Ahead of Xbox 720 and Playstation 4, What Was the Best Console of the Last Generation?

With the Wii U already released, the Xbox 360 celebrating around its last year and the Playstation 3 likely soon to follow, this console generation is coming to an end. So, before we go into the new era, now is the time to see how everyone did over these last several years.

[Godchild1020]

I believe all three systems have done well this generation compared to the last one. But this generation won't be over once new hardware is released. I believe the current gen hardware will still continue to sell for a few more years, by at least 2 of the big 3, once next gen hits.

While Sony did lose a lot of third party exclusives, it did pick up that slack with its own first party titles, thanks to their first party companies. And for being a year late and only having less than 6 AAA titles less than the 360, is pretty good and they will make that up by time May 7th hits.

While the Wii was the biggest success this generation, it lose the most support with third parties, but they showed that their first party games will forever hold weight and will still sell their consoles. They also showed power doesn't always equal better games or better looking games. Look at Super Mario Galaxy 1 & 2.

Microsoft came out of nowhere and took a great deal of market share from Sony and has made a home in the North America. While the 360 did take exclusives away from the PS3, that didn't mean the PS3 didn't try and make them multi-platform titles; look at Bioshock and Mass Effect.

This generation has been an uphill battle and I don't think anyone of them stopped putting up a fight. They all kept climbing and are still climbing until their makers put them to rest.

[TheFirstClassic]

I feel like this generation really did rather poorly compared to the last one. The wii may have had some great exclusives, but the gamecube had more better ones in my opinion, along with better 3rd party support. The wii focused too much on motion control. Ps3 was the best console in my opinion, some of my favorite games this gen are exclusives on the system, but the ps2 is just too hard to beat imo.

Don't own an xbox yet so I can't say much about that. I've been planning to get one for halo forever, but I just can't make myself take the jump.

But anyway, the software overall isn't as good, at least not for me. Gaming has become more casual and more cinematic based, it feels like the controller is being taken out of your hands more often, and I'm not talking about the cutscenes, I'm talking about the gameplay itself. In Assassin's Creed you press one button and Ezio assassinates a character from above. In Splinter Cell Blacklist you will be able to tag up to four enemies at one time, press one button, and kill them all at once. There are exceptions to these games of course, but the trend just seems to be growing. I guess its just a different experience, maybe not necessarily good or bad, but I'm not a fan.

[Hellsvacancy]

Good job Sony had Demon's Souls developed then.

Its been a great generation for rpgs imo, still waiting for that next gen Final Fantasy admittedly

I agree that games this gen have been developed with "action" in mind, Resident Evil is a great example (was gonna say Uncharted)

To answer the question, my answer is the PS3, MGS4 alone is reason enough to own a PS3, its a truely outstanding game, again, heavy on cinamtic action, but its awesome all the same, its an all round great

Edit: NO, Im talking about Metal Gear Solid 4 Guns Of The Patriots for the PS3, I dont understand your comment at all Hellvaguy, and to think, im the one whos high right now

[hellvaguy]

"my answer is the PS3, MGS4 alone is reason enough to own a PS3, its a truely outstanding game"

Are your refering this this 360 version of MSG4?
http://www.ign.com/games/me...
Or the collection of Metal gear Solid titles?
http://www.gamestop.com/xbo...

[Ezz2013]

@hellvaguy
lol you think MGS4 is MGS:R ?!! XD lol

[Rayansaki]

@hellvaguy

I think he means THIS x360 MGS4:
http://hadouken.files.wordp...

[ApexHell]

@hellsvacancy i personally thought it was a terrible generation for rpg's compared to the ps2 era.

[TheFirstClassic]

Hellsvacancy if I can give this generation anything, it's Demon's Souls, which may be my favorite game of all time. Portal 2 would also be up there.

[MikeMyers]

This is just my own opinion after playing all 3 consoles:

When it comes to exclusive game content I think the PS3 did the best job. When it comes to ease of use the Xbox 360 was the better choice (Updates, playing online, didn't have to deal with mandatory installs). I also prefer the Xbox 360 controller.

I think the Xbox 360 started off on a better footing for gaming (if you disregard the sloppy hardware reliability). But it stalled after a few years with exclusive content and took a dramatic turn once Kinect came out. Now it's just coasting. The PS3 struggled in the beginning but got better as time went on. Both with the online service and the content (as well as developers coping with the hardware). The Wii did a great job at expanding the market but the Motion Plus that allowed 1:1 didn't get the support it needed. Too many shovelware titles kind of ruined the ability to get real gamers to support it.

In the end I was glad we have such a competing market this generation. That's what makes the next generation all the more interesting (It has actually already started with the Wii U). What the current generation has done is make all 3 more accountable. No longer will they be able to rely of history and loyalty. Consumers are more educated and seasoned from what has happened during the past 6-7 years. I also think some gamers like myself will be more apprehensive about buying any of them right away.

