exactly you think it is. But imo next year for a release is too early, especially since we all know Zelda is still releasing on Wii U. Zelda will need some time to push sales especially for holiday season. 2017 is more practical and is the earliest it'll release. Now 2016 seems like a good time to reveal the system okay yes that makes more sense. But fpr release, nu uh nope.

I know some Zelda fanatics will lose their sh*t at this ... but honestly Zelda isn't that important. The last Zelda didn't even sell that great. 

Nintendo needs to priortize their future, which is NX. If that fails, then their entire hardware future dims. 

I also think 2016 will be extremely ugly for them without new hardware. 3DS is down to 7 million or so shipments for this fiscal year, that will drop even further next year and Wii U is what it is and Zelda is not going to change that. 

2016 could very well be the lowest hardware shipment in the last 25+ years for Nintendo if they stick with nothing but the 3DS and Wii U and I think the longer they ride the 3DS, the more damage that will be done to their long term portable viability. They are getting their lunch eaten by mobile every day, the longer they sit around with the 3DS, the more territory they are giving away to mobile undefended basically. 

Every day there are hundreds/thousands of kids getting hooked on smartphone/tablet gaming, Nintendo needs to go on the offensive with a new product, to sit around and twiddle their thumbs now will only ensure they have a smaller pool of gamers to target going forward. 

Hmm. Zelda is important, if it isn't then that's not good news for Nintendo. Well, tbh only Nintendo knows how to fix Wii U. Honestly the only options they haveb now is to release a redesign of the console with a new price point, a new version of the controller, bigger harddrive storage and throw a hail mary to 3rd parties and hope it works and lower the price point of the current model of Wii U. Incentives, they have to get people to buy the damn thing which is kind of working I mean Splatoon was able to push unites (118% increase in hardware sales since it's release). We need more of that. We need surprise games, something fresh you know.

As far as NX goes its not a good idea to release it next year because then what's going to happen is, if the NX is not far superior to the PS4/One, it'll compete with those until Sony/M$ release new consoles then NX will be old news by then. So Nintendo has to because how they play their pieces. It's not as simple as just phasing out a console and releasing a new one you know?

I dont think 2016. is too early, Zelda U port would be very good launch title for NX, similar like TP for Wii. 2017. is latest when they need to launch new hardware not earliest, hardware sales are dropping fast for them.

They won't keep historical low sales because Zelda is in the console. They will push it as a hype game but for the launch of the NX, same as the Wii.

Amiibos

Hardware sales aren't dropping.

Um......yes they are

3DS+Wii U shipments FY March 2013-17.40 million

3DS+Wii U shipments FY March 2014-14.96 million

3DS+Wii U shipments FY March 2015-12.11 million

3DS+Wii U shipments FY March 2016-11.00 million (Nintendo projections but they have been wrong in the previous 3+ years so likely between 10-11 million)

3DS+Wii U shipments FY March 2017-8.00 million (my prediction based on previous years)

Nintendo is certainly in no position to wait until Holiday 2017 or later to release new hardware.

So far in 2015, it's flat YOY. And the numbers you show (even the "future" ones) show a slow decline, not a fast one like it was mentioned on the post I quoted.

Nintendo can wait for up to early 2017 to release a new handheld, but 2016 is indeed ideal. Next home console should come in 2017.