Is this the ugliest console generation??

[Miss G.]

I disagree, especially with the PS4. In fact, a PS4 that has been photo-shopped white looks fantastic actually.

Now they just need to make one like that =P

White looks awesome. Love the sleek design and the small size, even more so because it reminds me of my favorite eraser. And look - it even helps erase surface-layer things too, like Microsoft's bad business practices. Now hopefully there can at least be more healthy competition this gen.

 

[J Tyran]

Who cares what the device looks like that you're playing on?

People that have certain aesthetic tastes and want their media systems to blend together and fit into the room and not have an ugly device standing out like a sore thumb perhaps? Or people that want their AV setup to be a room focus and want it all to look good? People with ghetto setups and a TV on a cupboard with the console on the floor or just stacked somewhere might not be bothered but others are.

 

[Shoggoth2588]

I thought you were going to talk about games from 2005 - now being predominantly brown, grey, mossy-green, gun-metal black...because I would have agreed that this generation had way, way, WAY too much of that.

The XBone80 and PS4 being ugly consoles...seriously? The XBone80 is basically a BETAMax with grills and, the PS4 is like a PS2 in italics. I wouldn't call them ugly. They're not as bad as a Genesis/32X/CD bundle or, Phillips CDi.

 

[OtherSideofSky]

I actually like the shapes; I just wish they would be something other than black. I'm sick to death of black electronics. Make them white, red, orange, anything other than black.

Aesthetically, my favorite console is still the Gamecube.

 

[Sonicron]

I know aesthetics are always a subjective thing, but I disagree with you, OP. How is this the ugliest console generation, when compared to the stuff I grew up with? The NES and the North American casing for the SNES, for instance, were eyesores at best, and they already stood head-and-shoulders above the visual abominations that had come before (various Ataris, Colecovision etc).
I'm not really sure about the perectly rectangular design of the Xbone, and the WiiU looks alright if uninteresting, but the PS4's casing really tickles my fancy. Might actually be Sony's best design yet (imo).

 

[Insideout Ink Demon]

To be honest, my first impression was that they look plain. Not the worst thing to be.

I disagree, especially with the PS4. In fact, a PS4 that has been photo-shopped white looks fantastic actually.

Now they just need to make one like that =P

that actually looks pretty good

 

[Insideout Ink Demon]

@fonejackerjon have you ever seen the Atari Jaguar?

 

[rob_simple]

Just looking at my home theater set-up, every single thing (360, PS3, TiVo box, DVD player, TV Stand, TV) is solid black with a minimalist design. More outlandish designs/colours might work better in advertising, but practically speaking, I prefer the uniformity in all my current devices.

I don't really care about design, though, what I don't like about newer consoles is how bulky they are; my 'slimline' PS3 is bigger than the original PS2 was.

 

[Bat Vader]

The PS4 doesn't look ugly to me. Honestly, I think it looks kinda cool. I have never really paid attention to how something looks. As long as it does its job well and works as intended than I am happy wit it.

 

[uchytjes]

What we need is more colour, or wood-lining or something like that. I'm tired of having black or white boxes under my TV, I want something different. I remember seeing photoshops for PS4 colours that made the top part different colours and they looked so much more classy than the black we have now. What I don't want, is colour all over the box; colour all over the box makes it stand out way too much and makes it looks like a kids toy when colour on parts of the console makes it look like a sleek car.

I'd have to agree with at least having the option to have some color on the console. like some kind of special edition form or even some customized order system. Personally I'd like a PS4 with some dark or forest green top. Hell, If I feel very adventurous I'd get some kind of glossy lime green finish.

OT: It really isn't that bad. Hell, they actually seem to be going back to what consoles used to look like. If anything, the previous generation is the one that is the most different.

Also, I'm gonna put in my vote for "best console design" as the PS2 slim. It was small, compact, and looked pretty good to boot. I'd proudly display it under my TV.

 

[Pinkamena]

I like the design of both the consoles. They are more minimalististic than the previous generations which I think is a good thing. I would like to have some more color though, but we will probably have to wait for the custom cases.

 

[Nexxis]

Personally, I don't think it's the ugliest generation. Just the blandest and most generic one which just means that it's safe and can fit in with the typical decor of a modern entertainment setup. I like the Wii U for being small and "out of the way". I like the PS4 for the sleek design and the power light. The XBox One is just a box. In fact, they're all black (or white) boxes. A friend of mine said that he looked back and forth between images of the XBox One and PS4 and, at a quick glance, he couldn't tell the difference between the two. While purchase decisions generally aren't made on the look of the console, people still care about the look. If they didn't, people wouldn't have complained about the XBox One looking like an old VCR. While consoles didn't look too impressive in the past, I still feel like the developers still tried to wow the audience with something that looked sleek or unique. Not this time.

