Which generation does the Switch fall into? Nintendo crazy?

I put the Switch in the current gen with PS4 and Xbox one, I put both the Wii and Wii U in with the same gen and PS3 and 360.

Gen 8, just like the Pro and X.

I think of it as a 9th gen system and I don't think that'that's a problematic designation, not yet anyways. Considering its popularity it might stand a chance to ride further into next gen and their 10th gen successor might stand to release closer to their competitors.

7th gen specs with 6th gen features.

@jimclirad: do not bump old threads.

Nintendo has always played by their own rules and timeline.

Not sure why anyone should care what generation it is.

It's Gen 8.

Nintendo had to put out two different consoles to compete. That's how badly they screwed up...

Nintendo have their own generations:

1. Color TV Game
2. NES
3. SNES
4. N64
5. GameCube
6. Wii
7. Wii U
8. Switch

And so does Sony:

1. PS1
2. PS2
3. PS3
4. PS4
5. PS4 Pro

And Microsoft:

1. Xbox
2. Xbox 360
3. Xbox One
4. Xbox One X

These sum it up well.

This☝️

In 10 years or so, I bet BotW and Mario Odyssey will have aged better than games like Horizon Zero Dawn or Witcher 3 because strong art direction holds up later on waaaaay better than realism.

That's really a matter of preference. I think Horizon and Witcher look far more impressive and superior to Mario Odyssey. Heck if we're gonna go by art direction alone then Journey is way better than all. :p

This thread has almost as much interest as it did 7 months ago when it wasn't a zombie.

That wasn't my point. I agree with you that Witcher and HZD are visually superior to BotW and Mario Odyssey, but I was saying that the latter two will have aged better, due to aforementioned art direction. Realism looks great in the current gen, but a few gens down the line? That shit's gonna be incredibly dated compared to more cartoonish, artistic games.

I completely forgot about this thread and my post is passed 7 months old already lol.

If there's one thing I like about necro threads is, it's always fun seeing your old post what you said several years ago lol.

Well, they did for the first several generations. NES/SNES/N64/Gamecube all had relatively equal competitors (tech and hardware wise). Really through the Gamecube they were releasing their console against competitors with similar hardware specs and power.

I think it was with the Wii where they stepped out of bounds, the Wii was not much more powerful than Gamecube, Effectively the Wii was a slightly more powerful Gamecube with the motion controls. The motion controls probably could have been an add-on technically speaking. I wouldn't say it was a mistake because obviously the Wii was a huge hit and they made bank selling the hardware. But it definitely set them back from the concept of "hardware generations". They tried to repeat the "underpowered console" concept with the Wii-U, but unfortunately the tablet wasn't nearly the sales hook that "motion controls" were. The result was an epic sales disaster for a console everyone knew was far too weak to compete.

I think the Switch is something else entirely, it is not a home console - it is a tablet for factor - so effectively Nintendo exited the home console market. I wouldn't' say the Switch is "cutting edge", but at least it is respectable as a handheld/portable device (breaking tradition with even the 3DS, which was a very low powered machine).

Bookmarked for future reference.

Generations are dead. Time to accept it.

I had no idea it was 7 months old, wtf.

Tell that to MS/Sony/Nintendo since they like use the term: "Next-generation" consoles.

This thread died several months ago as well.

That's purely subjective, not everyone likes the cartoony look. People said the same thing about Super Mario Galaxy aging better than God of War 3 or FFXIII but years later and it's actually the opposite.

I agree with the sentiment that games like Witcher 3 and HZD won't matter down the line. It's only going to be a matter of time before they are surpassed technologically and the consumer that bases their enjoyment in games over technological prowess tend to leave the obsolete in the dust over the next bold pixel-pusher.

People still play old Nintendo games, however.

The only exception I see to what I'm saying, though, is unless it's a solid multiplayer game. I can see people playing games like Overwatch for many years to come. But as far as single-player games go, I don't think there are many Playstation SP experiences with strong lasting value.

@jaydan: Yeah, when it coming from a hardcore Nintendo fan that plays nothing but Nintendo games. But to the majority, those games are still gonna stand the test of time. Look at Shadow of Collossus and Crash, people still play and talk about years later, that's why there are HD remakes cuz they're still relevant. Old Nintendo games aren't as big as they were before truth be told and the Switch is gonna fade into obscurity just like the Wii due to its aging hardware is gonna be more apparent esp once they come out with new phones that easily squash it graphics wise.

