What defines "next-generation games"?

Is it the quality of the game's visuals, such as those of Crysis?

Is it the immersive and "heavy" atmosphere, such as that of S.T.A.L.K.E.R. Shadow of Chernobyl?

Is it a large and explorable environment, such as the one in the two previous games mentioned?

Is it an excellent storytelling component, such as that of Half-Life 2?

Is it cinematic intensity and polished scripting, like Call of Duty 4?

Is it a focus on tactical, thought-requiring gameplay that takes in several factors into account, like Company of Heroes?

Is it uniqueness and originality, example Sins of a Solar Empire?

Although I'd much rather have thought-requiring deep gameplay and large scale, it is dissapointing to note that the highlight of the "next-generation" is simply put, looks. Games like Gears of War were hyped for their looks, and a lot of future games often have people commenting on the "OMG WATAH!" and "SUPADETAILED FACEZ"! While in most other areas some games have gotten worse.

I regard a "next generation game" simply as any game released during the lifetime of the current batch of consoles. To be really honest I stopped referring to them as "next gen" soon after the latest consoles were released, I call them "current gen" now.Jade_Monkey

next-gen was a term coined to sell games. It doesnt mean anything. Developers said so themselves.

imo technology just changes too fast to be counted in generations.

"Next-gen" is nothing more than an overused marketing buzz word. The Xbox 360 was "next-gen" back in early 2005; it's now 2008. :|

Now, if you mean to say what makes a game compelling/visceral/immersive/addictive/intense/impactful/etc., that's a much more complex and subjective discussion.

You know how McDonalds abandoned the small drinks? Instead of small, medium and large, they changed it to medium, large, and super large, or whatever. Even though you're still buying the same volume as before, you're not calling them by the same name. Suddenly, people believe they are getting more than they were before. Better value. Greater incentive to buy.

Or how, instead of something costing £500, it costs £499.99. They see the 4, not the 99.99. It's not even £500! they might think, when in reality it is the largest possible price before £500, making them practically the same thing.

That's what next-gen is.

It's marketing.

There is no such thing as next-gen on the PC, and even on consoles it's a misnomer. There's last-gen and there's current-gen. Next-gen has always never started. A game cannot be next-gen, and a console is next-gen only until it's released, at which point it becomes current-gen.

next-gen is a buzzword by developers that has sadly caught on in the gaming community which helps the publishers do advertising. "Hey guys this game is next-gen" and all the other sheep "ohh" and "ahh" without knowing that they just became victim#73214958 on the marketing sucked in count. It makes no sense if you take the term literally. But it stems mainly from the graphical fidelity, eg this game looks like the next step up. Of course of late that isn't enough, they decide to add things like "next gen graphics and gameplay" which makes me roll my eyes nearly out of my socket. But to answer the question, graphics.

Next Generation Games? Why dont you travel ahead and find out :) and then come back and let us know. We dont know what next gen games are going to be like haha!

I'll be honest here. When I hear "next-gen", I think purty graphics. Just a reflex, so I guess all that marketing paid off, lol.

I haven't used the words myself since 2005 though. I might use them again when the next generation of consoles is about to come out.

It's basically a term for the next wave of consoles to hit market. When I hear the word Next GenerationI guess my expectations are New Tech and enchanced visuals. It's always been that way for console platform. I enjoy it so I'm one of the victim#2244242423232.