So, it's been a year since the debut of the 8th generation, 2 if you start counting with the Wii U. Of course, the oh-so-beloved phrase "a next-gen experience" was bound to be thrown about from the very beginning. However, the more I hear it, the more I realise that, at least for me, it's a very nebulous concept at best; what, exactly, is so different? Of what magnitude do the changes have to be for one to be able to talk about a true new experience? Of course, for the publishers, it's just a term used to entice us into buying their stuff - most of them probably couldn't care less about quality, as long as it doesn't affect their influx. But I'd really like to know:

1.) What qualifies (or should)? Does it have to be something drastic, like 2D - 3D, revolutionary gameplay, VR etc., something moderate, but still worth mentioning, or just a slight bump in graphical fidelity, the latter being what all the fuss is about nowadays?

2.) Where, if anywhere, would these changes and developments be currently observable?

At least as far as I'm concerned, there's sadly a distinct lack of innovation. Would you agree, or am I just too blind to realise the avant-garde genius behing this grand industry?