Honestly, Nintendo's likely best move would be to make the Switch their "iPhone" in that they keep it going and just update the specs every couple of years, while allowing it to be backwards compatible with older models. I really don't want them to try something "gimmicky" again just for the sake of being different, but that's what Nintendo loves to do.
So basically they just need to follow the same business model that Microsoft seems to be following. That would work except for the fact that Nintendo really likes selling $60 remasters with no work put into them.
@@ab-lymphocite5464 I feel like even if the ps1 sold more the n64 was better I never hear people talking ps1 only n64, I think the n64 made more of an impact.
@@josmation201 I feel like that is a game output thing. Get 10 PS1 people in a room and asked for their favorite games, you would get 10 answers. Be it GT, FF7, Tomb Raider, MGS, Crash, or C SOTN. Get 10 N64 folks in a room and everyone will say Mario 64, OOT, Bango, or Goldeneye. Everyone who had a 64 all had the same games giving rise to a sense of community. Also, I think it helps a lot that Nintendo has always been good at having iconic characters and franchises that people still care about. After all the genesis had many good exclusives besides sonic, but they are not often thought about due to many of those series being either dead or not as iconic as their Nintendo counterparts. For this reason, it was not until recently that I knew about all of the gems on the genesis. Before then I thought it was just a console with Sonic and sega sports. Back on topic. While I would never say that the 64 was a failure when it came to quality. The low quantity of games and its lateness to market were big problems. These problems being what caused it to be a financial failure.
The following relates to the Wii U and Switch: Atari had TWO gaming consoles in generation 2. The Atari 2600 (at the near beginning of Gen 2) and the Atari 5200 (at the near end of Gen 2... which is really Gen 2.5. Why? During 1982, SEVERAL new consoles and revisions of existing consoles came out. NEW 1982 consoles: Colecovision, Atari 5200, Vectrex, and Emerson Arcadia 2001. Already existing consoles that got revised during 1982: Atari 2600 (it was called the Atari VCS prior to 1982. During 1982 they officially named it the Atari 2600 and came out with the dark "Vader" model), the Intellivision 2 (a smaller, white version of the Intellivision with removable controllers), The Astrocade (which was originally known as the Bally prior to 1982) and while the Magnavox Odyssey 2 stayed the same, it did receive THE VOICE add-on which made a big difference when playing games like K.C's Krazy Chase). So Generation 2 is really split up between Generation 2 and Generation 2.5, which was actually suppose to be the start of Generation 3 (which is why Atari released the Atari 5200 during 1982, which was in the same league power wise with the Colecovision. All the new consoles and console revisions of 1982 were suppose to be the start of Gen 3, but because of the video game crash which kills every console in North America during 1983 and especially during 1984 and cuts the life short of every new console, all of that becomes Generation 2.5). With that said, The Wii U, along with the non-enhanced versions of Playstation 4 and Xbox One, are Generation 8. The Switch and the Playstation 4 Pro and the Xbox One X are Generation 8.5. They are all part of Generation 8, but Generation 8 is split up into two parts, just like Generation 2 was. There is a bit more to this, but that's the gist of it.
I'm glad someone agrees with me. It's rare that there is more than 2 deviations of a console is in the same generation. There are slim versions that can be like 3rd version and so on. But rarely a 2nd revision that is a second pro version, sega genesis comes to mind of that but very strange case for that. So by the time they upgrade the hardware a second time it would be a new console generation by then. So there isn't, par exemple, 8.5.5 gen, it'd just the 9th gen. So I say they should call it the switch 2 and have the carts be backwards compatible. And whatever new carts that can hold more storage be the same slot or more pins like the game boy or DS line. I think this is there stradagy because they release a new handheld every 1-2 years with few exceptions. Thx for the ❤️
The wrench thrown into this is Nintendo clearly called Switch the successor to Wii U when it was announced in late 2016. Then there’s the fact that Wii U and Switch aren’t forward or backwards compatible with each other, use a completely different storage medium, controllers, and drastically different hardware inside and out. Switch started the 9th generation just like Wii U started 8th generation and 360 started 7th and Dreamcast started 6th. The old 5200 analogy was destroyed way back when people were trying to call Wii 6th generation.💯
The concept of console generations was something that was not clearly defined until recent years, mostly by Wikipedia editions. Unfortunately they clumsily classified all the pre-NES American with interchangeable cartridges into Generation 2, even though the 5200 was clearly a successor to the 2600 and the Colecovision came out the same year.
