So, with the release of the next gen consoles, are the Wii, PS3 and 360 officially retro now?

Are the 360/Wii/PS3 retro now?

  • Yes

    Votes: 63 56.3%

  • No

    Votes: 49 43.8%
  • Total voters
    112
Kazza

Kazza

Member
With the release of the new consoles, the Wii/PS3/360 are now two generations behind the current one (and that means the PS4/XOne are now "last gen"). The Wii/PS3/360 gen started in 2005/6, which means there are working adults now in their 20s who had these systems as their childhood console. The likes of Uncharted, Mario Galaxy and Gears of War will be to to them as Mario/Sonic/Doom were to previous generations of gamers.

You know how people say "lol, looks like PS2 graphics" for any game without cutting edge visuals (often by people who obviously don't remember what PS2 graphics actually looked like)? Well, get ready for "lol, looks like PS3 graphics" for any next-gen game without ray-tracing featured in the puddles.

giphy.gif
 
Retro by definition needs to become fashionable again to be retro, like the surge of pixelated indie games imitating old styles

The only "retro" consoles really are the plug-and-play devices like the SNES Mini that replicate those old systems. PSWii60 is just "old" now.
 
The DC/PS2/XBOX/GC generation just became 'retro' in the last like two years way too early for X360/PS3/Wii
 
I suppose so. Still feels weird. Not like "retro" has any official meaning here, but maybe there needs to be a delineation between the ROM-loading era (pulling game data from a medium and booting it on the hardware) and the HDD-loading era (pulling game data from the HDD).
 
I don't think so. Games haven't evolved enough since Gen 7 for Gen 7 to be considered retro. Honestly I'm not sure if Gens 5 and 6 qualify.
 
i wouldn't think it would be considered retro. The Mass Effect games aren't considered "retro classics". Neither is The Last of Us, BioShock, or Resistance. They're after Half-Life and Half-Life 2. Is Half-Life 2 considered retro? I think that word has been used to describe pre-00 games/systems/etc.
 
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I think it's time to create retrogaming categories just like Forza with their cars categories:

  • Cult Classics
  • Classic Muscle
  • Retro Muscle
  • Classic Rally
  • Retro Rally
  • Retro Hot Hatch
  • Classic Racers
  • Retro Supercars
  • Retro Saloons
Ofc without the cars/supercars/ rally/hatch in their name

  • Cult 8-bit
  • Classic 16-bit
  • Retro 32-bit (5th gen)
  • Retro autistic 64-bit era
  • Retro Hot 6th gen
  • Retro Super 3D (7th gen)
 
They don't really feel "retro" to me - sure, they are old machines, but they are generally capable of playing the same sort of games the current machines are, just with less visual fidelity.

Things like the SNES and the Megadrive are definitely retro, the PS1/Saturn/N64 and GameCube/PS2/OG Xbox are sort of borderline...
 
I don't consider anything after the 16-bit era retro. Yeah, I'm a 37 year old boomer 🤷‍♂️ - the PS1, Saturn, N64 etc still feel modern to me, can't help it. I guess it's because they came out just around when my childhood ended and I stopped playing console games for quite a few years, so I don't have any nostalgic feelings towards them. But most of all, they feel "too new and modern" to me.
 
Kazza said:
As someone born in the 80s, I personally still can't accept labelling anything released after the still futuristic sounding year 2000 as "retro" :messenger_tears_of_joy:
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NeonDelta said:
As a 38 year old, I can't call anything after n64 retro. doesn't seem right.
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These are my people!

existensmaximum said:
I don't consider anything after the 16-bit era retro. Yeah, I'm a 37 year old boomer 🤷‍♂️ - the PS1, Saturn, N64 etc still feel modern to me, can't help it. I guess it's because they came out just around when my childhood ended and I stopped playing console games for quite a few years, so I don't have any nostalgic feelings towards them. But most of all, they feel "too new and modern" to me.
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Hahahah Ok Xennial easy with the name calling (oh wait... oops, my bad).

I get the "anything before N64" is retro, but I'm kind of considering moving the goal posts a bit.

8 and 16 bit feel decidedly retro. However, N64/PS1 and PS2/Gamecube feel not un-retro to me. I'd be will to draw a line in the sand and call them the early polygonal or second-wave retro consoles.

The X360 though; pffft no way. They're the beginning of the high def era. Systems with games like Street Fighter II HD Remix just can't quite hit retro to me.
 
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sn0man said:
These are my people!


Hahahah Ok Xennial easy with the name calling (oh wait... oops, my bad).

I get the "anything before N64" is retro, but I'm kind of considering moving the goal posts a bit.

