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What Did We Learn This Generation?

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This next console gen has been a long time coming.

The Xbox 360, PS3 and Wii - collectively known as the seventh generation - have steered the course of the industry since 2005.

Much has changed over the last eight years in gaming - and as we perch on the precipice of a new era, perhaps it's a time for retrospection.

So, what did we learn from this generation?

The most obvious change with the advent of new hardware is in the technical specification - each generation is faster and more capable than the last.

At the time of the current gen's introduction, HDTVs were starting to become widely available - and the Xbox 360 and PS3 both took advantage of this by supporting HD video formats.

This wasn't without issue - in 2005 standard-def CRTs were still very common, and some games ran into issues when running at the lower resolution - many complained about the small text in Dead Rising, for instance.

However, with HDTVs dropping in price over the console's lifespan, many made the switch to such displays, and the next generation is all set to embrace an HD-only approach.

We also saw a good old format war in the early-gen: Sony's Blu Ray versus Toshiba's ill-fated HD-DVD.

The PS3's Blu Ray drive made it an attractive offering for those looking for an entry-level HD player, with even the exorbitant launch price proving competitive.

Microsoft released the half-hearted add-on HD-DVD player for the 360, although after a brief flounder Blu-Ray became the dominant format, and will indeed be the optical media of choice for both the Xbox One and PS4.

Quite how long physical media will remain relevant is another matter - digital downloads and streaming services such as Netflix are unburdened by such concerns.

It seems as though redundant hardware is a recurring trend in Gen7, with games such as Guitar Hero and Rock Band clogging up homes with fake plastic guitars.

Rhythm games were a fun diversion while they lasted, but for a more persistent peripheral you need to look to motion controllers.

The Wii proved phenomenally popular with its Wiimote-nunchuck combo - and Microsoft and Sony followed suit in arm flailing fashion, with the Kinect and Move respectively.

Well suited to certain genres - dancing games and casual party games spring to mind - but such forms of input can be a little less precise for games that demand fine-grained control.

It seems as though motion controls aren't going anywhere just yet, however - the Kinect is returning with a next-gen upgrade, and the Wii U and PS4 both retain support for their equivalent.

This gen also saw the widespread acceptance of online gaming - the Xbox 360 built on the impressive inroads the original Xbox made with Xbox LIVE, and the PS3 found fully-fledged online support in place of the limited selection on the PS2.

Online multiplayer was very much a killer app for this generation, with titles such as Halo and Call of Duty giving rise to thriving online communities - and inspiring many to emulate their success.

Co-operative games have proven popular too - with 4 players proving the gold standard in titles like Borderlands and Left 4 Dead: and the less-competitive space is ideal for the enjoyment of social gaming.

Voice chat is now a default means of communication, helped particularly on the Xbox 360 by bundled inclusion of headset and the early availability of party chat.

Gaming is now very much a social platform, with shared spaces interlinked by a suite of communication means.

The world might not be quite ready for a mandatory always-online console, but we are certainly getting closer than ever before.

One side effect of this connectivity is the emergence of the digital marketplace - with DLC taking the place of the expansion packs of yore.

This was a reluctant introduction met with many missteps, perhaps most notably with Oblivion's Horse Armor DLC - an aesthetic upgrade for your equine chum costing a few of your hard-earned dollars.

These electronic offerings did improve, however - and there have been some very memorable extensions to games that have been more fairly priced.

The online marketplace also permits a scalable price point - all the way from a full price AAA title, through smaller-scope indie games and stand-alone arcade titles - to games which don't require any initial investment at all.

Free-to-play games have found the greatest success on the PC, but in recent months we've seen a slew of such titles announced for the consoles - and it's likely they'll feature on the next-gen platforms too.

Such offerings are supported by in-game purchases - sometimes for cosmetic purposes, otherwise to eliminate a grind for resources or to grant a more obvious advantage.

What Did We Learn This Generation?

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