Have you noticed that this generation has been eerily familiar to the 32/64-bit generation? In case you don't think so, let's look at the consoles.
PlayStation 4 = PlayStation - After being too overly-ambitious with the PlayStation 3, Sony returned the PlayStation brand to it's roots with the PlayStation 4. A big reason the PlayStation succeeded was because it gave developers and gamers EXACTLY what they wanted. A polished, powerful system that was easy to program for. It wasn't so much about innovation or surprising people, it was more about making something for the developers, and allowing them to make what they want, with very few restrictions. All factors that play into the PS4. But critically, Sony was able to capitalize on the competition's poor decisions, luring former fans of competing platforms into their hands. Speaking of which...
Xbox One = Nintendo 64 - Microsoft enjoyed a lot of success with the Xbox 360, being the go to platform for all the big core gamer blockbusters. However, the Xbox One at first, much like the Nintendo 64 initially, seemed like a disaster. The problem with the Nintendo 64 was that Nintendo stubbornly clung to outdated draconic policies including sticking with the expensive and bulky cartridge format. This pissed off developers who at this point, were already fed up with Nintendo's big bully attitude at the time. While Microsoft's plans with the Xbox One weren't developer controlling, they certainly were gamer controlling. Microsoft initially wanted to come in and dictate it's users over where they can play their games, when they can play them, where they can trade them in, who they could share them with, and how they can play them and how long they can play them for.
This pissed off a lot of gamers who were already weary of the XB1 for being more of a TV box than a games console. But much like how the Nintendo 64 succeeded in the West despite it's limitations, the Xbox One eventually gained a following among gamers after Microsoft scrapped it's initial draconic plans. Though it does have all the major blockbusters, as well as some very popular indie titles, and what is perhaps Microsoft's most refined first party output yet, it still lags behind the PS4 in terms of sales and developer support.
Wii U = Sega Saturn - It's amazing how once successful companies, can spiral out of control in only a couple of years. Nintendo enjoyed success with Wii by going after an audience of newcomers, who never really got into gaming before due to the complex nature of modern games. Sega enjoyed success with the Sega Genesis by targeting an edgier, older demographic than the competition with more mature content. The problem with both, was maintaining a long term relationship with those audiences. Sega's string of gimmicky Genesis add-ons, and the botched launch of the Sega Saturn nuked consumer faith in the company, and caused once Genesis fans, to leave the brand. Sega was seen as a fad, a washed up video game icon that succeeded on the novelty of "kewl", only to have their own arrogance destroy their momentum. Similarly, Nintendo's momentum with the Wii was showing it's age with the rise of mobile gaming and Kinect. Rather than adapt to the changing tastes of their consumers, Nintendo instead released the Wii U, a system which nobody, still to this day, can understand.
Both the Sega Saturn and the Wii U share the same problems of being too expensive, too difficult to develop for, and more complicated than they really should've been. Filled with useless technology, broken promises, conflicting priorities, and abysmal (and non-existant) marketing, the Saturn and U were massive slaps in the face to Wii and Genesis owners respectively. Costing their platform holders hundreds (in Sega's case billions) of dollars, and admiration.
Disappointingly as well, neither platform had a true Sonic game, nor a true 3D Mario respectively. The Saturn instead got a bunch of spin-off games, and the Wii U got an upgraded sequel to a 3DS game with co-op. Not exactly what fans were expecting. All is not doom and gloom however. The Saturn hosted a variety of unique first party offerings from Sega such as Virtua Fighter, Burning Rangers, and the cult classic, Nights into Dreams. Nintendo has also put out solid entries into their Award-Winning first party franchises such as Mario Kart, Smash Brothers, and the groundbreaking shooter, Splatoon. And much like how the Sega Saturn built a surprisingly strong lineup of Japanese 3rd party games, The Wii U gained a cult following with Independent developers, getting most of the big names like Shovel Knight, and Minecraft, as well as some unique exclusives like Runbow. Both of these made up for the otherwise non-existant 3rd party support.
No, not even close. The 5th gen still at least had new ideas and frontiers to explore. The is a repeat of the Gen before that, where companies didn't know where to go with the current tech, and were just flailing about in the vain hope of maintaining profits before consumers lose too much interest.
We already have our Atari Jaguars, our 3DOs, our Bandai Pippins, our Lynxes, our Game Gears, and every major console manufacturer has already announced their CD add-ons, with Microsoft even pulling a 32X with that Scorpio ****. We're stuck in the mud of the worst period in video game history, and I can't wait to get out...
No, not even close. The 5th gen still at least had new ideas and frontiers to explore. The is a repeat of the Gen before that, where companies didn't know where to go with the current tech, and were just flailing about in the vain hope of maintaining profits before consumers lose too much interest.
We already have our Atari Jaguars, our 3DOs, our Bandai Pippins, our Lynxes, our Game Gears, and every major console manufacturer has already announced their CD add-ons, with Microsoft even pulling a 32X with that Scorpio ****. We're stuck in the mud of the worst period in video game history, and I can't wait to get out...
