It’s remarkable that roughly 15 years ago we authored an article titled “What Makes it a Console??” If you are unfamiliar with the article or clicking the link to it expends too much energy, the premise of it was our attempt at differentiating videogame consoles from computer or handheld gaming devices. During that time, there were already devices that blurred the lines of what would be considered a game console, but the examples were mostly the gaming market stripping down computers to give them a more game console like appearance. There were also quite a few instances where manufacturers attempted to make game consoles portable , but that was not in keeping with the article’s point.

So what prompted us to dig up an old dusty article like a forum necromancer posting on a long dead post? It would seem as if ole DW remained stuck in the seventh generation of videogame consoles. We attempted to rekindle our passion for console gaming by following the growth of Xbox One, Wii U, and Playstation 4. However, we felt the flames die down as Nintendo left Wii U behind like a worn carcass for the Nintendo Switch. The Switch seemed like an Android TV box / tablet with screen mirroring / Chromecast functionality.  Sony and Microsoft pushed hardware upgrade iterations of the same devices, which seemed a slap to the face of early adopters. It began to dawn on us after writing our 2016 “Industry Reflection” that the same blurring of the lines from the past have come full circle.

As we sat in our cave watching Playstation 5 teardown videos, we asked ourselves the same question from years ago. We look at the technical specs of Sony’s successor and the Microsoft Xbox Series X (both featuring near identical PC-like architecture), we look at the enormous shapes of the casings, and we look at the actual price points they are targeting ($499 could get you a decent mid-level gaming computer){*Note* we are aware that the potential power these specs offer could exceed any PC at the same price point, but that introduces other arguments for another time and writer.}. We look at the game media and how both makers are migrating to an emphasis of PC-like digital distribution. We recalled the hindrances of firmware updates from the seventh generation, and how they continued in the eighth generation. We also looked at the intentions of the features that look beyond the scope of mere console gaming.  Of course, the games are still a focus, but most seemed to be high definition remakes of previous generation games. Does it seem like they will eventually reach a stage that they are architecturally the same devices merely driven by different operating systems ala Windows, Linux, MacOS, etc?

We suppose this rant may seem to come across as negative towards modern game consoles. If you have read this far, you may be lumping us in with other 2020 disasters (COVID, Murder Hornets, DW “The Console Historian” bashing consoles!) In truth, we know that these devices will provide fantastic gaming experiences but considering the qualifiers we contributed in the past….in this eighth generation… “What Makes it a Console??”