This gen has existed since 2005, and 99% of its paradigms were mature since 2009 (DLC, PS+, console apps/media streaming, installing games to HDD, etc). While there are still excellent games coming out even this year, most of the heavy lifting and truly new ideas in gameplay that were specific to the current hardware and what it could do stopped happening like, 2 years ago...which was SIX years into the gen (5 at least for PS3 and Wii).
The portables that had primacy before 3DS' release were even longer in the tooth than that - they were out in 2004.
This was when even installing a PC game via DVD instead of CD was still a little novel. This was before Steam was truly what it is now. This was when people's cellphones played Snake, clones of Tetris or Breakout, or garbage 8-bitesque versions of whatever was relevant at the time. Think of all the franchises that were still fresh, or non-existent in 2004 or 2005, or even 2006. This has been a really long gen.
Definitely glad 3DS and Wii U are out. Definitely glad Vita is out. Definitely glad PS4 and XB1 are coming out soon.