The way I see it with the introduction of the PS4 Pro last year and the Xbox One Scorpio in December 2017, I suspect due to the PC like nature of these consoles. This generation might last more than 10 years, especially if we get another iteration of these systems. I don't think Sony or MS will have a regular console life cycle of 5 years because if they announced the PS5, or Xbox(whatever) then the problem will be selling Xbox Scorpios, and PS4 Pros. 

 

I predict this console life cycle if we don't get another iteration of the PS4/XboxOne to be

2013-2024-25(12 years 5 for the PS4, and 6 years for the Pro(That's assuming it sells well), same applies to the Xbox One and the Scorpio)

If we do get another iteration of these consoles 2029 possibly 4 years for the next iterations.

 

It'll last till 2021 or 2022 maybe. Not very long I don't think

It'll last till 2021 or 2022 maybe. Not very long I don't think

 

Personally, I'd go as far as to say that E3 2019 will be the reveal of the PlayStation 5 whilst Microsoft will introduce a revised Xbox Scorpio.

I don't think a console could have a 12-year life cycle before other newer consoles come along (though I wish it would since I hate having outdated consoles after such a short time).  I'm guessing we'll see the next generation consoles come out in 2020 or so, or at least for Sony and Microsoft.  I think Nintendo will have the Switch going strong for at least six years. 

i'll give it until 2023-ish until it really starts to die down.

 

maybe the first whispers of the new consoles will pop up in 2020 or 2021 and then we'll get confirmation in 2021 or 2022

I think it will last at least five more years.

I wouldn't give it longer than 10 years, though even then that's stretching it. There tends to be a 5-10 year average with these sorts of things, not to mention there's the age-old question, how exactly do you define a "console generation"? Because in a way, Nintendo started this one off (number 8 I believe?) with the Wii U (or 3DS? again it really depends on how you define this, some would argue the handhelds usually start things off, since the consoles are never far behind), but after the PS4 and XBox One followed they announced the Switch. Now the Switch has hardware that is meant to have Nintendo truly compete with everyone again in terms of power, graphics, storage, and number of developers, so it fits more in line with the current generation next to the PS4/Pro and XBone/Scorpio (how'd the Scorpio turn out by the way, I pay zero attention to anything Microsoft these days). But again, technically the Wii U started the 8th generation of console gaming, as the PS4 and XBone weren't too far behind after it's release, but the Wii U was more somewhere between the Gen 7 and Gen 8 consoles in terms of specs, so it felt more like a way of rushing Nintendo back up to speed to be on equal footing with the Gen 7 consoles. The Wii U is kind of in this weird limbo state in terms of which category you can definitively set it in, as while it's technically a Gen 8 thing, it feels more like a Gen 7 or 7.5 kind of thing.

 

Of course none of this takes into account other varying factors, like how a Generation lasts. It's not like it just ends as soon as the new wave of consoles comes in, the PS2 was still a relevant system several years after the PS3 came out, and it was only relatively recently (one or two years ago I believe) that the last PS2 game was released. There tends to be a lot of overlap with these sorts of things, so they're not always so easy to put into neat little shelves and whatnot. Technically we still have the 7.5 Generation until games stop being made for PS3, Wii U, and maybe 3DS.

 

What it really all comes down to in the end is how long these systems' companies continue to support them, even with new systems coming out years from now. If the popularity, appeal, and success of these current systems is enough, they might see a lifecycle as long as the 6th and 7th Generations.

Nintendo seems to have broken the "generational" constrictions. It's already released its own (hybrid, but still a) next gen console, as the Wii U has officially finally died. Nintendo usually marks the next generation a year before it happens.

 

Doesn't seem like PlayStation has anything in store right now, the Xbox's Project Scorpio I'd wager is due sometime next year. There's that to think about as well. Not only that, but both Slim versions and Upgraded versions of current gen consoles are out.

 

Buuuuuuuut now that I have my PC and the Switch, I think I'll retire the good ol' console hunt.

 

I see a Nintendo 3DS successor in 2 years.

Edited January 23, 20178 yr by Clouded Sun

Well, it's often hard to predict how long or short a console generation's life cycle is, but since this "new" cycle started in 2013, I think that by 2021, we'd be preparing ourselves for the next wave of Sony and Microsoft consoles, while I think that the Switch might enjoy a nice life cycle till 2023, perhaps!

 

So yeah, from 2013 to 2021 is about eight years, so that's how much I'm willing to bet that the current console generation lasts, ya know?

It'll last till 2021 or 2022 maybe. Not very long I don't think

I'm not too sure I think It will depend upon the sales, and R and D costs to create new consoles as opposed to just revise old ones.