360 and Wii were supply constrained. Wii U isn't, it's on shelves today. This won't be the case (January).

Huh? I said the launch. Not lifetime sales. 

My logic would dictate that Wii launch and Xbox 360 launch (priced comparably) should be similar based upon size of fanbase from previous generation. 

My point is the fanbase obviously grew.   Are you telling me a fanbase can't grow during a launch?    Especially when a launch sales are just a minute fraction of the lifetime sales of the preceding console?

The PS3 only sold slightly over a million in the same time period.. looking at global economics today the Wii U is doing pretty good since its sold double that figure

If all you're going to do is make assumptions and not objectively realize my post, stop responding to me. It's about expected value. Here's an example:

Toyota Camry

Honda Accord

Very popular vehicles and in the same class - Let's say their "fanbases" were 10 million each for GenX.

One would expect similar launches for GenY given similar price point.

Yep, I think we're done here.

True about the shipments. I'm sure that's what they were talking about after reading through the thread more.

Injust dont get why companies talk about shipped more than sold though. Shouldn't sold be the thing to make predictions on?

When companies make a projection, there are 2 things you must keep in mind.

1. They are writing for investors sakes, not consumers and interested media.

2. Nintendo (and the other 2) do not sell directly to consumers.  They sell to retailers, distributors, wholesalers, etc.....    To them, that is "the sale".   You can almost say that consumers are actually a second hand sale.   That product you see on the shelf was already sold from the previous owner (Nintendo) to the new owner (retailer).   

So when they project sales, they are projecting sales to their actual customers, not the consumers who come further down the supply line.

I understand that the consumers aren't the point of sale to Nintendo, but why would they want to project shipments when sales are more important? (Technically.)

If a company ships what it expects, then those shipments don't sell, wouldn't that be just as bad as consumers not buying anything? 

Because it's not Nintendo or Sony's business, as it were, to project the sucess of a group of retailers.   That's their job.

When Nintendo submits their quarterly and fiscal year data, it goes to the SEC.  So even legally, they must report direct sales rather than consumer sales.

I wasn't meaning that they would want to project the success of the retailer but rather the success of their product to the consumer market.

Don't you think that shipments not selling would look just as bad?