The console wars have begun. With PlayStation's odd announcement last night, I feel that in the next coming months we will be hearing a lot of different opinions of what next generation really means. It will be an all out argument between what really makes a new console truly next generation. Is it fancy new graphics? New ways to communicate with your friends? Or new ways to play the games. All those topics can become heated arguments very quickly. I'll put in my two cents on what makes a console truly next-gen.

Currently, I'm happy with how the graphics in games look. I think they have enough realism to blur the lines of whats real and not. There are plenty of examples of this on all the consoles that are currently out. What I believe will make a console next-gen is how we play the games. We've been playing games (mostly) for the past 25+ years with the standard controller. Nintendo was the first in my mind that took a look at that and said "hey, lets shake things up a bit". In the past 5 years or so, we just started experimenting with motion controls  with Nintendo's Wii remote, PlayStation's Move, and Xbox's Kinect. I think that is where we need to put more effort on. That's whats going to change the face of gaming. Sure graphics are important, but without new and exciting ways to experience these graphics, it all just seems old. 

A lot of people will argue that Nintendo's Wii U isn't next-gen. I don't see what not next-gen about it. It has a brand new controller with a touch screen, NFC technology, microphone, and speaker. The graphics on the system are fantastic. There new online community has really brought people together and allowed them to chat and share things quite easily. With a promising library of games coming out soon, I don't see how anyone can say that Nintendo has fallen behind.

Now, that might have sounded quite like I'm a Nintendo fanboy, and you're right about that. But me being the fanboy that I am, doesn't mean that I think Nintendo is superior to all. I own a ton of consoles from all companies, and I enjoy them all the same. Each system has its own appeal. Both Sony and Microsoft put out tons of great games for their systems. And I'll continue to support them. My main problem with where the next generation is going is with the community. It seems like everyone needs to take sides defending there favorite system. Why can't we all just agree that they are all great? A video game is meant to be enjoyed, its meant to be an adventure, not a battle grounds for people to argue upon. 

So with that said, lets just go back to having fun with video games, not trying to show each other up.