When does Next-Gen stop being Next?

[DuckThor Evil]

basically if you have a new system, it is current gen for you, when I play on my X360 and see my deserted Xbox on the floor it doesn't feel this gen to me anymore, it's definately last gen. On the other hand I'm waiting FF12 to be released on USA and I don't feel like I'm waiting a last gen game, on that note, does it really matter?

 

[overclocked]

When PS3 has launched and Rev is the first step. For the moment its just cool to play a little with the first out. In 2007 im sure we are in the new gen with software.

If we see what games are coming for PS2 now in Europe 06 its a real killer.
From my view ATLEAST three AAA titles with FFXII, SotC(yes i know you played it already LB) and KH2 and theres more.
The best games 06 will be on the PS2 IMHO.

Its best too call it the NEW GEN instead of NEXT GEN methinks

 

[Powderkeg]

I disagree with the whole notion that a "generation" doesn't start until all of the consoles of that generation are released.

The Phantom still isn't for sale. Does that mean that the Xbox/PS2/GCN/DC generation still hasn't started?

 

[Fox5]

I disagree with the whole notion that a "generation" doesn't start until all of the consoles of that generation are released.

The Phantom still isn't for sale. Does that mean that the Xbox/PS2/GCN/DC generation still hasn't started?

Phantom wasn't part of the gen, it was due to be released too far in between the two gens. I think a gen should be categorized by systems out within one or maybe two years of each other. (which would make ps2 and dreamcast a gen, but dreamcast would be absent from the ps2/xbox/gcn gen... anyhow if dreamcast hadn't been abandoned, it's likely we would have seen a replacement sega console in 2002 or 2003 anyhow)

BTW, even last year, people were still calling xbox, ps2, and gcn the next gen systems, it was just a way to describe the systems newer than dreamcast or n64 and not a handheld.

 

[Almasy]

I disagree with the whole notion that a "generation" doesn't start until all of the consoles of that generation are released.

The Phantom still isn't for sale. Does that mean that the Xbox/PS2/GCN/DC generation still hasn't started?

It´s that way because while the Xbox360 hardware is here, the software isn´t. 90% of its lineup is merely a couple of steps beyond PS2/Xbox, and most publishers are very much set in a current gen mentality. The moment PS3 is released, next gen truly begins.

 

[DuckThor Evil]

It´s that way because while the Xbox360 hardware is here, the software isn´t. 90% of its lineup is merely a couple of steps beyond PS2/Xbox, and most publishers are very much set in a current gen mentality. The moment PS3 is released, next gen truly begins.

Can you spell F-A-N-B-O-Y.

 

[London Geezer]

Can you spell F-A-N-B-O-Y.

CENSORED!!
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CENSORED!!

 

[Shifty Geezer]

BTW, even last year, people were still calling xbox, ps2, and gcn the next gen systems, it was just a way to describe the systems newer than dreamcast or n64 and not a handheld.

So really, we should replace next-gen and current-'gen with proper identifiers, G1, G2, G3 etc. We can place G1 as either NES/Master System, or the beginning of the modern 3D era taken from PlayStation which mainstreamed 3D. If the latter, we're currently on G2 with G3 the upcoming generation. This would also tie in nicely with PlayStation's nomenclature which looks set to remain a generation counter. Going from NES, we'd be at, what, 2 G's up? Currently on G5? 5th Gen perhaps sounds better.

I propose we do away with the term 'next-gen' and refer to current consoles (XB, PS2, GC) as 2nd gen, XB360+PS3+Rev as 3rd generation, and XB4000+PS4+Whatever as 4th Generation. Likewise software can be classed as G2 or G3 depending on which platform level it's targetting. Of course, there's generations of software two. These should either be reclassifed as something other than generations of software, or be appended to the hardware gen. For example, XB360 launch titles are G3.1. Halo3 will likely be G3.2. Perhaps counting the software gen as year's after hardware launch would be more accurate? That'd make PGR3 a G3.0 title, will SOTC is a G2.6 Ithink.

This would be a much better scientific nomenclature that'd aid dicussion no end. I should approach IEEE...

 

[StefanS]

My personal, probably very pragmatic, version of "When does Next-Gen stopg being Next":
When I start looking forward to the next-generation Rule of thumb: Usually happens 2yrs+ after launch.

 

[Almasy]

Can you spell F-A-N-B-O-Y.

Really? Why is that? I don´t know about you, but I´m seeing that the mayority of Xbox 360´s games are ported up from this generation. That only tells me that publishers are still thinking primarily about PS2/Xbox. At this time publishers are beginning to shift resources to next gen plattforms, and when PS3 launches I believe that focus will be stronger.

Aside from that, at this point pretty much the only title that is undisputably next gen is PGR3, but when the mayority of next gen titles are not looking all that much like that, then I´d say next gen isn´t quite here yet.

