Will the 8th generation of consoles be considered the most interesting someday?

[bikingjahuty]

For the record, 8th generation includes PS4, XBONE, Switch, and Wii U.


The reason I ask this is I often hear people talk about the 2nd Generation (2600, 5200, Odyssey 2, Vectrex) and Third Generation (NES, Master System, 7800) as being super interesting generations due to all the relatively unknown, limited, and small releases that litter the entire generation. I understand that a lot of thos has to do with their being no internet back in the late 70s and 80s, but I can't help but think with all the limited, online only print run games as well as weird indi-games getting small retail releases that if someday people will look back on the 8th Generation and think, "wow, there is so much weird and strange stuff I never knew about!" I guess given how many games there are that are like this and how many sources their are for selling and distributing them, it's almost like unless you are very, very dedicated to collecting these games you're very likely not going to know many of these games existed until years later.


I know there is the whole online issue and servers going dark someday issue, but at least with these limited releases I feel like their dependency on patching and updates is far less than your average AAA game. So what does VGcollect think about this?

[burningdoom]

Why would the 8th generation include Switch? You just said yourself Wii U is 8th generation. Switch is the first 9th generation console.

If anything, I think the indie scene is the most interesting. So many quality games coming from minuscule budgets that barely anyone knows about.

But as for the big-name gaming companies...meh. It was mostly sequels and remakes/remasters.

[telekill]

I think most gamers are confused as to where Nintendo actually lands with Switch. It's essentially a slightly more powerful Wii-U but merges the tablet controller with the system itself. They share many games. Yet, the Switch is the actual successor so it's technically 9th gen.

Nintendo either got a do-over and Switch is their last half of the gen contender... tapped in after the beating the Wii-U got.... or it's actually a PS5 and XSeX competitor that came out years before its competition.

Who knows.

That said, I don't think any of the systems of today will be considered more interesting than those that came before. They simply are.

[burningdoom]

So is the Dreamcast a 5th generation console? Of course not. It's the first 6th generation console, no one questions that. Switch is the same position. It got released earlier than other 9th generation consoles, but is still obviously the successor to the Saturn, Sega's 5th generation console. The Switch is obviously the successor to the Wii U, Nintendo's 8th generation console, making it the first 9th generation console.

[bikingjahuty]

Why would the 8th generation include Switch? You just said yourself Wii U is 8th generation. Switch is the first 9th generation console.

If anything, I think the indie scene is the most interesting. So many quality games coming from minuscule budgets that barely anyone knows about.

But as for the big-name gaming companies...meh. It was mostly sequels and remakes/remasters.

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Eighth_generation_of_video_game_consoles

[bikingjahuty]

So is the Dreamcast a 5th generation console? Of course not. It's the first 6th generation console, no one questions that. Switch is the same position. It got released earlier than other 9th generation consoles, but is still obviously the successor to the Saturn, Sega's 5th generation console. The Switch is obviously the successor to the Wii U, Nintendo's 8th generation console, making it the first 9th generation console.

I don't think comparing the Dreamcast's release to that of the Switch is relevant at all. The Dreamcast came out within a year of the PS2, and two years before the XBOX and GC. In terms of hardware and performance all four are comparable. The Dreamcast is not even remotely on the same level as the PS1, Saturn, or N64, not even close. And like all the 6th gen consoles, those three 5th gen consoles all came out out between 1994 and 1996.


The Switch literally came out mid-8th gen and is comparable, at least somewhat to the PS4 and XBONE. It doesn't compare at all with the PS5 and Series X. The Wii U is also comparable to the PS4 and XBONE, which also makes it 8th gen.

[telekill]

The Switch literally came out mid-8th gen and is comparable, at least somewhat to the PS4 and XBONE. It doesn't compare at all with the PS5 and Series X. The Wii U is also comparable to the PS4 and XBONE, which also makes it 8th gen.

Nintendo has been a gen behind in hardware since Wii. The Wii-U and Switch are essentially comparable to PS3/360 in terms of power. Switch might be slightly more than PS3 but not by much. No way Wii-U was even close to PS4 capabilities. That said, Nintendo IPs have never gone for realism in their games so having the top of the line graphics wasn't important to the company.

[sworddude]

The Switch literally came out mid-8th gen and is comparable, at least somewhat to the PS4 and XBONE. It doesn't compare at all with the PS5 and Series X. The Wii U is also comparable to the PS4 and XBONE, which also makes it 8th gen.