Amen to that. 5th gen was the golden age of innovation. 8th gen is a cesspool of mediocre rehashing. In that respect, the two gens couldn't be more opposite. And I'm also eager to turn the page on this sorry excuse for a generation.
In terms of how the consoles are doing in the market though, it does seem as if history is repeating itself. Let's just hope that 9th gen doesn't go the same way for Nintendo as 6th gen did for SEGA.
yeah i guess a comparision with the 4th gen would be better. this gen did nothing new. even the wiiU's gamepad is essentially just the dual screen feature from the ds for a home console. which is a cool idea at first. it worked so well on the ds and 3ds, but it seems like it just doesnt work that well for console-tv.
on the handheld side the 3ds is a solid handheld and i love it, but the only new feature was 3D and while i personally love that feature, many people hate it or just cant use it. and the vita...well just look at the memory cards
all i know is that none of this gens consoles is interesting to me. thes ps4 has literally NO exclusive game that interests me. even the ps3 had more (mgs4 and motorstorm)!
the xboxone has some cool exclusives but i am not going to pay that much money for a console that can't even handle 1080p30fps in most games. my pc was just a little bit more expensive.
the wiiU is the most interesting console to me, but the lack of 3rd party support is devastating. the wii had some crazy 3rd party exclusives.
i am glad that i got a beginner's gaming pc 2 years ago. it allowed me to play the most interesting game of this gen (mgs5) and i can explore a bunch of last gen games that run and look even better on pc than on last gen consoles. which is awesome cause i only had a wii last gen. oh i forgot to say that with the exception of the wiiU, this gen has some really stupid backwards-compatibility!
forgot to say: i started gaming with the 5th gen but i only had a playstation and the sega saturn just wasnt a thing where i lived these mid-gen upgrades (scorpio, ps4,5) therefore feel totally alien to me and i think it is super stupid
No, not even close. The 5th gen still at least had new ideas and frontiers to explore. The is a repeat of the Gen before that, where companies didn't know where to go with the current tech, and were just flailing about in the vain hope of maintaining profits before consumers lose too much interest.
We already have our Atari Jaguars, our 3DOs, our Bandai Pippins, our Lynxes, our Game Gears, and every major console manufacturer has already announced their CD add-ons, with Microsoft even pulling a 32X with that Scorpio ****. We're stuck in the mud of the worst period in video game history, and I can't wait to get out...
Amen to that. 5th gen was the golden age of innovation. 8th gen is a cesspool of mediocre rehashing. In that respect, the two gens couldn't be more opposite. And I'm also eager to turn the page on this sorry excuse for a generation.
In terms of how the consoles are doing in the market though, it does seem as if history is repeating itself. Let's just hope that 9th gen doesn't go the same way for Nintendo as 6th gen did for SEGA.
Even the reveal strategy of NX is seeming very similar to Dreamcast as there's things such as:
Nintendo/SEGA announcing the discontinuation of the Wii U/Saturn before the NX/Dreamcast is officially revealed.
NX/Dreamcast is officially revealed about 6 months before launch.
Wii U/Saturn is confirmed not to be Nintendo's/SEGA's future about a year before the proper unveiling of NX/Dreamcast (for Nintendo I'm considering Reggie's comments at E3 2015 rather than Iwata's comments at the DeNA event).
Insanely large game drought in the last 9 months of the Wii U's/Saturn's existence.
This gen is a significant improvement over the last one. Particularly now that excellent big-budget RPGs and horror games are making a proper comeback.
3DS is probably the best handheld ever. Vita, despite being a failure, has an excellent library of hidden gems. Wii U, despite a few glaring omissions, has an solid library of exclusive titles. PS4, while not quite a return to the PS2 era's general level of excellence, is a huge improvement on the PS3. PC has also fully come into its own as a market.
I've probably bought more games in the last few years than during all of the years comprising the last console gen put together.
Ahh that takes me back. Best comparison I ever heard between PS2 and Dreamcast was;
Imagine a Funfair with a ferris wheel. The PS2 gives you the funfair and surrounding town, but the funfair is closed. The dreamcast just gives you just the fun fair, but the ferris wheel is going around.
I never drive faster than I can see. Besides, it's all in the reflexes.
Amen to that. 5th gen was the golden age of innovation. 8th gen is a cesspool of mediocre rehashing. In that respect, the two gens couldn't be more opposite. And I'm also eager to turn the page on this sorry excuse for a generation.
In terms of how the consoles are doing in the market though, it does seem as if history is repeating itself. Let's just hope that 9th gen doesn't go the same way for Nintendo as 6th gen did for SEGA.
Even the reveal strategy of NX is seeming very similar to Dreamcast as there's things such as:
Nintendo/SEGA announcing the discontinuation of the Wii U/Saturn before the NX/Dreamcast is officially revealed.
NX/Dreamcast is officially revealed about 6 months before launch.
Wii U/Saturn is confirmed not to be Nintendo's/SEGA's future about a year before the proper unveiling of NX/Dreamcast (for Nintendo I'm considering Reggie's comments at E3 2015 rather than Iwata's comments at the DeNA event).
Insanely large game drought in the last 9 months of the Wii U's/Saturn's existence.
