8th Generation Game Consoles 2011-Present
The eighth generation is the one we are currently in. There isn't much to say about it other than the graphics keep getting better, new ways to play video games keep popping up, and Nintendo, Sony, and Microsoft still dominate the market and it all seems to be going downhill. There was a time where we used to sit down and play video games on the couch and just relax. Now we are standing and flailing our arms around. Now Google and Panasonic are coming into the market. What will happen to video games in the next few years? We can only watch and wait.
Nintendo Wii U
Nintendo Wii U
The Nintendo Wii U was announced at E3 2011, and was released in 2012. As the successor to the Wii, it has backwards compatibility with Wii games, but not Gamecube games. The Wii U is also be compatible with all of the Wii items (remotes, balance board, wheel, etc.). The controllers have a touch screen on them. The console is able to display games in HD. Players interact with the games using the controller's screen. The Wii U uses an AMD Radeon High Definition processor.
Playstation 4 (PS4)
Playstation 4
Announced in 2013, this console will be the successor to the Playstation 3. After seeing the trailer for it, I honestly have to say that it has the best graphics I have ever seen in my life. Graphics are getting close to being as good as the human vision. The Dualshock 4 controllers will have a touch pad on them for interactivity with games.
Xbox One
Xbox One
The successor to the Xbox 360 was announced on May 21, 2013. When it was first revealed, they didn't do a very good job explaining things about it. Concerns about used games and privacy came out of the mess. However, the situation seems to have cleared up. You can have several applications open at the same time. There will also be advanced voice controls. Games bought are installed directly onto the console, so you won't need the disk after you use it the first time.
Nexus Orbit
Nexus Orbit
Just recently, Google announced that it is going to enter the video game market with their own console, the Nexus Orbit. It will be able to wirelessly connect to a television with a process called DP Connect. It will also have some connectivity with the Google Glass to show night vision views of games and even translate languages when playing internationally. Not much is known about this console, we will have to wait and see.
Handhelds
Nintendo 3DS
Nintendo 3DS
The Nintendo 3DS was released in 2011 by Nintendo. It is backward compatible with Nintendo DS games and Dsi software. The most noticeable new feature of the 3DS is the 3D feature that doesn't require 3D Glasses to see the 3D effect. The console also has a built in motion sensor and improved graphics. The 3DS will also have a virtual console similar to the one on the Wii. It has been announced that NES, Gameboy, Gameboy Color, Gameboy Advance, TurboGrafx 16, and Sega Game Gear games will be released for the 3DS Virtual Console. The console has 3D movie playback capability. The web browser for this console is now available. Also like the Wii, Mii's are available for this console.
Playstation Vita (PSV)
Playstation Vita
The Playstation Vita was be released by Sony in 2012 as the successor to the PSP. It includes a multi touch touchscreen, and two analog sticks. It supports Wi-Fi and 3G networks. The PSV is backwards compatible with Playstation Network games. It can also be used as a second screen for the Playstation 4. It also has two cameras on the front for taking pictures.