[rpd123]

@helluvaguy

I'm sorry, but you're a fucking idiot.

[NiceGuy360]

A very well balanced, well said and well thought out comment Godchild.
I was going to put down a comment of my own but after what you said and the way you said it I can only say : THIS ^

[iamnsuperman]

I feel Sony got unfairly criticised this generation even though they just did what the core fans want which is just pump out quality exclusives. They have done some odd things this generation (which they should be criticised for) but they also did what they were supposed to and gives us new quality exclusive ips for their platform.

[NiceGuy360]

I believe the criticism SONY recieved was a catalyst to them upping their game.
They started this generation on an arrogant foot, and the media did not take to well to that and crucified them when the ps3 didn't sell like SONY hoped it would. SONY got a spoonful of humble pie and got knocked off their high horse good and prosper

[deep_fried_bum_cake]

How did they start out on "an arrogant foot"?

Because they weren't willing to pay huge amounts of money to keep games exclusive?

Because they sold the PS3 at a high price, because it was so expensive to make?

It was entirely realistic for them to expect people to buy it, based on how well the PS2 had done. And people did buy it, just not if you compare it to the Wii, which compared to the PS3 was being sold dirt cheap and also had the backing of people other than gamers.

Sony wasn't served "humble pie", they were unfairly criticised.

[NiceGuy360]

The next generation doesn't start until we say so.
It's a playstation (so of course people will buy it)
We want people to get second jobs so they can afford a ps3.
The wii is a toy
No self respecting 20 something year old would own a 3DS

I'm paraphrasing of course but doesn't tilt sound a tad arrogant to you?

[andibandit]

@deepfriedbumcake

WOW were you born yesterday????

[Ezz2013]

this gen won't over untill both sony and Ms stop making ps3s and xboxs or stop support their consoles ..i know sony will still support ps3 till 2015 along with ps4
not because next gen consoles are coming mean this gen is over

anyway for me ps3 is the best console of this gen
thanks to the Huge 1st party games of every genre possible and 2nd/3rd party support

[TheRealSpy]

Okama Gamesphere!

[Catoplepas]

Simple. The PS3.

It has the most diverse library by a considerable margin. Nothing else matters.

I still maintain this entire generation sucks in comparison to the previous two though. All pretty visuals and no substance.

[PersonMan]

Agreed. Seems like everyone only cares how good a game looks rather than the actual game part of it. Almost every game this generation has unoriginal generic stories and just shoot a bunch of people then move onto the next part.

[RuleofOne343]

Xbox, XBL & MP ,Halo 2 are what made last gen for me the best .

[Sp1d3ynut]

Um...Halo 2 was on the original XBOX.

[RuleofOne343]

My mistake but in any case for me the first Xbox + everything in my comment from earlier still stand as the best IMO.360 is fine with new bells, whistles & cool new games but Xbox & its games + XBL were awesome.

[Sp1d3ynut]

LOL @ 2 disagrees over indisputable fact. Morons...

[SuperSonic266]

PS3 Without a doubt

[lilbroRx]

I'm going the with the Wii. It singlehandedly changed the face of gaming and the sales speak for themselves.

It expanded the gaming audience and spawned entire new genres.

[Jadedz]

Factor in its ability to play gamecube games, and its wiiware service - the Wii was definitely my last gen system of choice.

[dgonza40]

I still think it was held back by specs and okay graphics. It also had a severe lack of third party support for MAJOR titles. Skyrim, fallout, battlefield, dead space, grand theft auto, bioshock, mass effect.. Arguably some of the most influential games of this generation.

Maybe the wiiU has a better shot at keeping up with third party needs, but my personal choice is PS3

Blu-ray, great exclusives, free online.. It was, and is, a powerhouse.

[urwifeminder]

Xbox 360 as i could play battlestations pacific one of the most original games i have ever played i liked that much got the pc version as well.

[Brian1rr]

Ps3

[josephayal]

The Ipad Touch

[stone_cold]

all the consoles are amazing
but the console that proved every thing to the world and the real meaning of entertainment is...PS3...

[deletingthis34675334]

How did the PS3 prove everything to the world? Is it because you like the PS3 and you're just a fanboy? Oh ok, gotcha.

[stone_cold]

not every console we like we should be a fanboys
the thing is i have the both consoles that why i said in my first comment ((all the consoles are amazing )) but i see the ps3 better that's it
and man this article for all opinions

[LAZL0-Panaflex]

Toss up: between 360 & p3

360: has gears 1,2,3, forza, alan wake, metro 2033, and a better 3rd party experience with the exception of battlefield 3. Party chat, control and interface also better on xbox. Call of duty. Virtually every 3rd party game looks better with a couple of exceptions like the second darkness game and battlefield 3. Better support/ customer support, less hold more organized.

Sony: infamous best game ever, infamous 2 also awesome. killzone 2 awesome, killzone 3 good as well, uncharted 1&2 awesome, (noticed i didnt say uncharted 3...major letdowm). God of war, socom 4, resistance 1,2,3 ..not bad, metal gear,....not bad neither, free online awesome, low failure rate on hardware, controller good on fighting games.

