Grey Acumen said:
I will have to refute a number of your points.
There is a definite trend that consoles are becoming more like PCs as they evolve, as 360 and PS3 have shown, but i believe that part of the Wii's success is due to backlash over this issue. Yes, but it is a slow and inevitable trend. That's why i'm saying 10-15 years unlike the "Wii HD in 2009" crowd.
For the typical consumer, they want the sense that their purchase will get them the same game and features as everyone else who is buying that game, and that they won't lose features depending on how current their PC is. Don't you see that happening already with all the SKUs, firmware updates and console game patches/ports with exclusive content?
Along with this is the game controller. While, in time, some PCs may adopt the use of controllers similar to the 360 and Wii, the one thing that PC has never been able to successfully do is standardize ANYTHING.
Beyond the technical specs, you still have keyboard layout, even mouse buttons or if a mouse is even present or if a touchpad is being used instead, none of these things are standardized and there are no signs of that ever changing. PCs thrive on the wide variety of standards and customization that are available to offer. Yes, that will be the sticking point, and I think simple controls will save the console industry - but as handhelds.
Consoles are the exact opposite of this, and thrive on the concept that when people buy them, the game they play will be designed specifically for that console and for the controller of that game and not require them to fiddle around with mapping 5000 buttons onto their mouse and try to keep their fingers on the right buttons of the keyboard. Proprietary input devices will proliferate too - I think we'll see tie-ins between content delivery and the controller, like the "Steam controller". Again, yes, that will keep people on consoles for longer. I do agree that Nintendo will eventually update their console to higher technical specs, but I don't believe they will be forced to do this. They are merely following along with the current financially feasible technical advancements, rather than trying to push the envelope. Wii can still be hooked up to a HDTV so there really isn't this odd pressure that everyone seems to think is on Nintendo to catch up. No, I think the be-fun-and-innovate will be enough to defeat higher specs for a few generations, but not forever.
As it stands, i don't think Wii or DS have a chance of being sucked into the PC world. Though IF it does somehow happen, i can only see this happening if someone manages to develop a Wiimote for the PC that actually becomes standard. At this point, I think Nintendo would shift their focus to an intermediary console, some sort of fusion of the DS and Wii that had functionality similar to the PSP which would let you treat it as a home console or as a portable console and would function well as both. Of course not. nintendo are a very controlling company and I think the Wii and DS lines will be merged into DS. | 