I wouldn’t even consider the “it’s a portable system generation” argument because Nintendo always marketed this as a home console that you can take anywhere. Not as a portable that can be docked. Even the switch lite, Nintendo markets as a portable that can play console capable games
Even then, the portable systems are usually roughly analogous in their lifespan to the main consoles. The Nintendo DS is a 7th generation system while the Gameboy Advance is a 6th generation system. There is one massive exception to this, however: the Gameboy (*unless* you count the Gameboy Color as separate).
This is tricky. Hindsight usually tells us what generation a console was a part of. I’m sure none of this was inherently obvious back when the TurboGrafx16 came out. Seems to be the same for Switch. The Switch spent the majority of 4 years competing directly against PS4 and XB1, so by that definition it’s clearly 8th gen. But the problem is that Nintendo stated that the Switch is only halfway into its lifecycle as of early 2022, meaning that the Switch will be around until 2026. Meaning that the Switch wil have spent 4 years competing against PS4/XB1 and 6 years competing against PS5/XBS. So the Switch could make a case for being 9th gen as well.
In my opinion it’s “Generation 8.5”, the same category as PS4 pro and Xbox one X. Why? It came out a couple of months after the PS4 pro, and the same year as the one X.
8.5 would be "Wii U Pro" wouldn't it? The PS4 Pro and XBOX One X didn't offer new games, just better specs. The Switch is an entirely different machine so unsure why it is the same as those two?
@@Zaphod-ef9yz Yes switch is a new system unlike the pro and the x, but the switch still was released around those systems, so you can argue it’s main competition were the pro and the x. I’m not saying I’m right though it’s just my opinion.
If 8.5 is the “pro” generation then Nintendo won it hands down. Pro sales are miniscule compared to the base consoles. Thats why the concept doesn’t work, because more new base units have been sold than pros since their introduction. The pros did not push the base consoles out of the market and therefore are not a successor or replacement. Which is why Nintendo’s main competition continues to be base models of Sony/MS.
@@FoxbatStargazer it’s all just my opinion but I think “generation” simply refers to the period of time when a system was released. It has nothing to do with what sold more or what the system is replacing. When I mentioned a possible generation “8.5” it’s mostly just a time period. I think everyone can have their own perspective of where the switch belongs, I don’t believe there’s truly a right answer.
I just hope whatever nintendo plans to do next, they don't screw things up trying to reinvent the wheel again, the Switch has everything good about almost all of the uncommon features they introduced before. Touch controls on handled mode, portability, motion controls comparable to the Wii in TV mode... It is sad almost no developers use those features, yes I like wii motion controls, particularly playing FPS, metroid prime was a revelation for me, but it's good the option is there and eventually is used. Pls Pls nintendo don't try to start a new concept from scratch right now, just build upon what is already working.
It’s amazing how similar the Wii and the Switch are based on the fact that they are essentially resells of their respective predecessors and how they have a unique aspect that made them super popular.
I actually think the first definition makes sense, because I don’t think Nintendo cares about competing against Sony or Microsoft, which sounds more similar to their strategy with the 3DS than the Wii U. It feels like docked mode was more to add the few console games they needed to their handheld system, since they cut their dedicated console division. That being said, it is definitely 8th Generation if we must give it a console generation.
As far as whether its a handheld or a home console, I personally put the Switch into its own third category for a hybrid, but if you have to force it into either handheld or a home console categories, it's pretty objectively a handheld that can simply be played like a home console if you so wish. The fact is, it's mobile hardware. It's 6" mini tablet with a mobile chip set running on 5w of power. The dock has no additional gaming hardware, it just outputs the video to a TV, and there are models of the Switch that can only be played at a handheld, but none that can only played as a home console.
I remember Nintendo saying they expect the Switch's lifespan to be at least 2 years, implying we'll get a Switch 2 in like 2024? 4 years after the PS5 and Series X. Interesting to think about. Here's my argument in favor of the Switch being 9th gen: The Genesis came out like 3 years before the SNES, and competed with the NES for a bit. While the marketing against the SNES heated up circa 1991-1992, it was first released in 1988, even before SMB3, a landmark title for the NES Does this then make the Sega Genesis a 3rd gen console since it was originally made to combat the NES, just as the Switch was made to combat the PS4 and Xbox One? If its 4th gen because its 16 bit, what about the Neo Geo? The Neo Geo was actually a 24 bit system, where the hell do we place it now? In my opinion technical specifications dont mean much, and timing matters way more.
