Topic: The Wii U is next gen, but does it deserve to be next gen?

First off, this is a not a thread to bash Wii U. I have seen the discussion, is Wii U next gen or not many times. Wii U by definition, is next gen, but my question here, is does it deserve that place? I have actually not seen this discussed yet, so do things like it's innovation make next gen, or does the lack of power make it unworthy? Or what other set of things decide this for you?

It isn't next gen. Its current gen. Like the 3DS, Vita, PS4 and X1.

Well since the ps4 and xbox one are considered current gen now, and the 360 and ps3 are last gen, the wii u isn't considered current gen or last gen many developers put it, in its own category.

@TotodileFTW:

Where developers put it means little. The Wii U is in the same generation as the PS4 and X1. Generations are a matter of time, not power or Word of Dante.

and Ouya, GameStick, MOJO, GamePOP, Steam Machine, Xi3 Piston, and Huawei Tron. Power does not define generation, truly all that does is timing. If a lot of new systems come out near each other it is considered a generation. Do to the way Smart Phones are released we could be losing the generation definition. The definition of generation is: all of the people born and living at about the same time, regarded collectively. So if we apply this to electronics it is just talking about when a system is released.

This. Exactly this. The Wii U, PS4, and XBone are all now current gen consoles, meaning that they exist in the current generation of gaming consoles based on time. It has nothing to do with graphics, nothing to do with hardware, and absolutely nothing to do with "power." It's an abstract concept anyway, and people really need to stop arguing about it and start playing more games.

I think purely considering how the games look on the system, yes it deserves it. When we think about the lack of online and missing proper account system that others got right ages ago, it won't reserve it. So I see it as fifty-fifty.

As long as Nintendo "don't understand internet" & stop protecting its gamers too much, they will never be accepted by the so-called "Hardcore gamers" & they will remain where they are now with Wii U.

Well seeing as it is a significant step up from Wii I would say yes it deserves to be Nintendo's current gen console could it have been better most certainly but it is still able to play great games how many time will only tell.

I went to GameStop and looked at the three systems side by side. While the other two looked a little crisper- the difference was very subtle to say the least. The way certain fans of XBone/Ps4 make it sound- you would think that the Wii U is like an Atari 2600 when you look at the three.

If your going by system charaistics, and not necessarily just “time”, the Wii U is a mixed bag of either being behind the competition, or forward thinking and unique. The negatives being that the graphics that are stuck somewhere between 7th/8th gen, a somewhat slow OS that isn’t all that good at multi-tasking, and a online infrastructure that is slightly archaic. The positives being the unique / well designed gamepad, and the very cool off-TV play functionality.

But to answer the question, yes, the Wii U is 8th gen, but I know what your aiming for, in someways (not all) the Wii U seems closer to my Xbox 360 than my PS4.

No, this console is like 5th gen! Give us moar power Nintendo!!!! Super HD is necessary for it to be current gen! It has to be as high def as real life! (then I don't have to go outside anymore)

This thread suddenly has purpose.

Isn't saying the Wii U doesn't deserve to be apart of the next generation kind of ridiculous? I mean every generation moving forward the company itself has increased it's power from it's last. I mean the fifth generation of consoles the Nintendo 64 had a 64-bit processor and a more advanced CPU for realistic physics (for example WaveRace 64's water physics), while compared to the Playstation and the Sega Saturn were very comparable with a 32-bit processor. Do both those console not deserve their spot? The Playstation sold more than the 64. My point is I don't think every console needs to have the same amount of tech inside it's hard-drive to give it a "next-gen" experience. Nintendo gives us a subjective "next-gen" experience when it comes to what they supplied us in the past generation. If that's not enough for you to enjoy a console then I feel sorry for you, I've never been one that needs the up to date experience to enjoy a game. I mean the 3DS gives graphics for a game that's on point with the PS2 but it's arguably the best handheld ever made. The PS Vita suffers from a lack of games, and pretty lackluster sales but is without a doubt the most technically impressive handheld system we have ever had. Time is the only thing that decides a generation for consoles.

This pretty much sums it up for me. Its not about power, specs or what not its the time. The fact that Nintendo has stopped production of the Wii makes the Wii U a current gen system.

The Wii U is possibly the only console that deserved a next-gen tag imo because it's actually doing something new. The PS4/XBO just seem like slightly shinier versions of what has come before and the power increase just isn't enough to get me excited this gen.

It is next-gen, so whether it deserves to be or not, isn't really a question.

/thread

Next gen is a term that doesn't mean anything at the end of the day so it deserves to be as much as anything else.

But if you mean if it deserves it as much as Xbox One and Ps4, then I would say it deserves it a lot more for being something other than a typical continuation of the previous consoles and not being a PC-lite console as much as it deserves it a lot less for stupid marketing and not giving the previous console the support it deserved in its last 2 years.

Since when do consoles need to earn their right to be considered next gen? By the way: It's current gen now. All the consoles are out, so we can stop saying "next gen."

Is it as big of a leap in technology compared to the systems we played in 2006?
Yes. Tech has evolved, in such a way that gameplay does feel somewhat fresh and new. Nintendo took our modern luxuries in mind like Social Networking, and our current mobile systems into a system that couldn't have been thought of in 2006.
Is the gameplay comparable to the Xbox One, the PS4 or the Steambox's upcoming games?
Nope. The reason for that is
1. The exclusives usually consist of games that are sequels of 7th Gen games. New Super Mario Bros, Donkey Kong Country Returns, Wii Fit, Wii Sports, Beyonetta, Xenoblade Chronicles, Monster Hunter Tri. And then there are the enhanced ports of 7th gen games.
2. Currently, there is not a single multi-console game coming to Wii U, that isn't coming to Xbox 360 or PS3.

This thread is void.