The negatives:

360: $60 for gold subscription....greedy and unnecessary. Could use another exclusive or 2. High failure rate, loud, power brick, no bluray, even though gears and metro look amazing it would be nice to watch blurays on xbox.

Ps3: lousy support,rude,dumbasses frequently(not always), dash sux, alot of wasting time and money on handhelds that do lousy... like vita and psp go. Splitting franchizes like god of war and uncharted instead of making a god of war 4 5 and 6...they put it on psp,then they put it on ps3 with the same shitty psp graphics....."its an hd upgrade"....yeah bullSHIT! Imagine if they had all of the god of wars with god of war 3 caliber graphics they'd win this war hands down.
Then they get a fly up their ass about wanting to sell their overprived 3d tvs so they plaster 3d on everything....yeah killzone 3 looks great in 3d...one problem in 2d it aint as good in killzone 2. Uncharted 3 suffered,...flat no detail but hey its 3d! You missed one minor detail sony......we're in a recession not everyone can afford a 3d tv. Xbox is doing just fine without 3d,....numbers dont lie.

Maybe focus on not giving these bald guys an octagon shaped head in uncharted 3 and focus a little less on 3d. Make ps4 closer to pc like xbox did so its easier to make games for developers and they dont look like ports!

[dubt72]

360, hands down

[Thirty3Three]

LOL.

[InTheLab]

If we're going all numbers, it's the Wii, but that should be obvious why. It was dirt cheap when it launched and it had a successful gimmick attached to it.

If we're talking about the real world, I'd say it's a tie between the 360 and PS3.

From 2005-2008, the Xbox was King and it wasn't even close. It had everything. RPGs, XBLA has always been special, stolen exclusives, genre defining franchises like Halo and Gears. Fable had yet to commit suicide. MS had yet to milk it's primary franchises and let it's new franchise die, like Crackdown. Those first few years of this gen were fantastic on Xbox, minus RRoD of course. The turning point and really, downturn of the console was the Kinect era. Yeah...it sold well but with every Kinect sold, every developer that spent time and money on Kinect games, was bit of the 360's soul lost to the quick cash grab. 3 straight outright embarrassing E3s with nothing to offer but the usual Halo ODST, Fable 3, Halo Reach, Gears 3, Forza 4, Halo 4, Forza Horizon.....Not bad games but you should still see the problem here.

But from 2009-present, Sony has dominated. While games like Fall of Man and Heavenly Sword were outstanding, there wasn't much going on those first few years. Yeah, Drake's Fortune was beautiful, but all of the pieces for that franchise hadn't come together. MGS4 was really the start of "the year of the Playstation". They followed that up with 2009 which featured Killzone 2, Demon's Souls, and UC2. Of course there was the staples like Ratchet, but also the new IPs like inFamous and Heavy Rain really helped to establish the difference between Xbox and PS. Of course the hacking episode was bad but let's be honost. The direct result was a loss of PSN for a few weeks and the PSN store for a month. There were no long term affects like RRoD so while bad, not as crushing as the media (Kotaku,G4) made it out to be. Now, 2012 is probably the worse year since 2007 for PS but it's still a year filled with new IPs and a stronger library of Downloadable titles than it's competition.

[Nes_Daze]

PS3, and why? Because I own both, and Live is really not that great. It comes down to which platform has a more diverse library, and the quality of exclusives, and I think Sony has nailed that. I have no interest in Kinect, Dancing games, immature party chats, etc.

[hazardman]

Id say they all were the best console at some point in time during this gen. xbox was best for awhile then when ps3 started getting great exclusives the momentum changed in ps3 favor. as a gamer i tend not choose sides but ps3 was great console especially if you like playing single player games and wii was good for kids and nursing homes.

[ps3vita4life]

PS3, why? Because not only did Sony have the most first party exclusive content, it had the best first party titles imo. They focused on the core gamers and not gimmicks (cough kinect). Sure, they had the ps move but they know just how much to support it and always put core gamers first. Same thing can be said about entertainment and apps. Microsoft focuses too much on entertainment and puts the games last. Sony on the other hand constantly pumps out exclusives because they know that games are the main purpose of a console. Some people might prefer more apps, enter. and motion controller but I for one care for the GAMES. Best Exclusives + Same thrid party games + Most powerful + PSN(free)/Plus = PS3(IMO). LONG LIVE PLAY.

[mayberry]

The 360 would be, imho, the best box ever made if the ps3 didn't exist.

[MRMagoo123]

or the ps2 or the ps1 lol

[MRMagoo123]

Ps3 to me won in everyway possible and i feel its gonna be even better with the ps4

[Omnislash]

Ps3 has more exclusives which give more life to the PS3 after the gen is over.

[Max-Zorin]

All 3 were good this gen. But their fans.......................... .....