I just wanna say dude, your videos are amazing. You're crazy good at describing things, I started watching your vids when I was in 8th grade (2016 or 2017?) and now I'm finishing my senior year in high school, and I owe a lot of my essay and presentation style to your informative console reviews and other vids. Your videos are timeless and they're a great companion to having lunch or any kind of food (I'm not sure why). Videos like this are really what makes my day, I hope you're doing well. :-) also, Sega Dreamcast will forever be the best
@@meatrace since it's always able to be handheld, that means it's designed as a handheld. Kinda like plugging your phone into your TV, is it still handheld? Well yeah, it's just blown up to a television.
Here's my definition of a console: a device to play video games that has a walled garden for its games and other content (therefore, PCs are not consoles). A console generation is just a specific period of time where most of those consoles were cutting edge (in tech and being the "latest thing" therefore, even though the PS2 was still commercially relevant in 2008, it is 6th gen and not 7th gen). I agree with your argument. The simple fact that people are interested in a refresh to the Switch should speak volumes. We are not talking about refreshes to the PS5 or the Series X.
For the average person its easy to think you’re all about video games but man your vocabulary is so large and so well used, i can tell you’re very well educated
I agree, could the tech improvements be the joy con and the portability... I personally think that was a huge improvement and its how they advertised the fact you could take your games with you. so like instead of graphics improvement it was a usability improvement. along side also is the handheld generation part but yeah.
The 8.5th console generation was a weird half-generation, and arguably the first of its kind. PlayStation and Xbox got hardware upgrades for the first time (no, “slim” versions don’t count), Sony’s main division moved to the US, making PlayStation an American brand for the first time, and Nintendo, after the decline in sales of all of their home consoles but the Wii, gave up on home consoles altogether while refusing to admit it, releasing a mid-gen successor to the popular 3DS, marketed as a console-handheld hybrid in order not to scare investors or fans. Side note: I don’t think there will ever be a dedicated Nintendo home console again, aside from maybe a revision of some kind. Nintendo is the only Japanese console manufacturer left, and Japan mostly prefers handhelds in recent years. The game industry is massively changing, shrinking in fact. There are no more Sony handhelds and no more dedicated Nintendo home consoles. Mobile gaming is more popular than ever. I believe Nintendo has found their niche in the market and will stick to it from here on out. That niche being hybrids or dedicated handhelds.
It's their 8 gen re-do. But also, Nintendo will never have two system at the same time ever again. So, which line did it kill? Portable or Console? I guess it's more like they both merge into one.
Switch was thier ONLY 8th gen console. the Wii U is in every way a 7th gen console, it was only capable of running Ps3/X360 era games/ports. It's just a 7th gen "pro" Wii
I've been an IT professional since 1998. That's a long time. Switch is a handheld with a dock. Hybrid is a marketing hype term. If Switch is a home console, that means that any laptop or notebook with an external dock automatically becomes a desktop. It's not. It's still a notebook. Switch is a handheld. I wish Nintendo had a console with at least PS4 Pro level of capability.
Hearing your sentiments, I would agree. That said, to talk about the Switch in relation to the Wii U (and even the 3DS), it's pretty interesting because what a lot of people don't seem to notice is that Nintendo has a particularly unique mindset when it comes to their hardware. Unlike Sony and Microsoft who both just have one brand of video game consoles (PlayStation and Xbox) that they iterate on, Nintendo shuffles various "brands" of hardware that come in and out and sees them all as separate "pillars" of business that they keep around for as long as they think it's viable. To put it in another way, Nintendo always talked about the Switch as a "third pillar" to the 3DS and Wii U, a separate and third business venture and an unrelated piece of hardware they were supporting while still supporting the 3DS business and the Wii U business (the latter less so because of its lack of success on an individual level, but it still got third party software until 2020), and said that the Switch wouldn't really "replace" the Wii U or 3DS nor was it really their successor. From Nintendo's POV, it was not a replacement/successor in that it wasn't something they saw as a device people would upgrade to from the 3DS and Wii U, but rather a brand-new line of hardware that would stay relevant alongside them for a while and would get support on its own terms for as long as possible. So, it was really a "third line" of hardware that Nintendo made in the market both alongside its two other existing "8th Gen" hardware and itself also relevant alongside Sony's PS4 and Microsoft's Xbox One. Contrarily with the official confirmation from Nintendo that they are releasing a new piece of hardware soon, to be announced this fiscal year and definitely released in the next calendar year, they've always referred to that currently unnamed piece of hardware ( which people are tentatively calling "Switch 2" though that obviously won't be its real name) as "the successor to the Nintendo Switch", in that it is actually a new generation of the Switch brand that iterates on it and they expect people who were consumers of the Nintendo Switch business and ecosystem to eventually migrate over naturally, ie "upgrade" to the new hardware which will carry over aspects of the Switch while being a new and improved version of the hardware, with a more soft transition a la DS->3DS and Wii->Wii U. This new console will be more of a proper "next-gen" console from Nintendo in that regard, one that iterates on their current sole "pillar" of hardware (Switch) in the same way the PS5 and Xbox Series X|S consoles iterate as new generations of PlayStation and Xbox hardware, and one that is likely intended to be made as something that's properly competitive with PS5 and Xbox Series X|S in its own way, so yeah, this yet-to-be-named console will be a proper 9th Gen Console in that regard.
