14 DAY TRIAL // When the Xbox One and the PlayStation 4 were announced, a sort of inertia made most of those talking about the new devices from Microsoft and Sony refer to them as next-gen consoles, even after the moment when they became available in stores.
This made the Xbox 360 and the PlayStation 3 current-gen consoles, even if at the moment they are actually old hardware that can no longer support many of the experiences that gamers are expecting from their titles.
This can generate quite a bit of confusion among those who do not closely follow all conversations associated with the industry, so I believe that we should start referring to the PlayStation 4 and the Xbox One as current-gen consoles from now on.
The two platforms are no longer the stuff of the future, simple ideas or promises, they are now available to almost all those who want to pick them up as long as they have 399 dollars or Euro to spend.
Both of them are also selling better than the previous generation did at the same point during its life time, and both Sony and Microsoft seem to have plans to push them even higher before the end of the year.
What Is a Generation?
Traditionally, generations were counted based on similarities between devices that launched at approximately the same time and offered equivalent power for developers to create titles that could work on the entire line.
Things are a little muddier with the Xbox One and the PlayStation 4, which are roughly equal in terms of power but have different philosophies about the environments they want to create for their users.
The complexity increases even more when we also include the Wii U from Nintendo, which arrived earlier than the other two devices, is underpowered compared to them, but could still rebound as long as its creators find a killer game and launch it in the coming year (possibilities include Super Smash Bros. and The Legend of Zelda).
Regardless, we have here a generation of devices that will define how we approach gaming for another five to ten years, depending on how tech evolves.
Last Gen No Longer Really Matters
The Xbox 360 and the PlayStation 3 are outdated and limited when it comes to hardware, and a number of high profile games, like Assassin’s Creed Unity and The Witcher 3, have abandoned them because they cannot do justice to the experiences that developers are creating.
There are also major franchises, like FIFA and Call of Duty, that still support them, but even here, the subtle recommendation is to buy a version of the Xbox One or the PlayStation 4 in order to get the better gameplay and graphics.
Last gen is a good designation because it allows players to understand that, while these devices are viable, they are no longer in their prime.
Always Look Forward
Gaming is all about looking for the next best thing, and names matter a lot when it comes to how we, the customers, view the industry and its products.
Acknowledging that the Xbox One and the PlayStation 4 are current-gen devices and that the 360 and PS3 are last gen is just a small step that shows that the future, with its truly next-gen devices, might be just around the corner.