In the past, console generations were 4-6 years long. Of course, this is a reference to how long they lasted in the American market, respectively. From the 8-bit era to the PS2 era, this was the standard generation length. But starting with the PS3 and Xbox 360, things started to change.
Since then, the length of a generation has increased to 7–8 years. Many blame this on video game development becoming more expensive and complex. Others blame economic factors. (This era was also marked by the Great Depression.)
Which makes me wonder, how long can the current generation of game consoles last? From what I've heard, the PS4 and Xbox One were major disappointments in terms of hardware capabilities. As a result, Sony and Microsoft released improved models mid-generation to keep up with 4K adoption.
On the other hand, the PS5 and Xbox Series X are reported to be incredibly powerful systems. That is, they are extremely powerful right from the time of launch. Then there are other factors like the PS5's solid state drive and the worldwide chip shortage due to high demand.
Part of me says this could be the longest console generation ever. Instead of 7-8 years, it could last about 9 years. Maybe even more. What do you think? Let me know in the comments section.