@Bolt_Strike It should do, E3 2015 showed to me Nintendo is that desperate to get back to "Nintendo-like profits" that they're potentially willing to risk history repeating itself.
Eh PS4 being better than 3 is a stretch. The rest I'll agree with
Yeah, but a lot of that doesn't have to do with the hardware. There are still good games, of course. There's never been a period when there weren't good games since the medium took off after Pong's popularity. Even the semi-gen I was talking about (it's a really short transitionary period, 1994-1996, and is arguably just the end of the 16-bit era/start of the polygon era that the OP's referring to...but since he's calling it the "5th gen", I guess he's going by Wikipedia, who, last I checked, consider that period a console generation all its own) had some fantastic games, like Chrono Trigger, Snatcher, and both Lunar games, as well as plenty more I couldn't even mention. And there are still good games to look forward to, and I doubt that'll ever change, barring any drastic societal changes that affect the world as a whole. It's not even worth worrying about.
The hardware aspect is still pretty depressing, though, and that's only the tip of the iceberg. There are a ton of good games, but great games, and games that push the envelope and challenge what's been done before, all that come after...there's gonna be a time when those go away. And compared to the last 40 years, we're far closer to seeing the edge of that abyss than I ever wanted to be...
Even the reveal strategy of NX is seeming very similar to Dreamcast as there's things such as:
Nintendo/SEGA announcing the discontinuation of the Wii U/Saturn before the NX/Dreamcast is officially revealed.
NX/Dreamcast is officially revealed about 6 months before launch.
Wii U/Saturn is confirmed not to be Nintendo's/SEGA's future about a year before the proper unveiling of NX/Dreamcast (for Nintendo I'm considering Reggie's comments at E3 2015 rather than Iwata's comments at the DeNA event).
Insanely large game drought in the last 9 months of the Wii U's/Saturn's existence.
When you really think about it, Iwata era Nintendo and 90s Sega actually had a lot in common.
Both made a killing by deviating from the competition and going after an untapped audience
Struggled to keep said audience once new competition arrived,
Kept pissing off and confusing said audience with backwards and nonsensical business decisions
Lost said audience to other platforms and barely scrapping by on diehard fans
Now aim to rebuild their brand strength and clean up their sloppy management
There are some differences, but the similarities Wii(U)/(3)DS era Nintendo and Genesis/Saturn era Sega have are scary.
I think some are getting worse, some are stuck somewhere in between while some have been getting better, purely IMO of course!
OG Xbox (which felt like a spiritual successor to the Dreamcast) > Xbox 360 (games wise; the first four or five years were very good whereas the last two or three years were entirely forgettable) > Xbox One
PSone/PlayStation 2 (these two are the best consoles ever) > PlayStation 3 > PlayStation 4 ~ although things have vastly improved for the latter console this year, games and new hardware (PSVR) wise.
Nintendo on the other hand have their ups and downs, and most folks prefer one console more so than the others.
GameCube (both first and third party support was brilliant for this) > Wii U (first party games have been superb, for both new and old IP's alike) > N64 (£70 for a single game as an eight year old meant that I only saved up for and played a very select few such as Bomberman 64, Lylat Wars/Star Fox 64, the usual Mario Golf, Party, Tennis and Kart games, Pilotwings 64, Snowboard Kids, Super Mario 64 and Wave Race 64) > Wii (Super Mario Galaxy 2 is my favourite game ever, and yet the Wii was my least favourite Nintendo home system).
As for the thread in question, I don't see the correlation between the fifth and eighth generation quite as concisely as the OP does however, there ARE some similarities here and there... mostly the resurgent of the PlayStation brand as well as the curse of the third console striking again.
I say that it is like a mix of 7th generation and 6th generation. Hardware wise, I think the 8th generation systems are like the 6th generation machines. In terms of software, I think it is still similar to 7th generation, but the machines are still current and more games will come out, so I wouldn't point my finger on comparing 8th generation libraries to the past, yet, but it's still like 6th generation, IMO.
The generations can grow similar over time, though, IMO. That is part of the reason why rereleases happen. I try to read between the lines.
Xbox 360 and PS3 were very similar to GameCube when that came out. Kameo and Resistance Fall of Man looked super like GameCube graphics.
Qwest
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Lol, this thread is full of such pretentious pseudo-intellectual garbage.
I'm sure the other platform holders are very sorry they haven't invented 4D gaming yet. They're just trying to get VR off the ground. Nope, no new frontiers here XD.
Even the reveal strategy of NX is seeming very similar to Dreamcast as there's things such as:
Nintendo/SEGA announcing the discontinuation of the Wii U/Saturn before the NX/Dreamcast is officially revealed.
NX/Dreamcast is officially revealed about 6 months before launch.
Wii U/Saturn is confirmed not to be Nintendo's/SEGA's future about a year before the proper unveiling of NX/Dreamcast (for Nintendo I'm considering Reggie's comments at E3 2015 rather than Iwata's comments at the DeNA event).
Insanely large game drought in the last 9 months of the Wii U's/Saturn's existence.
Did I miss something? When did Nintendo announce the discontinuation of the Wii U?
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Topic: 8th Generation = Repeat of the 5th Generation
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