When I first started watching this video 5 mins in, I was saying to myself.... "It's definately a 8th Generation Console but what would Adam think?". lol My mind always said it was 8th Gen but I never looked at it the way you explained it all in the end, so thanks again for another great informative video. :)
Switch is 8th gen, but will live on in the 9th gen....At least for a while. As a plain umbrella term to describe currently relevant platforms, I think for now, we can just call the Switch "Current gen" when lumping together the PS5, Xbox Series and Switch, as those are the current platforms supported by each respective company. This is despite the fact though the Switch isn't a 9th gen console, it just happens to be relevant in the 9th gen. However, years from now, we will look back at gaming history and remember the Switch as an 8th gen console.
I gotta discard theory #3 immediately. There are muiltple video anyone can look up especially from when the switch came out breaking down its specs. It is vastly more modern and powerful than the Xbox 360 or ps3. Now as far as the wii u is concerned the switch is a decent bit more powerful but yes not by some huge margin, however again the architecture of the Tegra X1 is vastly more modern than the wii u (at least cpu wise, the wiiu's was anemic) hence why we have seen some crazy ports that have been achieved.
When we see it in general, the Switch launched in the middle of the gen considering when the WiiU, XB1 and PS4 launched. But on the Nintendo side of things, the Switch is their next gen machine replacing not only the WiiU, but the 3DS as well. First one to replace both the console and handheld as the Switch is a special case (hybrid). And the Lite is basically the new GBA jj. About the gen number, I don't care, I am never aware of which one we are at, lol. I just know we started a new one In December 2020. In summary, the Switch represents what Nintendo is all about. They are on their own time line now, doing their own thing, not caring when the competition launches their stuff.
Never touched a Wii U, so it works as Nintendo’s 8th generation offering for me. I think moving forward, the Switch will become a platform, where each iteration is evolutionary. Provided Nintendo keeps pumping out quality content. BotW and Odyssey are two of my favorite games of all time.
The Switch Arm architecture is vastly different from the WiiU’s Power PC architecture, but I understand what your were trying to say, the graphical capabilities are more similar then to the PS4 and Xbox One.
Nintendo Switch is an 8th gen console. The timing of the release is the same as Sony and Microsoft's mid-gen upgrade consoles. In Nintendo's case, it is the mid gen upgrade that you have repurchase your Wii U games on and portable. You can see this in what titles on are on the system.
I would like to propose the following theory: I'd say between gen 8 and 9 we have the 8.5 consoles like the PS4 Pro and Xbox One X. I feel like the switch can be seen as that kind of upgrade to the WiiU. So really there are 11 generations but it's numbered like 1, 2, 2.5 (atari 5200), 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 8.5 and 9.
The 32X and the Sega Saturn are the same gen, despite the 32X being an add on. I would include the Sega Nomad, but the Sega Nomad is just another version of the Sega Genesis. The Gamecube and the Wii are the same gen, since the Wii is just a repackaged version of the Gamecube, but with motion controls.
From a technological standpoint, yes the Wii is 6th gen. However it was intended to compete against the PS3 & 360, came out in 2006, and had 7th gen features such as wireless controllers becoming a standard, online store for games and apps, a UI, and more widely used online play (Wii's online still sucked but was still a step up from the Gamecube).
The Gamecube couldn't play Netflix, Hulu, Amazon Prime video, browse the internet, nor could you download retro games onto it (Things the Wii could do). All of which were features that began in the 7th gen.
Regardless of whether you think the Wii is a repackaged GameCube Nintendo or not, those there two completely different home consoles. The GCN’s main competitor were SEGA Dreamcast, SONY PlayStation 2, and MICROSOFT XBOX. Yes, the Wii/GCN share similar architecture, but the Wii is different enough to be considered a completely new console in a new generation that was advertised as such.