8 and 16 bit feel decidedly retro. However, N64/PS1 and PS2/Gamecube feel not un-retro to me. I'd be will to draw a line in the sand and call them the early polygonal or second-wave retro consoles.

The X360 though; pffft no way. they're the begging on the high def era. Systems with games like street fighter II HD Remix just can't quite hit retro to me.
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"Feel not un-retro" must be the best expression this week! :messenger_beaming:
 
sn0man said:
These are my people!


Hahahah Ok Xennial easy with the name calling (oh wait... oops, my bad).

I get the "anything before N64" is retro, but I'm kind of considering moving the goal posts a bit.

8 and 16 bit feel decidedly retro. However, N64/PS1 and PS2/Gamecube feel not un-retro to me. I'd be will to draw a line in the sand and call them the early polygonal or second-wave retro consoles.

The X360 though; pffft no way. they're the begging on the high def era. Systems with games like street fighter II HD Remix just can't quite hit retro to me.
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I'm 37 and I don't agree - ok maybe calling the 360 retro is hard because it's still HD and the beggining of last decade had many games for it and they don't look much different than the stuff of today.

But, in general, I think you're all afraid of getting old and realizing that PS2 is retro is a sign of getting old :messenger_tears_of_joy:

Think about it. When we had PS2 as a new console, three generations prior was the NES. Now, three generations prior is the PS2, so the PS2 is definitely retro. lol - the PS2 was already retro in the PS4/Xone era.

Ask any kid. The PS2 is a stegossaurus for a gen alpha kid. :messenger_beaming:
 
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It's really hard to think of the 360/PS3 era as retro since it's just an uglier version of what's being released today.

Back in the mid 00s, they essentially found the "template" for AAA cinematic style gaming and have generally stuck to it ever since.

Plus the Xbox 360/PS3 had an online store, trophies/achievements, HD graphics, built in wifi (except the early 360) for high speed internet gaming, cloud saves, Xbox Live and PS+ functionality, built in hard drives, and standard wireless controllers. You also boot these things into an OS whereas previous gens were mostly straight to the game.

Basically the 360/PS3 vastly resemble the PS5/Series X more than their immediate predecessors the PS2 and Xbox as a result of software, hardware, and online capabilities.
 
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Sgt.Asher said:
This is the feeling i get when music i grew up with ends up on the classic rock station.
Click to expand...

Exactly. It was hard to wrap my head over the fact that, at one time, kids were considering Nirvana a retro act. I remember Nirvana vividly being in the spotlight and all of the grunge bands. But let's face it. It's fucking retro. Hell, the STROKES are retro now. how about that? lol

In 5 years FUCKING AKON will be retro :messenger_beaming:
 
A console goes retro the moment it's not supported anymore. The 360 has been retro for years, so is the 3DS, deal with it.

PS4 will be retro in 2-3 years, likely before that. Retro-gaming is, quite literally, playing on past consoles. Every console not actively sold is "retro".


We're also all closer and closer to the grave.
 
lock2k said:
I'm 37 and I don't agree - I think you're all afraid of getting old and realizing that PS2 is retro is a sign of getting old :messenger_tears_of_joy:

Think about it. When we had PS2 as a new console, three generations prior was the NES. Now, three generations prior is the PS2, so the PS2 is definitely retro. lol - the PS2 was already retro in the PS4/Xone era.

Ask any kid. The PS2 is a stegossaurus for a gen alpha kid. :messenger_beaming:
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Hahaha. Sup young boy! 39 here. 🙃 I'm not old, I'm just youth challenged. I think the post after you says it well, wifi, HD, user interface/operating systems you boot into; all that stuff just feels like today's gaming.

I said PS2/PS1 felt retro, but not like NES/Genesis does. Retro wave 2 maybe. So sure it's retro, but it feels different. Who knows, maybe a gen alpha kid (sounds like it might be sweet to be young like you naturally can fight in street fighter prequels) doesn't see a PS2 game as different than a NES game, but I sure do.
 
sn0man said:
Hahaha. Sup young boy! 39 here. 🙃 I'm not old, I'm just youth challenged. I think the post after you says it well, wifi, HD, user interface/operating systems you boot into; all that stuff just feels like today's gaming.

I said PS2/PS1 felt retro, but not like NES/Genesis does. Retro wave 2 maybe. So sure it's retro, but it feels different. Who knows, maybe a gen alpha kid (sounds like it might be sweet to be young like you naturally can fight in street fighter prequels) doesn't see a PS2 game as different than a NES game, but I sure do.
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OK, you have some great points :) high five!
 
Miles708 said:
A console goes retro the moment it's not supported anymore. The 360 has been retro for years, so is the 3DS, deal with it.

PS4 will be retro in 2-3 years, likely before that. Retro-gaming is, quite literally, playing on past consoles. Every console not actively sold is "retro".


