this is a SUPERCHUNK thread!! daaamn, then we KNOW Nintendo's in trouble!! Gunna read this now and come back later for further comments

I've been saying for a year now that WiiU's life will be short and to expect another Nintendo console in 2016 - which will probably be the last 'gaming console' ever released. I won't say 'home console' as I expect it'll be fully portable as well as playing on TV replacing both 3DS and WiiU.

Otherwise I agree and have for a long time. MS is best positioned this coming gen. It's their's to lose (winning being the default). Sony is too damn arrogant and self-centred to use Android on PS4. Sure it's fine for tablets, but not on their beloved PlayStation baby. But you are right, if they don't do more than a fancy gaming system, it will fare little better than Vita. It will fare better, but the mass market will ignore it. Especially if it's expensive.

MS has it right on a number of fronts - subsidizing costs with contracts, having gameplay that can't be emulated on tablets or Android systems (Kinect, Illumiroom, halograms?), full multimedia box for every member of the family, great graphics for the core, simple games for the casuals. Probably lots of spare processing power they can utilize later on with updates/peripherals to keep it 'fresh'. Eventually they want it to run your entire house, turn on the heat, lights, bread maker, coffee maker, etc. and start playing your favorite music/morning show as you walk down your steps in the morning. This is the vision MS has. It's a vision they'll even take a sizable loss to achieve.

That's a problem for Sony who can no longer compete at that level (taking multi-billion dollar losses for greater good) and Nintendo, well Nintendo will just keep doing what they've always done. Make fun games.

CORRECTION! I never said WiiU or 3DS would be failures. Just shorter than expected lives. They will still be highly profitable for Nitnendo and provide quality gaming experiences.

I think your way off. 3ds is doing fine and will continue to do so. Wii u a failure already? We'll see when more games drop. Until then, I think it's a bit early to call it a failure just cause it won't meet some hardcore fans standards. Which to me seems a bit contradictory. As a hardcore gamer myself I play pretty much everything. Graphics is the last thing I worry about. Idk about all this media hub, all in one android type device. None of that turns me on to a system. But im not stupid, i know there are people out there looking for exactly that...

My prediction- wii u will pick up in sales when more games arrive. And will not be replaced by another system no sooner than 2018.

Disagree. Wii U be replaced at the end of 2017 at the earliest, 3DS no sooner than end of 2016. And if you are looking at what cameras and smartphones can do and compare it to Nintendos GAMING console, then you are probably not looking for a console in the first place.

2013 or not, wii u offerings are not hot, must have, interesting etc.

Interesting point of view. I personally don't expect Sony to go for the Android route, although they may work something out using Gaikai, but too early to say. MS is basically going to make a PC (obviously not customizable in terms of hardware), which will open a lot of  possibilities. A lot of people have said this before (and I agree) that MS will have the best position for next-gen and it will hurt both Nintendo and Sony (especially Sony since they might lost the 'core' gamers if the 720 is extremely popular). 

I don't expect Nintendo to launch their new system until the Wii U is at least 5-6 years on the market. I can't see Nintendo launching a new system unless the Wii U ends up being a failure business wise (which is too early to say in the first place). But Nintendo first party games will keep them alive, they may never become the success they were with the Wii, but their software is something that a lot of gamers will find hard to pass.

Too early to say without knowing what MS and Sony are planning for the new consoles, but for the looks of it, MS might do a literal domination (ala PS2) in comparison to both Sony and Nintendo (all this is specualtion from my part, so don't take it too seriously) and even though both companies are going to have big problems I think Sony will suffer the most. Nintendo at least have the handheld front cover but if Sony fails (business wise) in their home console it will be disastrous for them. 

I do want to consider the term "dedicated gaming consoles", if the next gen system are having all this multimedia features, will they still be "dedicated gaming consoles"? It almost sounds as the new consoles are having gaming as there secondary function, but that's kinda off topic.

Wii U's success or failure (or the success or failure of its competitors) will have nothing to do with multimedia functions. Really, Nintendo was foolish for spending any time or money on the functionality that's already there in the Wii U (except TVii, which helps make the console more accessible for playtime). It's 100% about boxed software.

Not sure where you got some of your sales info... but its not right. Just use the charts on this site to see if you're curious. You can even see my sig for a thread that is WiiU vs last gen. (unless your numbers are for a specific territory or some other limitation that is not obvious to me)

3DS has rebounded and doing ok, i'll admit that. But its still becoming a niche product due to its centric focus. Only its first party is making that move a slower one where as its quick and painful for Sony (Vita).

That is not off topic and its exactly the point. "dedicated gaming console" is dead and in reality its simply a entertainment device where gaming is still a very strong component... not a secondary function.. just not the only function by any measure. Mearly one of many.