[QUOTE="Pikminmaniac"]

someone needs to look up the definition of next gen. It has to do with time not power or functionality and everything to do with chronological order.

[/QUOTE]

If that was truly the case, this thread wouldn't even exist. There is no definite way of what makes a system next-gen because it's a very subjective topic. That's the reason why the Wii was considered to be both "last gen" and more "next gen" than anything else, depending on who you asked.

As for my take on the matter, it depends on what the Wii U eventually is able to do. If you look at the lineup of games, there's little to suggest that the Wii U is very different from the HD systems on the market, and from a technical perspective, I doubt that the Wii U will be capable of making that much of a difference on the majority of current-gen titles. For me, it really all depends on the execution of what makes the Wii U different from its current-gen competition, namely the Wii U tablet and whatever new gaming concepts that are made for it. That's what will enable the Wii U to stand out not only from the systems out now, but also from whatever to come down the line.

Still, if I had to make a choice at this very moment, I would very much call it a "this gen" system for the time being.

[QUOTE="Madmangamer364"]

[QUOTE="spike6958"]

Is it? Again, the fact that there's even a question to be asked about what the Wii U is makes it susceptible to this sort of debate. And it would be ok if it was just a sole topic on a message board, but the truth is that even publishers and developers seem to have mixed thoughts about what the Wii U is and what it is capable of. This is an industry-wide debate going on here, and there are different points to be made about it. Even more telling are that those who have been in support of the Wii U have typically used the system's power to make their argument, not some chronological-related evidence that the Wii U is "next-gen" simply because it's Nintendo's next console. That is what makes this topic subjective, and since it's subjective, it's also prone to arguments that the Wii U isn't "next gen" at all.

Again, the Wii dealt with the same thing, and it was the LAST console released among itself and the two HD consoles. Plus, it had defining feature more unique and defined with the Wii Remote than the Wii U's gamepad. That's not to say that the claims of the system being "last-gen" were true, but if this was as simple as you're trying to make it, the topic wouldn't have taken off at all, much less lasted as long as it did.

[QUOTE="spike6958"]You don't go saying that the Nerdy kids in school aren't the next generation of Humans just because they aren't as strong as the Football players(this is just an example, no offence meant to anyone), they are still all classed as the next generation, and it's the same with consoles.[/QUOTE]

Not sure where that analogy came from, but since you brought it up, allow me to use it to make my point. Just because one student is in 7th grade, whereas another student is in 1st grade, doesn't mean that they aren't part of the same generation. I think this holds just as true, if not more so, than your nerd/football player point in regards to the Wii U being a next gen console. You could also have someone that is 5 and another who is 25 and be, guess what? Part of the same generation. Probably not the best idea to compare gaming systems to people. :P

To take it a step further, look back at the 16-bit gen and Sega. Between the Genesis, Sega CD, and 32X, they released three platforms that would all be part of the same gen. Right now, it's not too much a stretch to put the Wii U in a similar field, if that's the argument you really want to make. And I'm not even trying to compare the Wii U to the Sega CD and 32X directly; it's just something to consider in a topic that now is trying to be made so simple, when there are various layers to work with.

[QUOTE="spike6958"]The Wii is a 7th Generation console, just as the PS3 and Xbox 360 are, so, regardless of it's specs, the WiiU will be an 8th Generation console, just like the "PS4" and "720" will be.[/QUOTE]

My point was never about specs to begin with, but the fact that the Wii U has to define itself beyond being a new console to be called "next gen" to many people, myself included This may not even be a subject a couple of years from now, but as we speak, if the Wii U is truly "next gen," it hasn't done much to prove it. Right now, it appears to be more focused on holding its own with "current gen" concepts. I'm not even trying to be adamant on my stance here, as I recognize that the system could have taken major strides between now and a few years from now. However, those strides have yet to be seen and because this is a topic that has seen its moments of debate, I just decided to take a stance on the matter according to what I'm seeing, which is mostly "this gen" titles on a system where so much about its true capabilities are compared to "this gen" consoles.

Am I "right"? *shrugs* Perhaps not, but at the moment, I'm not that really "wrong", either. The same goes for those who are claiming the Wii U to be "next gen" for whatever reason they choose to. That's a subjective topic for you. :P

[/QUOTE] The reason questions like this get asked is simple, People on System Wars are trying to change the definition of the word "Generation" to suite there means. Yes, the WiiU might have similar hardware to consoles of previous generations(even though we KNOW it's more powerful), but the word "Generation" DOES NOT mean technology. Nintendo could come out with another 16bit console if they wanted, if they say it's there next gen system then that's what it is. The reason there is so much confusion is because the Nintendo haters in places such as System Wars, love to shout that next gen doesn't start until the next version of there favorite system is released, and that WiiU is just a stop-gap console (if that) because they refuse to remove there fan-boy tinted glasses and take a real look at the system. They blindly shout about how the WiiU will be obsolete when the PS4/720 are released, without any proof (just like many said the 360 would be once the PS3 released), and do it so often that people who genuinely don't know get confused by it and thus topics like this begin, this is also the first system to really be released since System Wars became popular (even though it was around it didn't really start till this gen), so obviously some people are going to not understand to not trust everything they read in places like that.
It also doesn't help that Nintendo are been kinda hush-hush about it, with many people still thinking it's just a controller add-on for the current Wii, and some not even knowing it exists, despite the fact they plan to release it in within the next 4 months, once they start the campaign they answer these questions.

Also with the Football/Geek analogy I think mine works better. A Football player and a Geek of the same age will be very different, the Football player is more powerful, and can do more physically demanding things, but can get injured more easily due to more strainful work, where as a Geek while not as powerful is able to use his other skills to make the most out of what he is able to do, and is much more likely to not be injured, but they are still the same age and part of the same Generation.
This analogy works perfectly if you look at the Football player as an Xbox 360 and the Geek as a Wii, the 360 is a more powerful system than the Wii, it's able to run much more demanding games, such as Gears of War 3, yet the system is prone to overheating, which causes the system to get the RROD, which MANY 360's got, where as the less powerful Wii used what it did have to great effect, making some of the most impressive games of this generation, such as Super Mario Galaxy 2, and is a much more durable system, but despite there differences in power and durability they are still both part of this Generation, just as the WiiU will be part of the next.