| EXTREME OPINION PIECE | ~ The Start of the 8th Generation - My Thoughts

Technically speaking, the full 8th generation of video game consoles started in 2011 with the Nintendo 3DS. But the official start of the home console category - when ALL 8th-generation home systems are out in the wild - doesn't happen until the end of this year; Holiday Season 2013. This will indeed be an interesting time. There's going to be a whole lot of flack being blown from all different sides.

The PS3 and 360 are Still Going Strong: 

Back when the 7th-gen of home consoles was first kicking off - it was only the PS2 which was still active. The original XBOX and the GameCube had basically been retired, and Microsoft and Nintendo were just about ready to go ahead with their new systems full-throttle. 

Now, as we fully transition into the 8th-gen of home systems - the veteran PS3 and 360 are still going undeniably strong. There are still a lot of key titles releasing on these near-decade old systems, even going into 2014. With that said - How will this affect their incoming successors? Well, most PS3/360 owners have just about had enough of these old birds, and may only stick around with them to play new releases, seeing that neither the PS4 or X1 is directly backwards-compatible. But what about the thousands of NEW PS3 & 360 owners, who just bought their systems either this year or at least last year? Will they make the jump to the PS4 or X1? 

Although the effects shouldn't be to strong - There's still a probability that the 360 and PS3 might steal a little thunder from their successors - especially when you have a high-demand title like GTA:V releasing exclusively on the aforementioned veteran platforms. 

Their Reign Hasn't Exactly Ended Yet...

Both the PS4 and the XBOX ONE are Powerhouses: 

Just a little while ago; Sony fans were applauding the announcement that the PS4 would allow used-games and would not require a 24-hour check~in, every single day. This was a part of Sony's PS4 ad-campaign and it worked. Up until recent times, PS4 has been steamrolling the XB1 in pretty much everything. But now Microsoft has flipped the switched and has done a complete 180-maneuver. They've cut the roadblocking policies on the XB1 - so now, it's basically toe-to-toe with the PS4 in every category except power, price and mandatory add-ons. 

Although this just might help the One gain a little ground ~ many have already jumped ship to the PS4 and either can't come back or simply don't want to. Even so, this holiday season - the One can still attract a lot of attention from newcomers who are seeking to buy their first (or second) 8th-generation system. On Sony's side of the fence - although they've basically lost their ad-campaign, they still have a nice 1UP over Microsoft, seeing that they currently are still the "King of the Hill". 

They're Coming and They're Packing a Real Punch...

 The Wii U will Finally Start Singing: 

 Oh Nintendo...they're in a very...interesting position right now. They're not in a bad position, but nor are they in a good position. They're in a rather...unique position, you could say. 

Ever from since 2013 swung around; the Wii U has been falling flat on it's face. For the past 6-months, their have been some really depressing reports like: "Game 'XYZ' won't be coming to Wii U" or "Engine 'XYZ' can't run on Wii U". And all these reports are coming from the very same third-parties that Nintendo promised would be supporting them through-and-through. 

Of course, the main reason why third-parties have been treating the Wii U like the plague, isn't because it's necessarily too weak to run this game or that engine - it's because it isn't profitable. The system is great ~ but it's going unnoticed. Nintendo hasn't really been advertising it's existence, up until recent times. 

Although some consider Nintendo's E3 2013 Direct video to have been sub-par; the announcements that were made are more than enough to light a flame in the Wii U's boosters. Mind you, a lot of those attention-grabbing games won't be seen until sometime next year - but there's enough coming from the big N to have some material to advertise and to sway new owners. With Mario, Zelda, DK, Sonic, W101, and Pikmin under it's belt - the Wii U has a quality first-party title releasing every month from August until the end of the year, as well as being accompanied by a decent amount of AAA third-party titles to go along with it. 

This is enough to give the Wii U a singing voice - but will it be heard? As mentioned earlier; the PS3 & 360 are still going strong, and although they're slowly losing steam - it's not a huge drop like the original Wii. Too add insult to injury - the PS4 and XB1 will be arriving in no time flat - and they're already topping pre-order charts. With all this going against Wii U - mainly 4 rivals - it's going to be quite hard to find a nice spot in all of this commotion. It more than likely will attract a decent amount of attention, but how much? 

Its Finally got the Games - But Will it Get the Attention?

TO CONCLUDE: 

I'm no psychic, or fortune-teller. I don't want to be any of those either. But, looking at the factors, I just wanted to give my opinion of what this holiday season might turn out to be like for the video game industry, when we have 5 major home-systems out in the wild. Two veterans, two strong newcomers and one odd ball - all possessing many different plus points. And with the large influx of new AAA titles coming from first and third-party companies; there's going to be a tsunami of quality games to accompany this mass of systems. 

Things are looking to be immensely hectic....Your thoughts?