Sony sees Nintendo's Wii U as "its own generation".

[+Audioboxer Subscriber²]

The first high definition Nintendo console is set to launch in time for Christmas this year, and while the exact technical specifications remain under wraps (we do know top level CPU and GPU information) it is expected to at the least match the power of the PlayStation 3 and the Xbox 360 - not significantly outperform them.

And with the PlayStation 4 and next Xbox rumoured to be set for release late next year, some have described the Wii U as a "stop-gap" console.

For Sony Worldwide Studios boss Shuhei Yoshida, the Wii U, as with its predecessor the Wii, exists in its own bubble.

"Personally, I have always thought Wii was in a generation of its own," Yoshida told Eurogamer when asked whether he considered the Wii U a next generation machine.

"I always thought PlayStation 3 and Xbox 360 are in the same generation, but Wii was not the same. To me, the industry was growing really fast when those three platforms came up because the focus is so different. The PS3 and the 360 were the closest in terms of high definition and networked services. But Wii carved out a large niche to itself. To me, it was like two generations going at the same time."

He added: "Wii U is the next generation of Wii. That I understand. To me, it's its own generation."

During E3 last week the PlayStation 4 - codenamed Orbis - was discussed but not named by Sony executives. One confirmed games are in development for it. Another suggested it will be a powerhouse - and may not launch before the next Xbox.

So, it is coming. But is the Wii U, which will, perhaps, get a year's head start on the competition, a competitor to the PS4?

"That's a trick question!" Yoshida laughed. "We are not talking about future PlayStation platforms at this E3. But everything competes for consumers' time and money and attention.

"When you talk about the gaming industry today, it's a lot bigger than five years ago - there are a lot more people playing games, on a smartphone, on Facebook, in addition to PC and consoles. It's already multi-platform, way beyond the three - Sony and Microsoft and Nintendo.

"So we are competing with everyone for consumers' attention, not just Nintendo and Microsoft."

Source: http://www.eurogamer.net/articles/2012-06-14-sony-wii-u-is-its-own-generation

[HawkMan]

i would pretty much agree.

i never saw the wii as a direct competitor to the ps3 and 360. not because it's bad, but becau it's different and a separate niche, ifyou can call the largest marketshare a niche :)

[CentralDogma]

I?m surprised he didn?t go whole hog and call it current generation.

[ahhell]

That's actually a rather sane response from Sony...or was it just a good translator?

[The Teej]

I'd say that's a reasonable assessment. Naturally within the "formal terms" of a generation cycle it's in the same generation as the PS3/360, but it's definitely not under the same umbrella of achieving to be exactly the same, so in an informal sense it's definitely in it's own generation.

[Jose_49]

Source: http://www.eurogamer...-own-generation

Great quick read. He was very comprehensive before the Wii, and he's right.

We can confirm his argument because in the last three years (2010 - 2012), tables have been trying to be turned: Nintendo always focused on general public and innovative gameplay, while MS and Sony on Hardcore gamers and powerhorse machines + FPS games. The Wii U, Kinect, and PSMove are just different approaches from these companies to fill "the other hole".

[Jose_49]

"When you talk about the gaming industry today' date=' it's a lot bigger than five years ago - there are a lot more people playing games, on a smartphone, on Facebook, in addition to PC and consoles. It's already multi-platform, way beyond the three - Sony and Microsoft and Nintendo.

"So we are competing with everyone for consumers' attention, not just Nintendo and Microsoft."[/quote']

Glad he understands this (Y). I hope that I don't hear rumors like "unable to play used games" and crap like that. If you want to attract customers, then give them a choice for choosing you, not to avoid you.

[compl3x]

Here I was thinking generation simply refered to a release period for competing consoles.

I must be dense because I don't understand this idea of the word generation meaning 50 different things. The other topic where this debate was happening was a discussion about generation meaning power. Yoshida is now suggesting if you cater to a niche ( a rather large, dominant niche) that itself becomes its own generation. It's like arguing the N64 and Playstation weren't in the same generation because one was disc based and the other cartridge based. Or because Sony was pushing more mature titles while Ninty was sticking to popular, family friendly IPs. Seems silly to me.

If the Wii was in its own generation, it roundhouse kicked its two stronger, other generation competitors... Sales wise.

[astropheed Veteran]

It's just a marketing word compl3x. Not because "Generation" sounds all that cool, but mostly because "Next-Gen" does sound cool. "Why be this gen when you can get next-gen". It doesn't really mean any one thing, and that's the problem with it all. Graphics can and will get better but we've surely reached a peak of it adding any new groundbreaking levels of immersion. I could see the current "gen" holding on for far longer but public pressure to get release cycles are pushing it unnecessarily.

[The Teej]

It's just a marketing word compl3x. Not because "Generation" sounds all that cool, but mostly because "Next-Gen" does sound cool. "Why be this gen when you can get next-gen". It doesn't really mean any one thing, and that's the problem with it all. Graphics can and will get better but we've surely reached a peak of it adding any new groundbreaking levels of immersion. I could see the current "gen" holding on for far longer but public pressure to get release cycles are pushing it unnecessarily.

I don't really see it being unnecessary - fact of the matter is, while games can look pretty damn good, we definitely haven't hit a peak, it just feels like we have because this generation has hung around far longer then normal. For example, if you made a console with specs like Intel Core i7 2600K, GTX 690, 8GB of RAM, and turned it into an embedded unit a la consoles, and developers specifically tuned their games towards that one specific set of hardware, in two years time that console would be pushing out visuals that would make Heavy Rain look like a Nintendo 64 game. Hell, PC games are already making their console counterparts look outdated by comparison - Battlefield 3 on Ultra simply trounces the console version of BF3.

I'm not saying console games look ugly, far from it, Beyond for PS3 looks immensely gorgeous. However surely it would be nice if this game was in full 1080p, at least? Next-gen can deliver this, the current generation cannot.

It wouldn't surprise me if both the 360 and PS3 live well beyond 10 years with active releases - the total install base combined of the PS3 + 360 is over 150 million, which is an astronomical figure, and one that's many, many, many times larger then the install base of the PS4/720 even 2 years from now. We've never seen a generation before where all the combatants are so closely tied towards being #1 - typically speaking in previous generations one console has pretty much ruled the roost - we haven't seen such a fierce determination of stamina and competition since the Mega Drive and Super Nintendo days and with consoles these days being super powerful and upgradeable - two things previous generations haven't had the luxury of being - it gives the 7th gen incredibly long legs.

Regardless of this, I still feel it's essential a next generation comes along. Tablets are slowly creeping up on console territory and regardless of whether they actually have the horsepower to compete with a Playstation 3 (which is a laughable claim - I'd like to see the new iPad pull off Beyond or Uncharted 3), consumers only see or care about visual fidelity and tablets are pulling tricks to make it seem comparable to consoles, and consoles are (albeit very slowly) losing mindshare to tablets - which is why it's important for the industry to have the next generation and tell the tablet manufactuers to do one, and show them games are best served on consoles, not tablets.

[Victini Aran]

i disagree with this topic.wii was in the same gen as xbox 360 and ps3 and was the leader. wii u is so next gen because wait a year then see its games.Its launch games are equal or even superior than their xbox360/ps3 ports which are the best looking games on those systems