Does the Wii prove that the HD razor/blade model is flawed?

[jarrod]

Xoj said:

nintendo made money but it wasn't because of the gamecube.

 

GameCube itself didn't lose money, it actually made money.  The console was only sold at a slight loss (under $20) twice: during launch in fall 2001 and during the $99 drop in spring 2003.  Considering it was more capable than PS2, yet launched at $100 less, that's quite an achievement.

 

On topic, I don't think the razor/blades model has been proven outdated by Wii, but rather the tech arms race has.  You can still have a generational spec increase without breaking the bank having a gigantic loss leader, GameCube was good example of that.  Efficiency and familiarity is the future, not the tech envelope's bleeding edge.