@@energyzer_bunny1913 In terms of graphics and power, the Wii is a 6th gen console. Wireless controllers existed during the 6th gen via the GameCube wavebird. DLC's also existed in 6th gen. GameCube was capable of going online thanks to the Modem Adapter, which is being sold online for $153 on eBay. I'm certain the GameCube would be powerful enough to do motion gaming and running apps like Netflix & browsing the internet.
@@NYCJoeBlack I disagree. My Wii can run GameCube games and the graphics for the Wii is identical to the GameCube. The Wii was not capable to run the same games the Xbox 360 & PS3 had such as Mortal Kombat 9 & Dead Or Alive 5.
I wanna have a heart too, Adam! -a fan since 2012 Also, I can tell that you watched CGP Grey's video on what constitutes a country, since you used almost the exact wording he did.
I never debate that Switch is 8th gen, but I actually do not agree on Wii U is clearly 8th gen. Wii U is a direct answer to X360 and PS3, HD graphics especially as OG Wii lacked this, and was designed during that gen as an answer to bring Wii up to that level. Similar games like Mass Effect 3 & Splinter Cell Blacklist further proves what generation it resides in my opinion. Wii U is a far more tricky console to place, but it did not start a new generation or know what it would go up against with the XB1 and PS4.
I think one reason why the Switch could reasonably be labelled as a 9th gen console would be to look at the Atari Jaguar and the 3DO. Both released in 1993 in North America, only 2 years after the SNES, yet are 5th gen consoles. Timing wise during their relevancy, they were competing with the SNES and Genesis and all but disappeared by the time the PS1, N64, Saturn came to market. So by that logic, the Switch can be a 9th gen console but still primarily compete against 8th gen machines for the majority of its lifespan.
Awesome topic! I'll give an alternative take. When Reggie Fils-Aime became president and adopted blue ocean strategy Nintendo bowed out of the console race with Sony and Microsoft. That is why we really could have this same discussion about any Nintendo home console since the Wii. Easier to just to refer to it as Nintendo's 7th generation. In spirit I consider the Neo Geo cd a cd add on and with the Sega Mark 3 I consider the backward compatability.
Personally I count the Sega 32X and Sega CD as different consoles from the Genesis, despite using it as a base. So really, Sega had 3 + the Game Gear for the fourth generation. It's not impossible to have multiple within just a few years of each other
The hardware in the Switch isn't anything like the Wii U though. The Wii U used an IBM Cpu and AMD GPU. The Switch used a Nvidia Tegra system on a chip (used in phones and tablets). Completely different architectures. You could argue the graphical capabilities are similar. (Switch is more powerful as we've seen in cross gen games though.)
Adam, you make great points and I totally get your argument. But I consider it a handheld because at this point from what I can tell it's primarily being sold and played as a handheld. I was on the fence about it until the switch light was released. But the fact that there's a switch light but no home only switch ended the debate for me. Now if I have to choose between handheld or console, I'm putting it in the handheld category because it's so much more similar to traditional handhelds or even android tablets than a console. And the dock in terms of specs really doesn't change the experience in any significant way. I like my switch but the ability to plug it into a TV feels like a secondary feature at this point in terms of how much emphasis Nintendo actually puts on it in their games, despite whatever else they might say in marketing. I wish they'd offer a home only version at a discount bundled with a pro controller but no joycons or screen. Then I'd come around again to considering it a console.
I almost never play my Switch as a handheld, I like to have the games look the best they can so I play it through an mClassic. Even before the mClassic released though I was still using it almost solely on TV because I play alot of RPGs and you don't get the same immersion and impact when playing on a tiny handheld
I know I'm a bit late, but regarding it being on the same power level as the PS3/360: While it does have similar speeds to those consoles, more similar to anything else at least, not only does the Switch have more RAM, but it's important to take note the Switch's hardware natively supports various newer tools and engines, which would simply not work on the real 7th gen machines and the Wii U. That's why ports of 8th gen games can look and run shockingly well compared to the base Xbox One versions, but also why PS3, 360, and Wii U ports are barley improved.
To expand on Adam's comparisons to countries, the way international law works is based on the principle of Westphalian sovereignty. It basically says that if everyone agrees that some place is a nation, then it is. That's pretty much all there is to it. Way back in 1648 there were all these arguments in Europe about who had authority over what so they signed a treaty so they could fight slightly fewer wars over it. Back then, Germany and Italy didn't exist like they do now. That happened much later but this was the beginning of people with similarities and commonalities in culture and language deciding to make it one country. So, to summarize: yes, the international system does work in pretty much the same way as definitions of console generations. A multitude of factors are considered and debated but ultimately it comes down to enough people saying it is what it is.