 

[scooby_dooby]

Really? Why is that? I don´t know about you, but I´m seeing that the mayority of Xbox 360´s games are ported up from this generation. That only tells me that publishers are still thinking primarily about PS2/Xbox. At this time publishers are beginning to shift resources to next gen plattforms, and when PS3 launches I believe that focus will be stronger.

Aside from that, at this point pretty much the only title that is undisputably next gen is PGR3, but when the mayority of next gen titles are not looking all that much like that, then I´d say next gen isn´t quite here yet.

There will be dozens of next-gen looking games released all throughout next year, before the PS3 launch, so your theory holds no water.

I could agree that next-gen software isn't quite here yet(with games like kameo, condemned, PGR3 straddling the line), but it won't arrive with te PS3, it will arrive with Splinter Cell 4, Fight Night 3, Blue Dragon, Gears of War, Saint's Row and many other titles released in Q2 and Q3 next year.

 

[Almasy]

There will be dozens of next-gen looking games released all throughout next year, before the PS3 launch, so your theory holds no water.

I could agree that next-gen software isn't quite here yet(with games like kameo, condemned, PGR3 straddling the line), but it won't arrive with te PS3, it will arrive with Splinter Cell 4, Fight Night 3, Blue Dragon, Gears of War, Saint's Row and many other titles released in Q2 and Q3 next year.

When is Gears of War going to be released? That´d be my benchmark. In any case, I said by the time PS3 arrives, so you´re not disagreeing with me. Still, I´d be willing to bet some PS3 games at launch will look better than anything else on X360, like HS and Lair, but that´s an entirely different topic.

Oh, BTW, have we even seen X360 pics of SC4?? Because nobody seems to agree on wether the screens we have seen are next or current gen.

 

[scooby_dooby]

I agree it will be somewhere around the time-frame the PS3 launches, but it's not due to the arrival of the PS3. More accurately put IMO would be 6-12 months after the 360 launch.

GOW will probably be summer-fall, SC4 we've seen a few screens from magazine scans, so good that it's hard to believe they are actually real, most people think they're renders or concept art.

Judging by SC 3 last gen though, I don't even need to see screens. I know that when SC4 comes out it will blow away everything we've seen so far, GOW, MGS4, Mass Effect, you name it, SC 4 will blow them all away, Ubisoft is the reigning graphical champ from last gen after all...

 

[overclocked]

There will be dozens of next-gen looking games released all throughout next year, before the PS3 launch, so your theory holds no water.

I could agree that next-gen software isn't quite here yet(with games like kameo, condemned, PGR3 straddling the line), but it won't arrive with te PS3, it will arrive with Splinter Cell 4, Fight Night 3, Blue Dragon, Gears of War, Saint's Row and many other titles released in Q2 and Q3 next year.

Well you could just turn it around and say that your theory holds no water, everyones entitled to their own opinion.

 

[Powderkeg]

It´s that way because while the Xbox360 hardware is here, the software isn´t. 90% of its lineup is merely a couple of steps beyond PS2/Xbox, and most publishers are very much set in a current gen mentality. The moment PS3 is released, next gen truly begins.

Why? Because the moment the PS3 is released 80% of it's launch titles will be Xbox 360 ports?

 

[Shifty Geezer]

Why? Because the moment the PS3 is released 80% of it's launch titles will be Xbox 360 ports?

Can you link to the announcement of the PS3 launch titles please.

 

[scooby_dooby]

Well you could just turn it around and say that your theory holds no water, everyones entitled to their own opinion.

If the theory is: Next gen has arrived when next gen software arrives therefore it arrives with PS3, I would say it's flawed.

Is FN3 not next gen software? Is it not releasing in Feb 2006? What about Splinter Cell 4? gears of War? etc

 

[Nicked]

Is FN3 not next gen software? Is it not releasing in Feb 2006? What about Splinter Cell 4? gears of War? etc

But is not FN3 current-gen by this argument?

No one has been arguing that X360 is next-gen, nor its software, its about when next-gen becomes current-gen. It is not a X360 vs. PS3 argument.

 

[DuckThor Evil]

No one has been arguing that X360 is next-gen, nor its software.

Umm I believe I argued about that, Almasy said that Next Gen begins with the launch of PS3, because X360 software isn't good enough. I thought he was trolling so I argued about it, maybe he has a point, but I still disagree.

 

[Diamond.G]

My take on the subject

From past experience, read: ps2/dreamcast, next gen becomes current gen when the first next gen system arrives. So now that the 360 is here it would only be proper to say that (when talking about the cosoles in general) the ps2, xbox, and gamecube are last gen. But if you are talking about a specific company's product, ie ps2 vs ps3, then you can still say next gen because the ps3 hasn't been released yet.