Is the Nintendo Switch the start of the ninth generation of video game consoles?

If it's less powerful that the current generation of consoles, then no.

I vote no and feel like it's Nintendo releasing a second system in the current generation of video game systems. That said, it feels like we may start thinking less in terms of "generations" when describing consoles the way lines are being blurred with this portable/home console hybrid and the mid generation upgrades like the PS4 Pro and Scorpio and what that may do to future successors.

Do you consider the Wii to be part of the same generation as the GameCube, Xbox, and PS2, or the Wii U to be part of the same generation as the PS3 and 360? (Not saying that's wrong or anything; just curious.)

Personally, I'd prioritize year of release over power. Wii is 7th gen. Wii U started the 8th gen.

When it's all said and done, though, I think I might lump the Switch and the Wii U as both being 8th gen. If Sony or Microsoft had true successors coming before the end of 2018, I might feel differently. Aargh, though, the fact that it's a new architecture and won't natively play games from its predecessors...if that's not a new generation, what is?

Totally agree.

This is Gen 8rev2 along with the PS4 Pro and Xbox Scorpio

No, they are getting ready to enter the seventh generation to compete with the PS3 and 360. At least that section of the market is wide open now

I think the cheese stands alone here. It's a weird tweener console. I'd say 9th gen starts when the PS5/NextBox hit.

Nintendo consoles are irrelevant IMO.

Nice.

What fumanstan said....

I'm not sure there will be a line of delineation regarding "next gen" anymore. Technically the X1 S or PS4 Pro could be that... maybe Scorpio will be that... but that's my point, making incremental upgrades every 2-3 years might be the new norm instead of developing from the ground up.

Pretty clear Sony and MS either wanted incremental updates to become the new norm or felt pressured to go that way because of the smartphone model. Rumblings about Pro sales are starting to indicate it isn't really working out, though. I'd be surprised if the response to Scorpio ends up being much different than the response to the Pro.

If, in fact, both "premium" consoles underperform in sales, we could end up with clearly defined generations once again. Would be perfectly fine by me.

I gotta say, there is nothing better than opening up an all new console -- the joy it brings makes me feel like a 12 year old again. I didn't get that joy when I got my X1 S... but the PS VR was damn close.

wtsang, I agree with you... I think that despite production and launch costs, Sony and MS will be forced to rebrand and deliver a "new" console every 5-7 years to stay top dogs... despite console refreshes every few years.

It will be fine by me as well. I'M not spending 400 bucks on a "premium" console that plays the same games that my regular console does but makes them look "prettier."

Count me out on the smartphone model as well. If I'm dropping $400 on a console, I want a new and decidedly better machine not an incremental upgrade.

Yeah I won't be buying any of the midway consoles like the One S or Scorpio. Until Microsoft or Sony make it where games won't play on an older model console I see no point in upgrading.

As far as the Switch I guess I don't really know how to classify it. It's the successor to the Wii U but at the same time it's not a huge upgrade graphically or anything. Either way I don't really care as I'm interested in it and will buy it at some point.

I'll get a Scorpio... not for HD gaming but for the VR. I think that's just a kick-ass technology that has so much potential.

I think VR is cool but I also see it as being just another gimmick. I might be interested in some games but I'm not going to spend crazy money on a new console and VR gear. That's just me though. I can see why it may interest some enough to buy into it.

So far I think the PS4 Pro has been worth the upgrade to me. The load times have significantly improved and I can notice the frame rate differences in some of the games. Games like Rise of the Tomb Raider took full advance of those features and let you mess around with different options and I hope to see other games do that as well. It also helped PSVR run smoother too.

It's not really a black and white thing anymore. If we judge simply by power, it is no. By innovation? Maybe yes. The Wii was certainly the start of something different. It's influence was enough for the big two to run out and come up with something the combat it (Kinect and Move). Will the Switch inspire more powerful, mobile gaming solutions? Guess we'll have to see, but there just doesn't seem to be too much excitement surrounding it (or the.5 PS4/XB1 updates).

As far as the blurred generational lines we have know with these incremental updates, I think the cell phone analogy fits perfectly. I'l be skipping the the Scorpio and Pro, as they both seem like a stop gap to what could be coming next.

I still love the mid console generation upgrade thing, mostly because I considered both the PS4 and XB1 fairly weak and underwhelming. Plus, as long as both companies maintain that the older consoles are still compatible, there's no real negative for anyone who doesn't want to upgrade. Choices are nice.

To me it's almost at a point though where there's not a lot of reason to buy a console anymore and I might as well just get a computer that I can upgrade on my own. Before with consoles you bought the and they had a shelf life for a good chunk of time before a new one was out. Now if they're going to upgrade the existing consoles more frequently there doesn't seem to be much of a point.

I have heard rumblings completely opposite of that.

It's an under-powered Android tablet...so no.

I agree but supporting this business model will only make things worse in the long run. If this model is successful then next time out it could easily become, "how can we gimp this system so we can have an upgrade model later?"

I'd much rather them focus on putting out the most kick ass system from the start.

Sony's recently said that it's selling at or slightly above expectations. It's hard to tell though, because there were tons of Slim bundles and sales around the holidays so it's natural that people would go for the cheaper option. I don't know how sales could possibly be "stronger then the Slim" as they said though.

http://www.gamespot.com/articles/son.../1100-6447489/

I might feel that way if there was only one company in the business, but with both Microsoft and Sony making "high end" systems I don't see that happening unless they collude to purposely keep consoles weaker.