I think the switch fits into a 0.5 catogory similar to the game boy color, ps4 pro, Xbox onex. Where it’s a upgrade for sure but it’s getting the same games released on the prior gens platforms with minor upgrades as well as its own games.
XB1 and PS4 went most their lifespan with rereleases of last gen, cross gen and minor upgrades, XbX and PS5 seem to be following the trend. Still don't get why the Switch is an "upgrade like PS4 pro" - it has a completely different library of games unlike PS4 pro and the rest you mentioned..
Pretty sure you can put a PS4 disc into a PS4 Pro and it works. Switch doesn’t even have a disc slot. Even the slightest scrutiny destroys these takes.
@@ShadowFoxInfinite I made same argument in a few threads now. If this is even a thing then the XBONE and PS4 are both actually 7th gen. They did zero different from their predecessors in terms of innovation, shared mostly the same games with their predecessors, their asthetics particularly controllers are largely unchanged.. yea.. the XBONE and PS4 are 7th Gen systems.. just upgrades of 360 and PS3 for sure.
Nice video and topic! One thing to note though, the Wii U and Switch actually share very little in the realm of their architecture. The Wii U was the final evolution of the PowerPC+AMD GPU engine that was so good in the Gamecube that it was kept and enhanced for three console generations over a decade, a pretty impressive achievement. The Switch actually has much more in common with the Nvidia Shield TV with a somewhat slower-rated and customized version of its Tegra X/X1 SoC and using ARM-based CPU. I don't know for certain but they probably have a dev kit that presents similar interface for both which facilitates all the ports, and they might be roughly similar in capability, but under the hood the Switch is actually more akin to a mobile architecture than a traditional console.
It’s a handheld to me just with a dock for a low res tv input and the lite has no dock at all for the tv. The Wii U was Nintendo’s last home console unless they decide to compete with Sony and Microsoft later down the line.
Strongly agree! It's a 8th gen console like Wii U is. It happen before (you forgot Sega 32X and Saturn). But, architecturally from an hardware prospective, Wii U and Switch are very different. Wii U was was based on a PowerPC CPU and AMD GPU, Switch is based on the Nvidia Tegra. Very different hardware!
I think it's a 8.5 gen console. I came out around the time where Sony and Microsoft had released their updated gen 8 consoles. Looking at the Switch from a technical aspect it's on par with the Wii U witch was an 8 gen console. The Switch is more of Nintendo's revision of the Wii U that was expanded on. The Switch is everything Nintendo wanted the Wii U to be.
I can't argue against it. It is a revamp of the Wii U, and took almost all of the best Wii U games and re-released them on the Switch. It also is the successor to the Nintendo 3DS. The Switch total sales are going to reach the combined sales of the Wii U and Nintendo 3DS this year, so that says it all. The timing corresponds with the other console refreshes of the PS4 (Ps4 Pro) and the Xbox One (Xbox One S) in 2016.
1. The technology thing is not THAT clear cut: - Last gen consoles will put out better graphics, but the Tegra X1 revision powering the Switch is a couple years newer and pretty much objectively superior to the Jaguar chips powering last gen, just in a different category. - The Switch is nowhere near as laggy and sluggish in its menus as 7th and 8th gen consoles, since its using way more modern software design. So it has a 9th gen feel, just without 9th gen graphics. - "Game Cards" are pretty much objectively better than Blu-Ray besides price, and soon they will be making ones that hold 64 GB which is bigger than the 50 GB max Blu-Rays that the PS4, Xbox One, PS5, and Series X use. - A big portion of Sony's 9th gen push is the DualSense controller, which is very similar to Nintendo's push with the Joy-Cons 2. Timing I agree on. Like you said the Switch came out closer to the PS4 and Xbox One than the PS5 and Series X. In September the president of Nintendo said the Switch's life just reached it's midpoint. If that is true the successor may release closer to 10th gen than 9th gen, in which case Nintendo would have skipped 9th gen by this logic. 3. Intent is a weird one since the Switch was designed to have a long life (going with current Nvidia offerings that will be upgraded over time), but Nintendo doesn't take shots at the competition or even act in a way that suggests they are trying to out do the others. Prime example is holiday 2020 where Nintendo's big releases up against next gen consoles was emulated 3D Mario games and another Hyrule Warriors game. The Wii U when it came out was pretty much designed and marketed with the ports it got to go up against the 360 and PS3, without any real plan for what comes after that, yet it still counts as a 8th gen console. I agree for now that the Switch is 8th gen, but I think in the future the current concept of console generations is going to have a harder time doing its job
It's kind of fun to compare this idea of hardware generations to the software dev process, too: for most of commercial software history, releases happened maybe once per year or more often once every few years, and they had release versions. But now most software is released in a tightly iterative process, so there are just successive builds that are pushed to the cloud in many cases in a matter of days to weeks apart. That's why even the retail release of Windows 10 is considered the "last release ever" by MS, because from now on they just keep pushing updates. Granted those are only twice a year, but they are really just snapshots of the incremental builds for the services they run in the cloud at those times. Thus there are no more distinct generations, just refreshes that are not related to releases for their competitors. I think the hardware process has been a little slower to move to this model, but they are definitely moving in that direction.
