@Mummelman

1:100? I'd like to see a source for that.  I'd guess that it could be true for some cherry-picked benchmark, but not in general performance.

I think what johnlucas meant by "Nintendo IS this industry" is that Nintendo is the one who has been innovating and bringing new things to consoles even when it wasn't winning. 

Nintendo has introduced almost every standard found in modern controllers.  D-pad:  Nintendo.  Diamond-pattern face buttons:  Nintendo.  Shoulder buttons:  Nintendo.  Thumbstick:  Nintendo.  Trigger-like button:  Nintendo.  Rumble:  Nintendo.  Now, with the DS and Wii, the pace has only increased.

Note that I do not claim that Nintendo necessarily invented every one of these control innovations, but they were always the first to incorporate them into a console's standard controller.  The others copied Nintendo!  Also, Nintendo should really get credit above for wireless control, but the Wavebird doesn't count as "a console's standard controller". 

(With a track record like this, no wonder not all of their design choices pan out 100%.  The tri-pronged N64 controller wasted space, since only two of them could be practically used at once.  The uniquely-shaped, radially-positioned face buttons of the Gamecube weren't adopted by any of the next generation of consoles, although I would bet that if Nintendo hadn't gone with a revolutionary new design it would have built on that pattern.  Interestingly, I can't think of any abject failures in Nintendo's control schemes -- quite a feat for a perennial trailblazer.)

So in this way Nintendo truly has been at the forefront of this industry even in their darkest years, always paving the way for the next generation in a way that I don't think Sony ever really did.  (Sega actually did a great deal of innovating, and MS has its one great achievement in XBL.)

 You think the PS3 would have Blu-ray and its graphics power at $250?  Not a chance, you think Wii would be the same machine at $600?  Again not a chance

 Here's a more reasonable cause,  games

 It wouldn't be the same machine at $500, so you can't say that, the reason Wii sells so well even when the 360 is only $30 more is because of the games

Wii-will-rock-you. lol always wanted to say that.

 Well I am starting from the top:

No the PS2 wasn't as weak compared to the compition as the Wii is. The problem is that the casual games that I speak about doesn't need that much power. Singstar has more or less been selling PS2:s here in sweden since day one. I say that Nintendo is giving a lot of new stuff just aimed for the casual (the whole Wii line more or less) and feeding us the hardcore with the same old.

When it comes to the sales of the core games I just wanted to say that SMG sold during the first month what SMS sold during the first 4 months in USA (all according to NPD). Heavy advertisment from Nintendos side in Japan comparing NSMB with SMG seems to have given some results and SMG seems to be able to beat out SMS LTD.

98% of the games might be for casuals but if Nintendo continue to invest in both software and hardware (Wii fit board, Wii Zapper) the casuals might stay but continue to upgrade their hardware. We could also make an comparsion with the DS, why do it still sell so great if casuals were feed up and wanting something new?

When it comes to when Nintendo will launch their new consol I would like to say that the Wii will be out for a minimum of 5 years. I do also belive that neither PS3 or Xbox360 can afford to give Nintendo 5 years of headstart.

 Even if that would be true I can truly say that it doesn't show. Gears of War is not a hundred times more goodlooking than Super Mario Galaxy.

I see it largely as a matter of momentum. Wii has great momentum in all 3 territories, and that is only going to increase (especially when they finally launch in China/India and other places). It's sales will continue to increase year over year for at least the next 2 years.

PS3 has momentum in Others only. 360 has momentum in NA only. So in those areas they should see sales increase next year. In other areas where they are lacking momentum, they will remain flat or fall as people goto the system(s) that all their friends are getting. When spending large amounts of cash, people like to back the winning horse.

And as far as this argument that casuals will jump ship, that is ridiculous and holds no water whatsoever when looking at other systems that were popular with the casual crowd (Atari 2600, NES, PS2). It's the technophiles that jump onto the so-called 'next big thing' first, not the casuals. Did all the casuals owning PS2s jump onto the xbox's bandwagon? No. They remained with the PS2. Now who went to the xbox? Hardcore.

To look at it from another perspective, the only true system that reflects the Wii is the DS. Is that losing marketshare/sales after 3 years? Ah... no. It's gaining them. Is Nintendogs old and boring now for casuals? Ah... no it's still in the freaking top 10!! With over 115k sales in a week. How? Why? Simple. Casual market is 10x the size of harcore and more loyal. Wii isn't in any danger of losing their market to PS3/360 ever in this generation and will have PS2 legs next generation too, despite growing competition (more players) entering the market.

But none of this means that the PS3 and 360 can't also be thriving successful systems in their own right. The market is big enough (and growing) to support all.