Wikipedia community debates whether Switch belongs in the 8th or 9th generation. What do you think?

[Dranakin]

The Wikipedia community debates whether the Nintendo Switch should be considered as part of the eighth generation of video game consoles or the ninth.

Some selected quotes:

With PS4 Pro releasing only 4 months prior and Xbox One X releasing 8 months after, both being decidedly 8th gen, the timing of release is certainly inducive of it still being part of the current generation of consoles. Having several hardware releases in a single generation from a single vendor isn't unheard of either.

Click to shrink...

But I just find it hard to believe that the ninth gen will see all the major manufacturers release new hardware around the same time. Maybe that's the "solution"? Consider the Switch a one-off for now and see what happens with the next releases?

Click to shrink...

I have legitimately not seen any source try to put the Switch against any form of the PS4 or the Xbox One , hardware-for-hardware (They have talked about service models given Nintendo's breaking into that market, but that's different). The reason that we're sorta stuck with the generation approach is that in past generations we have had sources that have put the key consoles up against each other for comparison purposes; even eighth gen we have both Wii and Wii U against Xbox One and PS4 from sources.

Click to shrink...

I'm becoming comfortable with Switch being placed as 8th gen, and we could probably move forward with it. I'm not entirely sure I'd agree we have enough sourcing to add Wii U to 7th gen though. Nothing precludes a manufacturer from having two consoles in a general "era"...

Click to shrink...

The Switch is a ninth generation console, no matter how you look at it. It's a successor to an 8th gen console, released 4.5 years later (very usual life span for game consoles). It's not in the middle of an ongoing generation, it's in the beginning of a new generation. Like the Wii U, being the first 8th gen console, from 2012. Sony and Microsoft are just not done with it yet.

Click to shrink...

Note the options of the poll here. Do you feel strongly about the Switch being classified as an 8th or 9th generation console? Or do you think the generational classification no longer applies? Or do you not care?

EDIT:

Thank you to The Artisan for the update (03/27/2018):

bump: they have a consensus now and it's 8th gen

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Wikipedia_talk:WikiProject_Video_games#Nintendo_Switch_generation

Click to shrink...

EDIT2: Updated link since the decision is now archived: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Wikip..._games/Archive_137#Nintendo_Switch_generation

 

[Man God]

It's the only console in the ninth generation. This will become especially true as the PS5/XB2 show up in the next two years.

 

[Alvis]

What?

Wii -> Wii/360/PS3 gen
Wii U -> Wii U / PS4 / Xbox One gen (it started the gen)
Switch -> Switch / PS5 / Xbox Whatever gen (it has started the gen again)

I.... I really don't see how i'ts even a debate

 

[Knight613]

The Switch is not a Wii U Pro.

It is a 9th generation system.

 

[Lelouch0612]

I think that the generation classification is becoming more and more obsolete and at the end of the day doesnt really matter.

 

[Phendrift]

9th gen.

Playing BotW on a tablet felt more next gen than any graphical showcase on the Pro for me.

 

[foxuzamaki]

Classifcation is oudated now, we need do ditch them

 

[Bgamer90]

I think that the generation classification is becoming more and more obsolete and at the end of the day doesnt really matter.

Click to shrink...

Pretty much.

 

[Ramako]

Given that the Switch represents a move from pure home console to hybrid, but is in the same realm of tech specs as other eighth gen systems, I'd call the Switch a sidestep within the eighth generation rather than a jump forward to the ninth. Could go either way really...

 

[Man God]

What?

Wii -> Wii/360/PS3 gen
Wii U -> Wii U / PS4 / Xbox One gen (it started the gen)
Switch -> Switch / PS5 / Xbox Whatever gen (it has started the gen again)

I.... I really don't see how i'ts even a debate

Click to shrink...

People are weird about it. Hell some people didn't want to put the Wii U with the PS4/XB1 because of how underpowered the Wii was. It's further complicated by the Switch also being the next generation handheld.

 

[Vanillalite]

I think that the generation classification is becoming more and more obsolete and at the end of the day doesnt really matter.

Click to shrink...

This.

So I voted D.

 

[trugs26]

The debate is basically: does "generation" refer to a set of consoles competing at around the same time (or alternatively, released at a similar time), or if generation refers to a specific console manufacturer's release of consoles.

 

[Datajoy]

Although it sounds weird now, I think that in hindsight it will be clear Switch is 9th gen. Especially as Kimishima said he wants the system to have an especially long shelf life, so it could be that the majority of the Switches time on the market coincides with the PS5 / XB4.

 

[Crayolan]

Comparing the Switch to the Xbox One X and PS4 Pro makes no sense, those are just beefed up versions of existing consoles. They play all the same games and don't have any exclusives. The Switch is a brand new console which only plays Switch games. It's not even backwards compatible.

