10 Features That Will Define Next-Gen Gaming

2. Platform Ecosystems Diminish The Importance Of "Generations"

It's been predicted for years by many that the notion of generational gaming itself is dying, though this certainly feels a little closer to the truth in recent years.

Microsoft in particular has attempted to re-brand Xbox as an overall ecosystem spanning years (and eventually decades) of hardware rather than focused simply on the current family of consoles on the market.

And between Microsoft's upcoming xCloud service and their impressively aggressive support for backwards compatibility, the importance of delineated platform generations will become even more diminished.

Given that we're likely entering a future where a multitude of games across generations can be quickly accessed via streaming, not only Microsoft but also Sony will surely be pivoting towards engaging players with the overall brand across devices rather than focusing fully on whether or not you own their latest flagship console.

It certainly raises technical and logistical challenges in of itself, but creating a more singular umbrella for an entire company's legacy of games, especially if most of them are playable under one service, will be a massive win for players of all kinds. If Sony doesn't leap on this, they're begging to be left in the dust by Microsoft.