One of the key weaknesses of the Wii, as opined by many, is its graphical capabilities. I believe this may be true. Setting aside the issue of gameplay vs. graphics I believe that if the Wii is graphically underpowered this is having an effect on the sale of games for the system. Why? Because I believe it's easier to sell a game with new graphics than it is to make a unique game offering created by talented people.

The graphic capabilities of the Wii have probably not been fully tapped but they are most likely fairly close to being fully realized. On an even more important note the graphics that the mainstream game buying public is demanding seem to have been satisfied on many fronts. Without the lure of new graphics, or indeed, even the need to produce them, the developer is faced with the dilemma of having to rely on the creation of engaging gameplay and talented execution.

For these reasons I believe the Wii presents a challenge to developers that only the first and foremost of developers will be able to tackle successfully in a way that is popularly and critically pleasing.

That an a impressive art direction. I don't think it matters too much anyway, because most of the Wii's userbase aren't graphics whores or else they would have a PC,or PS360. Also if developers focus more on gameplay and art direction wouldn't that be a good thing? Both are more important than graphics quality imo.

The key weakness to the Wii is it isn't future proof. However given Nintendo's strategy I don't think they ever intended the Wii to be a 7-10 yr console. More than likely 4-5 yrs on top and the next 3 phasing it out as they release N6.

What I always like to call Wii is its an intermediate console for Nintendo. It's mean to disrupt the market to setup up a future console. Why do this? Well if you can all of a sudden change the market to where brand appeal is highest for you then you can release a more pricey console next gen to make more money through software and hardware. Not to mention gives you the luxury of starting earlier. But mainly about getting the Nintendo brand significant market share and brand appeal to setup N6.

This is what I believe to be Ninty's strategy so longetivity I guess is Wii's main weakness... which is tied in with this.... but it's only a weakness if we are looking at it purely from a straightforward stance.

You didn't mention how the Wii isn't going to last long. I disagree though, and think the Wii will last alot longer than any of Nintendo's recent consoles, and the other consoles this generation. Even if Nintendo's plan was to have a quicky console as you say, its the market who decides how long consoles live, and every Winning console lives long past the end of the generation. The NES also had weak graphics for its time, but lived in the 4th generation, and I even think the 5th generation. THe NES was in the same situation as the Wii. It was disrupting the market with a new simpler controller. The only difference is that the market already died when the NES did it, instead of before the marking dieing in the Wii's case.

It's hard to debate on such things. If you think about it, the games that are coming out now, they're ok or even good graphic-wise. But we are hardcore gamers. We strive and dream of the moment when we'll finally get photo-realistic gfx on our pc's and consoles. Casuals don't really see a difference between NMH gfx and GTA4.

My brother very much disliked the latter while praising NMH at the same time. When asked why he said:
" GTA4 takes itself too seriously. The former games GTA3-2-1 have never been made for graphics and the game was cheerfully fun. Now GTA4 is trying to be a serious game. And it loses a lot in my eyes because of that".

My brother plays game once every 1-2 years :P. Anyway, this kind of shows the way of thinking. Casuals see games as that: games, from definition a utility that is supposed to entertain. And for some, real-life gfx as seen on HD consoles are a setback rather than upgrade.

Developers suck. The Wii steals their crutches and puts them to work. Good for them. The lazy bastards need the practice.

But of course.  However I'm not saying how long Wii will be in the market but how long Nintendo expects it to be in the market before N6 releases.  Market of course decides how long a console lasts which is why I said Wii 4-5 yrs before N6 with 3 yrs of phasing out. 

Wii is a different console than the NES because NES was much more of a risk and something they needed to suceed.  While the Wii was something Nintendo simply needed to disrupt the competition and then take them out next generation.  Fortunately for Nintendo it did both with the Wii so now it makes the 8th generation all the easier.

I think as long as the graphics are decent to look at for the user base it should be fine. I think its not that much of a problem but its the Wii's image as a 'casual' system that is the key weakness of it.

Graphical upgrades aren't as important as they used to be; until we can get out of the uncanny valley any changes are completely negligible.

The percentage of people drooling over new uses of bloom'n'gray is very small.

The failure of FF Spirit Within should have been a warning to graphic whores that not having high graphics capabilities is not sth that can lower the value of entertainment.
But a minimal picture culture is necessary to understand that.
I see that 1.5 years after Wii launch, some people are still in denial.