Great analysis. Man I loved my Wii U. But I was always a bit bummed I couldn't take it into other rooms and play on the tablet while in bed, which is what I imagined you'd be able to do when that format was first announced, so the switch fulfills that and more.
The wii U is clearly a 7th gen console becasue it could only run ps3/x360 software and ports. whether you place the Wii in same category or a beefed up 6th gen camecube is up for debate
@@SombreroGato Dude did you even watch the video? The Wii U was meant to compete with the 8th generation consoles, came out a year before the other 8th gen systems came out. Power is not the only factor.
I don't know what the answer is. But, if the "New" Nintendo Switch is simply a mid-gen upgrade to the current Switch, we need to wait and see how long it lasts on the market. The refresh to the Switch could come in 2022. If it isn't replaced until 2025 with a totally new concept from Nintendo and PS6 comes out in 2026, in retrospect I would look at Switch as being in the 9th gen. It did come out early compared to PS5 and XBX, but way late compared to PS4 and XBone.
That’s how I see it. The Wii U is an 8th Gen home console that had a very short life span compared to it’s direct competitors; the PS3/360. The Nintendo Switch is 9th Gen and just had a head start in the new generation which was four years earlier instead of one year earlier like the Sega Dreamcast. If Nintendo releases an enhanced Nintendo Switch, to me, it’ll stil be a 9th Gen console. Now, if Nintendo releases a completely new console then that will be the 10th Gen system that may or may not start the 10th Gen cycle of video games. I do not consider the Nintendo Switch as part of the handheld line as Nintendo advertised it as a home console. Plus, the Nintendo Switch does not have all the features of the Nintendo 3DS. To me, a successor to the N3DS would be a handheld similar in size to the N3DS, it would share some or all of the features, it might be backwards compatible, share similar MSRP, and actually be truly portable. I’m actually still hoping Nintendo considers a next gen dedicated handheld. Now, what that looks like, I have no idea, but whether it is more akin to a Game Boy/Game Boy Advance with one screen and powerful like a SONY PS VITA or something along the lines of a Nintendo DS/Nintendo 3DS where it maintains the dual screen and touch screen aspects while enhancing graphic capabilities with improvements in a faster CPU and more RAM, I do not know, so as long as it is a true dedicated handheld that can still accept physical media (preferably cartridge/Game Card).
This will be the third generation in a row that lasts at least 7 years you are gonna have to give up on the historical 4 year cycles ever coming back I think, I would prefer It but I just don't see it happening again due to the platform holders wanting to capitalize on the install base as long as possible. Also the gamecube to the wii was pretty much the same technology wise just a slight upgrade.
Great video as always Adam! Speaking of handhelds are you planning on doing a handhelds recap, like your Console generation recaps? Love those videos and would love to hear your thoughts on them!!
Adam has a podcast? 😯 Interesting that people don't consider the switch a home console when nintendo has stated it is the wii u successor and would not replace the 3(DS) line.
I think it's the first non-gen console, and frankly I consider it a platform and not a console at all. Regardless, it's my favorite video game platform/console of all time.
Adam, really like your analysis videos. Would like to see more. Agree with your conclusion. This question came up while I was updating my collection spreadsheet. The Switch is the super saiyan WiiU. :) Kudos for the Star Trek reference. We need a better background to the videos. We'd like to see your collection bookshelf, maybe with a few games or collectibles.
Your argument that consoles can only be in the same generation if they are similar tech spec is a flawed and “childish” one... Nintendo choosing to put out a lower power console that has other features doesn’t mean it doesn’t compete with consoles released at the same time. For example that’s like saying the gameboy and the game gear were not part of the same gen because one had a colour screen and one was black and white? The wii was far less powerful than the 360 and PS3 yet considered the same gen, the switch competes with the PS5/series x and the Wii u was an 8th gen console competing with PS4 and xbone... very simple, Nintendo as always just chose to not compete on spec.
That's not an argument I made, they don't have to be super close. It's one of many factors. If I believed that, I'd be arguing different things about the Wii and Wii U.
