Defining a Generation: What It Truly Means to be "Next-Gen"

GP writer Jordan Haygood discusses what the true definition of next-gen is, and why it's the games that are important in the end, not the console.

[Erudito87]

technically when next gen stuff comes out it will be current gen so nothing can ever really be next gen lol

[Jaqen_Hghar]

at least not once it's released

[GreenRanger]

Next-Gen Console = A console that blows the shit out of it's predecessor.

[Sharp]

Ewwww!

[Theyellowflash30]

Gameplay that can't be done on the previous generation.

[MegaLagann]

Well technically it next gen just means the successor to a previous product or the time said product releases. But to me a next gen system takes all the positives and negatives of the previous system and fixes it, not just an increase in visual fidelity.

[falcon79]

NextGen is what ps3 and 360 were last time around,or what WiiU/ps4/720 are this time,basically a decent leap in graphics ie,from dx9 era to dx11 what all 3 consoles are and using gpgpu's as there much more powerful than cpu's,thats nextgen end of and the GAMEPAD on wiiu for e.g is a major step forward in game controllers,it does everything.

[GribbleGrunger]

What defines a generational leap is the ability -- and so the power -- to be able to express subtlety and clarity beyond what current gen machines are capable of. Cage said it best so go back and watch that part of the show again. Any console that doesn't enable that leap can't, in my book, be called a generational leap and so therefore it can't be recognised as a next gen machine. If that was the case, all Sony would have to do is offer a PS3/Vita bundle and that would be the next generation.

[DA_SHREDDER]

If that's the case, Nintendo wins again, lolz

[Fateful_Knight]

You can't count a generation in a human family tree and a new generation of technology as the same thing. In the games industry a new generation heralds a substantial increase in power and playability. Period, end of discussion. That's how it's always been since the dawn of gaming, and that's how it is now.

[SpinalRemains138]

(Puts on thinking cap)

-The gen that comes after the one we're in?

[-Falaut-]

...uhm, in this case, to be the next console after your previous console as a console maker.

[falcon79]

With wiiu going for a memory intensive design it's obvious the 30 percent of the gpgpu that's secret is more eDRAM,another 32MB or 64MB ?

All 3 are very powerful.

ps4 has lots of main RAM but nothing special when it come to chip RAM,the cpu in ps4 is basically slightly updated Atom cores nothing special it's why you need 8 cores.

WiiU CPU.

A tricore 4 stage pipeline risc cpu with 4/5 instructions per clock a high bandwidth edram catch 4 x data compression graphics data custom burst pipes to gpu custom registers and instructions at 45 nm MCM with high speed connectors not standard buses IS CUTTING EDGE TECH.

Wii

Broadway @729mhz would beat a intel ATOM @1.6mhz with shere ease it will litterally leave it for dead expresso per core easily destroys each jaguar core expected in the other systems there basically AMDs version of ATOM slightly better same catch same pipe stages same VERY BASIC x86 core just some added basic out of order thats it ...

Expresso @4 x data compression has a 4 x increase in bandwidth and a 4 x increase in data so that 3mb catch becomes 12mb underpowered i think not 12 x the catch of wii and its edram not sram THATS about 24 x more than broadway cpu has.

32mb edram plus 3mb edram plus well over 1mb of sram is FREAKING INSANE its simply a hugly powerful custom video-gaming gpgpu to a INTELIGENT AND EDUCATED HUMAN BEING COUGH DIGITAL FOUNDRY...

THE 32MB EDRAM alone has over 140gb bsndwidth that is 4.5 x xbox 360 and its 3.2 x bigger also NOT NEXT GEN LOL xbox 720 edram is rated at 100GB bandwidth LOL AT WIIU WEAK XBOX STRONG SEE MY POINT THEY MAKE IT ALL UP TO SUIT THERE MS AND SONY WORSHIP CLEAR FANBOYING

32mb 140gb plus,, 3mb edram say 512bit bus 35gb plus,,,sram could be anything 20 to 50 gb whatever theres easily 200gb of fast ram on that custom gpu ,it wouldnt be there DOING NOTHING expensive ram is used to push POWERFUL PROCESSORS VERY HARD

[falcon79]

Where i put wii it's just the paragraph underneath it the rest is back to wiiu.

[delboy]

WiiU has enough power and it's a very well designed and balanced system.
Only fanboys belives in fake claims about wiiu's bandwith bottleneck.

But more importantly it has inovation, so besides updated graphics it will also push gameplay to next level.
Till we see the next box, wiiu remains the only real next gen console.

[MasterCornholio]

First Wii U Lee, then Link64 and now you?

My god Nintendo fanboys wont shut up about the Wii Us stupid eDram and sRam. Seriously when are Nintendo fanboys more worried about their consoles graphical capabilities than the gameplay possibilities with the new controller?

Maybe next time instead of coming up with a new way of playing games Nintendo should have boosted hardware specifications instead.

"Only fanboys belives in fake claims about wiiu's bandwith bottleneck."

Right and i still remember when some people said the Wii was on par with the 360 and the PS3 and look what happened.

Tsk tsk tsk and after the PS4s unveiling Nintendo fanboys still believe that their console is on par with it.

-facepalm-

[PopRocks359]

"Right and i still remember when some people said the Wii was on par with the 360 and the PS3 and look what happened."

I don't know if you have received the memo yet or not, but it isn't 2006 anymore.

"Tsk tsk tsk and after the PS4s unveiling Nintendo fanboys still believe that their console is on par with it."

I don't. I think it's like comparing a Dreamcast to a PS2, or a PS2 to an Xbox. Weaker but not left out. So stop generalizing; it makes you look ridiculous.

[Deku-Johnny]

This is a great article. I hope it works in convincing people that think 'next-gen' means more power that they're wrong.

I blame the 7th genners, people who have only just become gamers this gen and don't understand that there is more to gaming than graphics.

[Sharp]

You wanna know what Next Generation is?

This is Next Generation!!

http://images2.wikia.nocook...

[ISNeko]

Once we hit HD graphics the generation leaps meant less. Nintendo is the only one trying to keep things interesting.