure if you count it as 9th gen be my guest. I don't see that personally to fast and they didn't even surpass the ps4 or xbox one
Every prior console surpassed at least the gen before. wich the switch did not.
The wii u was more powerfull than a ps3 and xbox 360 for example a new console gen.