When are retro games retro?

[oxymoron]

I would just consider any console that isnt current gen to be retro.

So the PS3 in 14 days will be retro?

[GSZX1337]

Hell, by that logic the Wii's been retro for almost a year now.

[Retrogamer0001]

I would just consider any console that isnt current gen to be retro.

So the PS3 in 14 days will be retro?

I would consider anything more than two generations behind to be "retro" - this is usually the equivalent to seven - ten years or so anyway.

[emwearz]

When are new games still considered new!?

[nightrnr]

I'm just going to keep it simple and go with the "decade rule" (don't care if there isn't one, I'm making one ). 10 years is long enough for most of a generation to move into the next phase of their life, and to look back and think "Ooh, I remember this when I was 'young' ".

2003 would make earlier PS2 and Xbox games retro, and that works for me.

Maybe it should be 15 or 20 years. In a previous job, I was told that retro (concerning goods in general) is 20 years or more and antique was 50 years. Not sure if it's gospel, but again, I'd just like to keep it simple. It's neat to think that my Nintendo and Sega games now qualify that category.

Retro style games are another topic entirely, since I see the target audience often as fans of the source material (modeled after games or systems that came before it). Retro in spirit but not in release. For example, I don't consider Pier Solar (Genesis... +Dreamcast/PC soon released) retro, as it's a newer game.

[oxymoron]

Honestly, who cares? Let's just play games.

[AppleQueso]

Yeah for all practical intents and purposes it doesn't really matter. It's not like it affects our purchasing and playing habits.

[nightrnr]

Oh believe me, I don't get too hung up on terminology (remembers debates of Zelda in Action-RPG topics ). I just call things as they suit me.

However, it's somehow hard for me to explain when people ask me (IRL) what games I'm into or what system I have. I resort to the term "retro" sometimes, because I play a lot of 20 year old games on 10 year old systems.

[Luke]

Who cares? You guys aren't playing them anyway.

I'm kidding.

Or am I?

[BoneSnapDeez]

Since there are still games being developed for the Atari 2600, Atari 5200, Atari 7800, and NES can those systems really be considered "retro"?