Pics or it didn't happen!!

For Nintendo, cost effectiveness is always the driving force. It is only with this generation they have taken a loss on hardware. If they can release a home console that matches the competition next gen yet still is cost effective, they will do it.

I think it'd be nice to see Nintendo go for a powerhouse, easy to develop for console in 2018. It would instantly get them 3rd party support, which we all know the Wii U is suffering from a lack thereof.

Over 9000?

How dare you... How dare you!?!

I know the purple ribbon on your avatar gives you UNLIMITED "right" (yet no cause) to question me. But I also know that YOU know who I am.

I'm not going to expose myself. I'm a senior engineer on the team (you KNOW that).

I've said too much...

Who cares how powerful its is? They need one amazing device that has all the functionality of a top end tablet. by having just one to focus on, we should see a strong lineup of games coming out every other month or so.

Alt Removed - Carl

Nintendo can't support two seperate game libraries at once. How many times do they need to keep hitting their head against the wall before they realize this?

No single company in the game business actually could support two platforms largely on their own. It's a stupid concept and it's just finally caught up to Nintendo. 

A home console only moderately more powerful than a PS4 will easily get upstaged by a cheaper PS4 with hundreds of more games and then eventually a PS5 in 2018 which would be far more powerful. That's a dead end for Nintendo too. No one but Nintendo fans would be interested, why would the average gamer that has a PS4 be amazed at a console 4 years later having slightly better graphics?

First I doubt that the Wii U is even 3-4x more powerful than a 360/PS3 to begin with (probably more like 1.25x more powerful). 

I think Nintendo will go with the unified platform, but with multiple tiers and skus.
1. The basic home console sku will be a Wii U type console, a controller with a screen/screens.
2. Deluxe Sku will still be the basic console, but will come with an actual handheld console in the same context as the Fusion Terminal and Fusion DS model.
3. The basic handheld on its own, and it will also be able to be used as a controller for any of the home consoles.

I do think there will be others as well, but the three skus above I completely expect.