All future consoles will have some online elements. Nintendo is stupid or lazy to use an outside company to help develop their online network. They can say "it's not in our DNA" or whatever, but that's ridiculous. They shouldn't be thinking about the next console, but 20 years down the line. Will Nintendo's 10th home console have online functionality? One would assume. So they better start learning how to develop online networks in house, whether by hiring or acquisition or whatever. Simply going out-of-house to develop their online systems is a band-aid.
Honestly, it's kind of a step away from being a first party developer.
"[Our former customers] are unable to find software which they WANT to play."
"The way to solve this problem lies in how to communicate what kind of games [they CAN play]."
Satoru Iwata, Nintendo President. Only slightly paraphrased.