 

[Snotnarok]

Who cares what the device looks like that you're playing on?

People that have certain aesthetic tastes and want their media systems to blend together and fit into the room and not have an ugly device standing out like a sore thumb perhaps? Or people that want their AV setup to be a room focus and want it all to look good? People with ghetto setups and a TV on a cupboard with the console on the floor or just stacked somewhere might not be bothered but others are.

Even if it's an ugly device in a pretty room, if it's capable and provides fun with it's games then the aesthetics will be overlooked I feel. Again, the US's SNES was not exactly stellar looking and as some age they have turned puke yellow, the Gamecube while simplistic was bright purple, orange and gold, not exactly something that blended and it sold just fine.

 

[J Tyran]

Who cares what the device looks like that you're playing on?

People that have certain aesthetic tastes and want their media systems to blend together and fit into the room and not have an ugly device standing out like a sore thumb perhaps? Or people that want their AV setup to be a room focus and want it all to look good? People with ghetto setups and a TV on a cupboard with the console on the floor or just stacked somewhere might not be bothered but others are.

Even if it's an ugly device in a pretty room, if it's capable and provides fun with it's games then the aesthetics will be overlooked I feel. Again, the US's SNES was not exactly stellar looking and as some age they have turned puke yellow, the Gamecube while simplistic was bright purple, orange and gold, not exactly something that blended and it sold just fine.

That was then, nice looking AV setups where even more niche than are now. TV companies spend millions making their stuff look nice, a bezel a few milliliters larger than the competitors can kill a TVs sales and so can an ugly BD player. How are these consoles going to fit in with wall mounted setups and gorgeous looking wireless soundbars? The Xbox 360 was the final straw for me it had to get out of the living room and that was eight years ago and things have moved on further, I am not alone either people spend from anywhere to 2x to 10x (and more) the cost of these consoles on a home cinema. You think they want an ugly console?

A lot of those gamers that didn't care about the SNES or Gamecube looked like are now 30-40 something adults that have decent media setups now, like I said people with ghetto setups probably don't care. People that don't bother with interior design probably don't care, not everyone that does will care either but everyone is different. For some the console will have to go somewhere else, or get the better looking option.

So yes some people do care and the looks of a console do matter.

 

[sanquin]

I think people claiming this is the ugliest console generation just bash on the looks simply 'because'. They want a reason to dislike the consoles, and try to find it in anything and everything. I mean come on, the Xbone only looks a bit more straight, but is otherwise the same design as the previous xbox. And the first PS3 and PS2 weren't exactly lookers either. Uglier than the PS4, imo. Xbox classic was very bulky and showy, in the bad way. Not to mention the gamecube...a purple box with a handle on it. >.>

PS1 and N64, those had good designs in my opinion. The n64 had smooth curves, and though being a bit showy, it wasn't in a bad way. And the PS1 was small and less noticeable, so it wouldn't stick out like a sore thumb next to/beneath your TV.

 

[aaronobst]

I actually quite like the appearance of the Xbone.
It?s a shame that is it?s only redeeming feature, which isn?t really saying all that much.

 

[80sboy]

Both the xbox one and ps4 are hideously ugly...

Are they? I just don't like how they're both only showed in black, but then again, they might be offered in other colors.

And what pray tell is a pretty system?

Really the last 3 generations haven't had great looking systems. I think the Wii U looks worse than the PS4 and Xbone. It's so plane and bland and Ipad looking

Ewww!


There see, color makes a difference. Now that's a sweet looking system. ^.^

 

[verdant monkai]

I disagree, especially with the PS4. In fact, a PS4 that has been photo-shopped white looks fantastic actually.

Now they just need to make one like that =P

You know what that actually does look really nice, the black doesn't suit it at all.

 

[MysticToast]

I think the PS4 looks pretty cool. Not a fan of the Xbone's design though but they certainly aren't the ugliest consoles. Not like it matters anyway. Of all the things that matter in a console, its look is on the bottom of the list.

 

[Sunrider]

I think the PS4 looks very good, actually. I think it looks slick. On a side note, I love my old, fat PS3. I always thought it looked very good on its shelf under my TV.