@ GR I agree with you 100%! For me, it’s like this: •. Dreamcast/PS2/GCN/XBOX •. PS3/Wii/360 •. Wii U/PS4/ONE •. Nintendo Switch/PS5/Series X The PlayStation 4 Pro and the Microsoft XBOX ONE X are mid generation enhancements, but are still 8th Gen consoles as they are not completely different consoles, but rather an extension of existing ones, which is why the Nintendo Switch could never be called an enhancement/extension of the Wii U or even the Nintendo 3DS. It’s a next gen console defined by Nintendo as their latest HOME console (agree or not) that had a really early start in the 9th generation of consoles where the Wii U’s lifespan basically ended abruptly, but is definitely an 8th generational home console.
I think it remains to be seen how long the switch keeps going for. If much of its lifecycle ends up being during the 9th gen I think for all intents and purposes it is a 9th gen console.
Never any question that it's always been both an 8th generation and a hybrid console. Nintendo had a choice to either carry Wii U for a few more years entirely themselves, or push a successor out. I fantasize how much more advanced Switch could've been had it had another 2-3 years of development. 🤤
Nintendo is infamous for same gen consoles. The Gameboy to Gameboy Color. The DS to DSi. The 3DS to new3DS. Those weren't just refreshes like the NES to NES toploader, or GBA to micro. They were upgrades with the same concept. What you say makes sense.
I'm not sure that generations in the numerical sense are still relevant today but one thing is for sure. The Switch is "current" generation. It is on the store shelves with the PS5 and XBX/S, is still being manufactured and developed for so it can't in any way be referred to as "last gen" as if it were then it would have been discontinued.
A console is a computer pacific made for gaming,it’s a central processing unit (CPU) graphics processing unit(GPU) and random access memory(RAM) and most times it have a dvd drive
I get what you were saying about it being on the level of 8 (plus a little bit). That's why I think it's fitting to call it 8.5. And officially adding a "point 5" to the practice of generations makes sense, I think, because as you said there's never been anything quite like the Switch. 🤷 But whatever's clever. Like you said, no dog in this fight. It's just an interesting intellectual exercise, because (as you alluded to) nothing means anything beyond what we all agree it means.
Tough one, something just seems wrong to me about putting it in 8th gen. I mean yes, its basically not much different (spec wise) than the Wii u like you said and its definitely not more capable than the ps4/xbox one.. However, to me the hybrid function of the switch is just far to radical a development in gaming to throw this in with the rest of the 8th gen. Almost like putting it in the 8th gen is just not respecting how different a console it truly is. It is definitely to old now to be considered next gen though. I'm just going to stop typing now because I have no idea what I think really.
Called it before I opened the video. Switch is just the perfected Wii U. They weren’t going to wait for a whole generation of lost profit just to fall into social norms. They made a console for the second half of the generation to become profitable again.
For my me the whole thing is visualized by first looking into the last . Back in the gen of the early 200s: the PS2, XBOX , and GameCube where all rivals . Very clearly defined . Then when the Xbox 360/ ps3 era came and beacsue of the financial crisis those systems lasted FOREVER they lasted like before I got into high school all the way to me already being finished with university crazy. The wii did their own thing during that time, but also because of duration it didn’t match the Nintendo timeline 1 to 1 . Nintendo couldn’t compete so they made themselves different and became absolutely crazy successful, but they’d didn’t puirsuit a tech dominance but a age dominance with the Wii. During the next gen of consoles the Xbox One and PS4 where rivals and Nintendo was killing it with the success of their portables .. so they kinda introduced what I like to call a terrible mix the famous Wii U . Great games terrible execution they even lost almost all 3 party interest. There is where I think the differentiation element of Nintendo really shifted 180 degrees . They realized they couldn’t complete in the home market even with new tech like motion control or peripherals . So they left it that easy and when directly I to portable. Today the switch is more portable than console .. I used it only docked, however the data tells us people don’t use it like this . The generations now will always be disputed because Nintendo left that battle they decided not to compete but to do their own thing . They became so so so successful I the portable world then even put the giants such as Sony to their knees . If I had to place it in a gen I’ll say the switch is part of the gen of the Xbox one X, ps4 pro. Still last gen but updated last gen. Not the PS5 and Series x gen ... but yet again we shouldn’t even try to add Nintendo to these things anymore , eveyone should just understand their will do Their own thing and the timeline will no longer sync with the competition. Saying that the switch is the gen of the series X is ridiculous that will make the upcoming switch with OLED screen the gen after the ps5 🤣
