I'm a 22 year-old gaming veteran. I got my first NES almost 18 years ago, and I've been a game fan ever since. I don't consider myself an expert by any means. But for an industry as young as video gaming, I think I've experienced my fair share. When the PlayStation and Xbox consoles were nothing more than a gleam in their developers' eyes, Nintendo and Sega were engaged in a bitter fight to earn the industry's top spot. Times have certainly changed since then, as Mario and Sonic have set aside their differences and agreed that one console is, indeed, big enough for the two of them. The industry has grown and evolved astronomically since the 80s, and gamers' tastes have become more refined. Standards are stricter, development costs are higher, and media attention is growing. But is the industry really better off than it was in its Golden Age?  

Let's take a look at Nintendo. Back when the Nintendo name was synomymous with video games, they had the power to dictate to developers exactly what kind of content was (and, more often, was not) acceptable for inclusion in their games. Censorship even went so far as preventing the Red Cross symbol from appearing in a game for fear of religious connotation. And where is Nintendo now? Relegated to a distant third place behind two companies that knew nothing of gaming until the mid-90s. Nintendo can't even garner enough 3rd party support to be taken seriously by casual gamers. Obviously, a number of factors contributed to the Big-N's giant leap down the video game hierarchy, with the previous example probably being the least important. Unlike Sony and Microsoft, however, Nintendo is in a unique and unpredictable position for the upcoming console generation. Whether you think Nintendo's new TV controller is the peak of innovation or merely a sign that Mr. Miyamoto has finally fallen off his rocker, you can't help but be intrigued by the company's optimism. Maybe they will indeed usher in a new generation of casual and non-gamers. Or maybe future generations of gamers will shake their head and smirk at a once-great company that put all of their hopes into a gimmick that didn't pan out.

Microsoft has made some interesting moves to get ahead right from the start of this next generation. They've made it to market with virtually no competition until at least the Spring of 2006, and they've enhanced the Xbox Live experience to make it easy for any gamer to jump online and duke it out DOA style. But wait a minute. Wasn't Dead or Alive supposed to be a launch title? And what's with all the scattered reports of critical system malfunctions? Is it possible that Microsoft rushed into the next generation a bit too fast? The original Xbox is only 4 years old. Developers and gamers alike could have squeezed at least another year out of the system, but Microsoft has cut nearly all support for their first console. With such incredible unit shortages here in the States, why does Microsoft have so many unsold units sitting in Japanese stores? Sure, the first ever "worldwide" launch was a success. But at the cost of how many ticked off pre-order customers?

Sony seems to be the only company in a position to take the next console generation by storm. For roughly a decade, Sony has been sitting comfortably in their top spot with the adoration of both casual and hardcore gamers alike. If this year's E3 demonstrations are any indication, the PlayStation 3 seems poised to continue Sony's industry dominance. The only catch? All the unknowns and information that the company has yet to reveal. While many look at Microsoft's dual SKU strategy and cry foul, analysts have pegged the PS3 to cost anywhere between $400 and $1000. While prices on the higher end of that range are less than likely, it wouldn't be the first time a console has debuted at astronomical cost. How many people actually paid $800 for a 3DO? Obviously, each PlayStation 3 console is costing Sony a bundle to make, and they've already begun to quietly remove features from the retail version. Sony states that it never specifically claimed their system would have full wireless router functionality, but some fans disagree. And if they're going to pull any features in an effort to save money, why not get rid of the dual-screen HD support? Not enough of today's gamers have one high definition television yet, let alone two. And, although the majority of us have never held the new PS3 controller in our own hands, I don't think I'm alone in saying that I don't want a controller I've thrown during in-game frustrations to turn around mid-air and hit me in the face.  

But who knows? Obviously, the industry itself is doing well. Despite the intense competition, and in part because of it, video games are thriving and becoming a mainstream source of entertainment. As such, the above skepticism should itself be met with a degree of disbelief. There are those of us who enjoy playing devils' advocates every so often. Personally, I welcome the next generation and look forward to, as my grandfather so lovingly describes it, "countless hours wasted in front of the idiot box." And as long as my bank account survives the system launches, I'll be happy.