 

[Dusk Golem]

I think that the generation classification is becoming more and more obsolete and at the end of the day doesnt really matter.

Click to shrink...

Basically my thoughts, and I suspect this will become increasingly prevalent in its obsoleteness as time goes on.

9th gen.

Playing BotW on a tablet felt more next gen than any graphical showcase on the Pro for me.

Click to shrink...

I'm reminded of people talking RE7 on PSVR as being the first big next-gen experience they had.

 

[The Pet of the Month]

It is 9th generation hardware, but depending on how it's successor handles Switch software we will need to separate hardware from software, and possibly give them their own generations.

 

[Alvis]

People are weird about it. Hell some people didn't want to put the Wii U with the PS4/XB1 because of how underpowered the Wii was. It's further complicated by the Switch also being the next generation handheld.

Click to shrink...

But...the Wii was underpowered and no one doubted it was part of the 360 / PS3 generation...

And Nintendo's official stance on the Switch is that it's a home console first, handheld second... ("a home console you can take on the go")...and is being recognised as a home console by events like TGA (otherwise BoTW and Odyssey would have been in the handheld games category) soo.... again, not seeing the debate

 

[Luchashaq]

Numbering generations in this way is moronic.

 

[funky]

The idea that generations are universal between console makers and then grouping numbering them all together is silly.

The gameboy launched when the NES was still the biggest gaming platform and only got replaced by the GBA when the PS2 was a thing. What gen is that then?

What gen is the virtual boy?

How about all those early CD consoles that launched before the PS1 like the 3DO, apple pippin and so on?

And why is everything pre NES lumped into 1 generation?

Shit is dumb.



Double stupid points go to EA though who have their own generation numbering scheme that starts with gen 1 as the PS1 even though they themselves releases games long before that.

 

[Zomba13]

It's a generation after the Wii U. It isn't hard.

 

[Aters]

I consider WIIU something 7.5 generation, Switch is 8th gen for me.

 

[D.Lo]

Wikipedia's generation definitions are already a complete mess because most consoles before ten years ago don't fit neatly into groups that directly competed.

Generations only work within a single company.

It's Nintendo's 8th generation of home console.

 

[Jack Frost]

My muscles and penis will shrink if the Switch is a gen above the rest.

But seriously, what he said;

Classifcation is oudated now, we need do ditch them

Click to shrink...

 

[Deleted member 2145]

gen's dead baby

gen's dead

 

[Man God]

But...the Wii was underpowered and no one doubted it was part of the 360 / PS3 generation...

And Nintendo's official stance on the Switch is that it's a home console first, handheld second... ("a home console you can take on the go")...and is being recognised as a home console by events like TGA (otherwise BoTW and Odyssey would have been in the handheld games category) soo.... again, not seeing the debate

Click to shrink...

Console warriors absolutely debated the legitimacy of the Wii being in the same gen as the PS360 a decade ago. "X Game releases for the Next Gen consoles" with Next Gen meaning PS360 in this case. The two Gamecubes duct taped together meme held a lot of truth for the people salty that the Wii was clobbering them.

 

[Turnabout Sisters]

I personally see the Switch as a follow-up to the 3DS and thus doesn't fit into generations historically defined by home consoles.

It's popular to say on here that console generations are "dead" as some kind of hot take, but the fact that both MS and Sony have both released stopgaps so closely only proves their relevance. Saying generational distinctions are useless now is a hopelessly nintendo-centric view.

 

[2+2=5]

Wiiu's era + 1, it's not that hard.

 

[StuBurns]

Generations are dumb.

The SG-1000, SG-1000 II, and Master System are all the same generation as the NES.

The Wii U and Switch are both within the PS4/XBO market viability window, all four platforms are the same time frame.

Generations are dumb.

 

[Alvis]

Console warriors absolutely debated the legitimacy of the Wii being in the same gen as the PS360 a decade ago. "X Game releases for the Next Gen consoles" with Next Gen meaning PS360 in this case. The two Gamecubes duct taped together meme held a lot of truth for the people salty that the Wii was clobbering them.

Click to shrink...

Oh, didn't know that

It's still simple: they were wrong

 

[Deleted member 2793]

The generation thing makes no sense and is super obsolete now. Just drop it already.

 

[Lord Azrael]

And when PS5 and the next Xbox come out, Switch will be considered a last gen console, even though it'll be out on the market and in its prime at the same time? No, that's ridiculous. Calling it anything but a 9th gen console makes no sense.

 

[Stiler]

A generation is not defined by simply releasing a new system iteration imo, but by a leap in technology with that new system and in which multiple companies make the move with new hardware pushing it further then the previous generation of systems.