I think old Playstation games up to the PS2 era have definite replay value. There are solid classics. I think there once was a different design philosophy to that resonated a timeless appeal, like the Crash games and Shadow of the Colossus as you mention. I think Nintendo still resonates with many old design philosophies and I think that's why many of them still stand out as timeless, regardless of technological inferiority.

Much of my concern is about the modern game. Since the PS3 era and smash-success of games like Modern Warfare, I'm afraid many modern games have become streamlined as entertainment powerhouses rather than compelling gameplay experiences that people love to come back to.

Games are becoming more and more like movies...that as in, the average person might watch a movie once and never again, because there isn't substantial return-value. Games are becoming more like that too. I only ever played through the Uncharted games once. They were great fun but what makes me want to come back to them? Metal Gear Solid 4 was highly praised back in the day, but who really wants to keep playing through that one over and over again?

I feel like the PS2 was the last truly great era, because there was far more games that focused on being great games that gave people reasons and desire to keep coming back for more. Nowadays, that "weekend game" is becoming an evermore relevant dilemma.

I think PS4 is kinda mixing it around a bit. We got amazing games like Bloodborne and Persona 5. But we are still highly diluted in a market of streamlined experiences. I'm hoping the industry is finally getting a sense that gamer's need and expect higher value to their games than ones that just provide a series of set-piece encounters that never beg to come back to.

This I agree on. They use it to excuse Nintendo's laziness. I really wish they would have made Zelda like their 2011 tech demo. Instead they gave us BOTW art style. People SWORE that 10 years down the line, Zelda BOTW would age better than the 2011 tech demo. Well, it's been about 7 years for the tech demo and 4 years for the BOTW 2014 trailer. So far the tech demo still reigns supreme. Maybe we'll see in 2025. :)

Games are made for different reasons. Some are meant to have that continued replay value until you burn out: Call of Duty, Halo, Fortnite, Overwatch, Mario Maker, etc. Their online mode allows you to see different people so the game doesn't get old after a while. Then the updates breath life into the game. Then you have the multiple paths games. Games that you usually play multiple times while taking a different route each play through, so it feels like a brand new game each time. Then there are the open world games that you can play straight through for hundreds of hours and still not complete the game.

Those games are made for longevity and continued play through. They give you the most bang for your buck since they last so long. Then you have the games that you play through in one setting and that's it until a few months or years down the line. Those are the movie games and cinematic games that revolve around a plot point. The point isn't longevity but to keep you entertained and provide great gameplay. Not everything needs to be multiplayer, multiple routes, or open world to be a worthy game.

I actually think Nintendo games are highly overrated. After playing Super Mario Galaxy and getting all the stars, I just never touched it again. Same thing with Wii Sports, which felt like a glorified tech demo and was highly flawed. Sports Champions is an infinitely better game.

There's nothing wrong with modern games, that's why developers continue making them because tried and proven concepts and people find them fun. I played Last of Us multiple times, there's always something different with each playthrough and the multiplayer aspect adds more value to what is already an outstanding game. Plus it's also changed people's lives, which is far more powerful than any Nintendo game. Last Of us actually made me reflect about family connections and relationships, whereas after beating SMG, I was like, "oh that was fun." And then I forgot about it because it didn't impact me in a profound way the way Last of Us did. I actually LOVE the movie like experiences and think there should be more of them, rather than just forgettable games that are just purely fun and have no meaningful emotional depth and sophistication. Lots of people would go back to playing MGS4 over and over again, that's why there are trophies. Its not like a Walking Dead where you play it once and you get every trophy in the game.

I've always said that Nintendo is the Beyonce of gaming. What I mean is that they get a lot of weird criticism and people have double standards with them. Sure you can argue that they are overrated, hell what legend isn't. Even Sony is overrated. However, some people act like Nintendo and Beyonce are the least talented people with the craziest fanbase. *rolls eyes*

By the way, Wii Sports isn't overrated. It got a SUPER low metacritic score. It was just popular and appealed to a lot of people due to the ease of access, with the exception of disabled people.

Please don't bump old threads, they get stale.

Fresh convos are always better.

And we got this really cool offer going right now, all thread creations are free for the foreseeable future.