We're also all closer and closer to the grave.
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Decent rule, but Microsoft just pushed online saves for free to xbox 360. Doesn't that work against your argument?
 
lock2k said:
Exactly. It was hard to wrap my head over the fact that, at one time, kids were considering Nirvana a retro act. I remember Nirvana vividly being in the spotlight and all of the grunge bands. But let's face it. It's fucking retro. Hell, the STROKES are retro now. how about that? lol

In 5 years FUCKING AKON will be retro :messenger_beaming:
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Busta Rhymes and DMX I still bang in my car with my buddy and I still feel like we're gonna get dirty looks from the cops in my station wagon. Then I realize I'm an "OG" (I'm so white so obviously not), and then I put on my RAtM or VH albums and just laugh it off while my wife rolls her eyes.
 
A lot of children have gone through the entire publication education system since 2006 so yes, these consoles are retro now.
 
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It's been pretty even so far, but it looks like the "yes" vote is starting to pull away.

Goro Majima said:
It's really hard to think of the 360/PS3 era as retro since it's just an uglier version of what's being released today.

Back in the mid 00s, they essentially found the "template" for AAA cinematic style gaming and have generally stuck to it ever since.

Plus the Xbox 360/PS3 had an online store, trophies/achievements, HD graphics, built in wifi (except the early 360) for high speed internet gaming, cloud saves, Xbox Live and PS+ functionality, built in hard drives, and standard wireless controllers. You also boot these things into an OS whereas previous gens were mostly straight to the game.

Basically the 360/PS3 vastly resemble the PS5/Series X more than their immediate predecessors the PS2 and Xbox as a result of software, hardware, and online capabilities.
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I think that makes a lot of sense. I've been playing PS3 a lot recently (Catherine and now Ninja Gaiden Sigma) and it doesn't seem too different from the PS4 in terms of "feel" (which in turn doesn't look to be too different from the PS5). I can't really think of any genre being done on Series X/PS5 that wasn't already done on 360/PS3.

As an aside, maybe I was just unlucky, but I can't help but feel that the 360/PS3 were more fragile than the OGXbox/PS2. Both of the later are working fine and feel like tanks, whereas both of the former have disc drive problems for me. For the PS3, I have to tilt the front up 60 or so degrees or else the disc won't boot. After the first few seconds I can return it back to normal, so at least I don't have to keep it propped up like that all the time. Weird.
 
Two generations back is not old enough to be retro. To me the PS2 generation is getting there, but really I think PS1/N64 is the newest one that really feels retro to me.

Discontinued and retro are not the same thing IMO.
 
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People are delusional

We just had a little pow wow in the meta gaf thread last night reflecting on the DS and how much ground it had broke in a world where touch screen gaming was not yet a concept

People can pretend all they want that playing a Wii or 360 is modern, but tell your friends you're still buying games for those systems and they'll look at you like you're a retard

Believe me, I collect 360 games
 
TeezzyD said:
People are delusional

We just had a little pow wow in the meta gaf thread last night reflecting on the DS and how much ground it had broke in a world where touch screen gaming was not yet a concept

People can pretend all they want that playing a Wii or 360 is modern, but tell your friends you're still buying games for those systems and they'll look at you like you're a retard

Believe me, I collect 360 games
Click to expand...

Now is probably the best time to buy them. Leave it another few years and they'll probably begin to shoot up in price. I've been buying quite a few 3dS and DS games recently, and most are still very cheap.
 
Not really. They are part of the HD era, visually the games still good, and many gameplay elements from today were actually standardized on the PS3/360.
 
What's retro about the PS3?

The Blu-Ray drive?
The Internet connectivity?
The hard drive?
The USB ports?
 
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2 generations and a span of 10+ years is enough to be called retro in my book. I think most would agree. We are right on the edge of that, but the threshold has been crossed.
 
No. Go play Dead Space and tell me it doesn't feel like a modern game except for resolution. Probably fair to classify them as retro at some point during the new generation though.
 
Well, we have reached a point where 720p isn't even considered HD, which those consoles barely even hit, plus they were released 1.5 decades ago, so yeah, I think we can count them as retro consoles.
 
Bonfires Down said:
No. Go play Dead Space and tell me it doesn't feel like a modern game except for resolution. Probably fair to classify them as retro at some point during the new generation though.
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I think that says more about modern gaming then it does for last gen consoles. Modern games haven't really changed all that much. There's no innovation anymore. Only the same focus tested garbage that keeps getting made over and over again for the sole purpose of making money for the sake of making money.

Actually I take it back. They did make one significant innovation in design. And that's randomized micro-transactions designed to take advantage of those with addictive personalities.
 
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