Do we need a new generation of consoles?

     The year was 2006. The date, November 19th. It was a chilly Sunday morning, but nothing too bad. I was standing outside of a Gamestop at 6 in the morning waiting for them to open. And I was not alone. We were waiting to finally get our hands on the Nintendo Wii, a revolution in gameplay and, as I thought at the time, the future of gaming.


     Fast forward five years. Nintendo announces their next console, the Wii U, a system with an odd looking controller, modern graphics capabilities, and not much else (unless you count the even odder name). Between those two points, the Wii had gone on to be the best selling console of the seventh generation, selling almost as many consoles as Sony and Microsoft combined in the US. Yet, to the hardcore gamer, the system is a failure.


     Most developers, even Nintendo, failed to fully utilize the power of the motion control technology. But despite that, Nintendo's competitors have both launched their own motion control peripherals, and have also failed to deliver many worthwhile games for them. It would seem that Microsoft and Sony launched these peripherals because they were following Nintendo's example.


    If this were true, then the announcement by Nintendo of their next generation console will be closely followed by a new Playstation and Xbox announcement. But is it time? Do Sony and Microsoft really need to launch new consoles in order to make better games? Read on as I decide whether or not it is time for the next generation.

"Did somebody say 'Next Generation'?"

     Whenever a new generation of console arrives, it usually comes with a huge technological leap. What used to be measured in bits is now measured in processing power, memory size, and storage space. New consoles were introduced because they were capable of creating more immersive and complex games. 

Well, other reasons too, but let's stay positive.

     Nintendo is launching the Wii U for one reason: to recapture the hardcore gamer. The gamer who has said time and time again that Nintendo is for children, and the graphics are outdated. And while exceptions can be made, this is basically accurate. The graphics capabilities are not much better than a Gamecube, and I've only owned about 4 games for the Wii that I would classify as for more mature gamers. I can understand why Nintendo would think it's time for a new system. 

     But the question is, should Sony and Microsoft follow? I don't claim to have any grasp of economics. Perhaps financially, it makes more sense to launch new consoles simply to compete with Nintendo. But from a creative point of view, is a new generation of console necessary? At first glance, the answer may seem like a simple yes, but there are good reasons why it might benefit these two companies to hold off for a bit. 

     For starters, new consoles cost money. A lot of money. Research is not cheap for this kind of technology. Many people hear things like the fact that a Nintendo 3DS costs little more than $100 to make, and say, "Why are they charging $250 ($170 now) for it?" They forget that companies pour millions into researching the technology behind these devices, and this is before they have a product to sell. Sony and Microsoft would have to decide if the cost of the research now can be offset by current console sales now, and made up for with the new console sales down the line. 

     But I think a more important reason why holding off on new consoles now would be best is the game developers. When you launch a new video game system, the company doesn't hand you an instruction manual telling you how to make games for it. They send the developers a development kit, and say, "have fun".

This is a Wii.

      Developers have had years to learn the ins and outs of our current console generation. Whenever a company launches a new console, developers then have to spend years learning how to make great games. I'm not saying launch games can't be great, but for every one great launch title, you're going to have 10 terrible ones. Having the experience from years of working with the dev kit turns something like this:

Gun, an Xbox 360 2006 launch title.

Into something like this:

Red Dead Redemption, a 2010 Game of the Year contender, and a personal favorite game.

      When a new generation of consoles makes it's way to us, the developers will basically have to start from scratch again. It will be a while, years perhaps, before we are able to get the number of quality titles that have been released on a yearly basis since around 2007. 

       So, do we need a new generation of consoles? Personally, I don't think so. Not yet, at least. The Wii U is definitely a step in the right direction for Nintendo. It's unfortunate that it took them so long to catch up with the current generation, but with stellar graphics and it's industry defining motion control, along with it's quirky new game pad, perhaps Nintendo is on to something. As for Sony and Microsoft, I think the current hardware is enough for now. 


       It's an exciting time to be a gamer. Games that have been released over the past few years are some of the greatest in the history of the art, and are only getting better and more creative. If a new generation of console furthers that, then so be it. But for now, I think things are fine the way they are. Well, when they're working.