The 8th Generation of Game's Consoles

[Colinjb]

With the launch of the Wii U imminent it's nearly upon us. The previous generation brought us several leaps forward:

 

HD Graphics

A consolidation of online gaming as crucial

The introduction and growth of DLC as a market

Motion Controls (Particularly in the Wii, which shunned some of the above points ahead of a new control method.)

 

The Wii U, as I understand it, despite being the first of the new generation simply brings the above points together. Yes it will be more powerful then the PS3 and Xbox 360 and converts the main controller into a tablet computer (Something echo'd and attempted in the past to a limited degree by the Dreamcast and it's ill fated VMU unit), but is there really going to be anything revolutionary? Personally I can see this being one of the first generations that starts trying to remove the need for Physical media.... actually buying games in disc format. Just like Steam and Origin are doing for the PC gaming marketplace and Xbox Live, PS Network and Nintendo Virtual Console have also tried with more 'limited' released products such as retro games and DLC. So even then, simply evolution not revolution.

 

What are we to expect? Who will win? What will surprise?

Edited 19 November, 2012 by Colinjb