The Wii>Wii U was by no means a "generational" leap, at all. Unless you want to tell me the Sega 32x was also a new generation or the ps4 pro/xbox one x was a "new generation."

Heck the switch, in terms of hardware power, can't even compete with the ps4/xbone and you want to say it's the next generation? No...it's closest to ps4/xbone in terms of poweroutput, therefore the Switch is in the same generation as the ps4/xbone, it was just late to that party.

The 9th generation will be when the ps5/next xbox comes out and then whatever Nintendo releases after the switch.

 

[saenima]

Wikipedia's generation definitions are already a complete mess because most consoles before ten years ago don't fit neatly into groups that directly competed.

Generations only work within a single company.

It's Nintendo's 8th generation of home console.

Click to shrink...

You mean 7th.

But i agree that generations only make sense within a company.

 

[Bandage]

Switch simply is.

 

[entremet]

Wikipedia's generation definitions are already a complete mess because most consoles before ten years ago don't fit neatly into groups that directly competed.

Generations only work within a single company.

It's Nintendo's 8th generation of home console.

Click to shrink...

I agree here.

Also, this is how they're used in the CE industry as well. Its standalone. Apple had a 4th generation of iPods. There was no overarching 4th generation of MP3 players.

 

[Kraq]

What?

Wii -> Wii/360/PS3 gen
Wii U -> Wii U / PS4 / Xbox One gen (it started the gen)
Switch -> Switch / PS5 / Xbox Whatever gen (it has started the gen again)

I.... I really don't see how i'ts even a debate

Click to shrink...

Agreed.

Switch is simply the beginning of a new, ninth gen.

 

[Gio]

What's the rationale for classifying game consoles by generation anyway? Never understood that.

 

[Mauricio_Magus]

Generations are time wise, so whatever time frame the Xbox One, PS4, and Switch are, they share it.

Also it doesn't fucking matter.

 

[Gxgear]

Console generations between brands don't have to coincide.

 

[D.Lo]

Generations are dumb.

The SG-1000, SG-1000 II, and Master System are all the same generation as the NES.

Click to shrink...

SG1000 II was just a redesign, but you can add Mega Drive to the list, In Japan, Sega had THREE generations of hardware go up against the Famicom for at least two years each.

Generations are indeed dumb.

Numbering generations in this way is moronic.

Click to shrink...

The idea that generations are universal between console makers and then grouping numbering them all together is silly.

Click to shrink...

Yep. Wikipedia doing one of their stupid things here.

You mean 7th.

Click to shrink...

Eighth.
Color TV Game standalone series
Famicom
Super Famicom
N64
Gamecube
Wii
Wii U
Switch

 

[saenima]

Color TV Game standalone series

Click to shrink...

Heh i wouldn't call that a console generation but fair enough.

 

[Anthony Hopkins]

Maybe its a 1st gen of a new category.

Because is it a 9th gen console
Or
Is it a 6th gen handheld?

 

[jroc74]

9th for me.

I know some companies for their own processes call it 8th. I don't care.

 

[StuBurns]

SG1000 II was just a redesign, but you can add Mega Drive to the list, In Japan, Sega had THREE generations of hardware go up against the Famicom for at least two years each.

Generations are indeed dumb.

Click to shrink...

Huh, I thought they had different game for some reason, but yeah, apparently not.

 

[Mona]

Switch is in whatever generation you want it to be in

 

[Nintendo]

I don't understand the reason why all consoles should be in the same generational timeline.

PS4 is the 4th generation of Sony's consoles.

XB1 is 3rd gen for MS.

Switch is 9th gen for Nintendo.

 

[javac]

The Wii>Wii U was by no means a "generational" leap, at all. Unless you want to tell me the Sega 32x was also a new generation or the ps4 pro/xbox one x was a "new generation."

Click to shrink...

What the heck the jump from Wii to Wii U was no less then the jump from the PS2 to PS3 or Xbox to 360 what a load of baloney. The Switch is a 9th gen system, deal with it, generations have nothing to do with power, the only people touting that was the ones salty that the Wii kicked everything into the dust.

 

[AcademicSaucer]

8th gen

 

[LightEntite]

Its hardware is trash compared to everything else but it's still pretty cutting edge considering its size and portability

so yes, it's whatever gen the current consoles are a part of

 

[NyxKiria]

What?

Wii -> Wii/360/PS3 gen
Wii U -> Wii U / PS4 / Xbox One gen (it started the gen)
Switch -> Switch / PS5 / Xbox Whatever gen (it has started the gen again)

I.... I really don't see how i'ts even a debate

Click to shrink...