Nintendo has been a gen behind in hardware since Wii. The Wii-U and Switch are essentially comparable to PS3/360 in terms of power. Switch might be slightly more than PS3 but not by much. No way Wii-U was even close to PS4 capabilities. That said, Nintendo IPs have never gone for realism in their games so having the top of the line graphics wasn't important to the company.

They are behind in hardware because nintendo is the only console company that actually makes a profit with console sales.

Both sony and microsoft have a loss for each console sale, that's their strategy in the hopes that people buy enough games to make a profit. The give a good quality product at the best price.

However keep in mind both micosft and sony have huge amounts of money from other sectors, videogames are literally just a small pool for them.  They are big enough to play that game Nintendo doesn't have that luxury.

Different beasts really, Sega was stupid to challenge sony during ps2 dreamcast era by being first. it was a death sentence when sony could sell a ps2 with twice the power a dvd player for 100$ less than the price of a ps2 console.

Golden era money of nintendo and sega is just small section of what sony and microsoft make. Nintendo has to be different because if nintendo tries to fight with having the best hardware it would have just resulted in going bankrupped. Having to put games on different consoles like sega nowadays.

[burningdoom]

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.

[bikingjahuty]

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.

I'm not writing an academic paper or college thesis; my point in including Wikipedia as a source is that its the general consensus that the Switch is Gen 8 whether you agree with it or not. If you really want to consider the Switch Gen 9, whatever I don't care; just pretend I didn't include it in the list of Gen 8 consoles. I didn't create this thread to debate console generation categorization, but what people are going to think of Gen 8 as being an interesting, enigmatic generation. Feel free to bar the Switch from the topic, I don't care.

[sworddude]

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.

[hexen]

I don't think newer generations are ever going to match the mystique of the older ones no matter what happens. The lost and obscure stuff from the older generations is because of limited knowledge, information and documentation. The newer stuff will for sure lose a lot, but that is because of specific (and really crappy) practices where everything is run server side so it's hard or downright impossible to archive correctly. Something like Stadium Events on the NES, with an interesting history for it's rarity that wasn't known widely until way after is probably going to remain more interesting than a Limited Run Games style release where the express purpose is to make a collectable, or Call of Duty 164354 that is online only and basically gone in a year when the micro-transactions only make $1 billion instead of $2 billion. I really like Limited Run for it's pressing of physical media, but it just doesn't have the same effect of knowing you had to ask behind a counter for a pornographic NES game that nobody knew existed even then. I think LRG games in the long run will plateau whereas old systems (specifically in the pre-internet age) will continue to increase in demand.

All the indie stuff of this day and age will probably be preserved well most of the time. There are future problems with preservation of digital platforms like Steam down the road for sure, but it won't result in total losses of information most likely. The attitude of people is also just much different, where gaming went from a somewhat niche thing to very broad appeal. In the end, many generations later (That is being wishful, though, as I bet before then console generations will not be a thing due to some kind of horrible 'games as service' singularity) the 8th gen will probably be looked at with some kind of novelty as probably being on the tail end of physical, but I doubt it will ever even come close to even future collectors to the systems and games of the even more distant past.

[droaa]

Switch is gen 8 to me especially considering the amount of third party support came from games that came out this gen being gen 8. As for this gen itself, I wont say most interesting but it was. This was a gen where console revisions were more than just cosmetic change but rather wanted to push for higher resolution than originally intended. We went from PS4 to PS4 as well as Xbox One to Xbox One X. Yes there were your standard slim down revisions but never did we get these upgrades like they were some kind of PC which at this point they are. The Switch and its console handheld hybrid was definitely the most interesting of them all and you can also count the Wii U in that since despite its shortcomings, it was essentially a prototype of what the Switch became. Then you have the rise of these indie developers showing their stuff and while I havent played a whole lot, the amount of creations out there is a good thing. It's not any better than generations of the past but I cannot deny that I've had plenty of fun with what has been out despite some issues.

[telekill]

Here's a thought. What if with all these mid-gen releases or different models of the same thing....

... what if gaming is moving to more of a cell phone model. No one cares about the older model phones they had. What if eventually, there's a new Playstation or Xbox or Nintendo every year and the older ones become obsolete so quick that no one cares about them.

[oldgamerz]

Question:
Will the 8th generation of consoles be considered the most interesting someday?

My Thought on the subject:

It's sad, that I believe a lot of this generation might be forgotten, especially a lot of the indie games, and digital only games for sure. I think the 9th generation might cave in the industry, so many games, untold billions of games all types, from all generations to enjoy, just like music, and movies, a lot was forgotten and probably more will be forgotten. unless if someone has fond memories of any type of media and the power and resources to bring it back to life, it will be lost.

But to answer the question more clearer I think all games and generations are interesting