What Do You Want out of the Next Console Generation?

This article first appeared on USgamer, a partner publication of VG247. Some content, such as this article, has been migrated to VG247 for posterity after USgamer's closure - but it has not been edited or further vetted by the VG247 team.

We live in a weird time for game consoles. PlayStation 4 Pro and Xbox One X seem to have lengthened the longevity of the current lifespan. And yet, with 4K and even 8K (yes, I rolled my eyes too) on the horizon, the next generation of consoles could be approaching far faster than we think.

If you want to read more about the future we're heading towards in terms of consoles, take a gander at Mike's expansive feature where he spoke with many in the industry about this very topic. (Or, even listen to this week's episode of The USgamer Podcast where we talk about the subject a little bit.) In the meantime, for this week's Community Question, we kick the inquiry over to you: What do you want out of the next console generation?

Mike Williams, Reviews Editor

I was the one who wrote the article that this question was based on. I speculated as to what form the next console generation would take towards the end of that lengthy article. I expect what we're getting is more of the same, but more powerful.

In regards to what I want? I admit that with the PlayStation 4 Pro and Xbox One X sitting under my television, I don't really need another console generation at the moment. Part of me always wants to be on the bleeding edge, but the truth is that's pretty expensive. I think there's still room for developers to play with the premium models of current consoles. If anything, I'd push the next generation back another few years, to 2021 or 2022. I'll be there if new systems come, but it's not a need right now, especially since it feels like the PS4 at least is hitting its stride.

Nadia Oxford, Staff Writer

Gosh. I've been around since the first generation of consoles, and I feel like this is the first time I can look at what's available and say, "You know what? I kind of like where we are. This is fine."

I mean, it's not like I plan to rail against the inevitable fixes the next generation will bring, like native 4K, steady 60FPS frame rates, and the rest of it. I just feel like everyone's finally settling down after a decade of Flash games and mobile games turned everything upside-down for a bit. We've got our hyper-realistic games on the PlayStation 4 and Xbox One. We've got our Nintendo properties and charming indies on the Nintendo Switch. There's a sense of stability to the industry that's been missing for a while. Balance to the Force, if you will.

I suppose if I want anything out of the next generation, I want developers to continue bringing the best out of the consoles they work with.

Matt Kim, News Editor

Hopefully we're beyond the point where consoles need extra gimmicks like motion controls or take on additional duties as media hubs. The only thing I really need from the next generation of consoles is better specs. Focus on the gaming, try your best to reach PC quality in terms of graphics and performance, and incorporate good design in both the system and hardware and I'll be happy. It's probably why the PS4 and the Nintendo Switch are the two standout consoles this generation. While the Switch does incorporate a pretty radical hardware design, the system is clearly designed with gaming as its primary objective, same with the PS4 and later the Xbox One X. As Sony's strategy has proven this console generation, focus on the games and the rest will follow.

Caty McCarthy, Features Editor

Nothing, I guess. I feel perfectly satiated with the current console generation. With Microsoft's shift to focusing on backwards compatibility, I'd love to see Sony and Nintendo do similar things, even if they're just relegated to things like Virtual Consoles or the PS2 to PS4 initiative. (On that note, I'd love if Shin Megami Tensei: Nocturne, which has incredible art direction, and Persona 3: FES would release on PS4 through that.) I've never been the sort who cares about graphics, fidelity, frame rates, and what have you; and if anything, the success of the Switch and its exclusives has been proof that those things don't really matter in the grand scheme of things. Graphics age, timeless art direction doesn't. So I don't care what the next generation of consoles brings us.