padib said:
HappySqurriel said:
archbrix said:
HappySqurriel said:
archbrix said:
HappySqurriel said:
Right now Nintendo will be launching as the successor to the market leading console, potentially with a significant price advantage, and if they have 12+ months to build a user-base and game library it could be very bad for Sony and Microsoft. Essentially, consider how much more difficult it will be to sell the "XBox 1080" if there is a system that is $100+ less expensive, has an established library of games, most big "XBox 1080" are cross platform and released to this system, and most of the benefit of the "XBox 1080" are difficult to notice enhancements or require you to buy a new TV.
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True, but will Wii U be able to court many of the Xbox/PS fanbase within a years time, when they can get all of the same cross-platform games on the systems they already own? Yes, the Wii U versions will be better, but most could likely make due until 2013 knowing that the Xbox 1080 is just around the corner. And I believe that the Wii U will be very successful; again, great for Nintendo and their fans, but not necessarily spelling instant doom for Microsoft if they wait a year and thrive off of the 360 in the meantime.
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if Nintendo can make the Wii U a success, could prevent the adoption of other platforms.
After all, one of the unique features of this generation was the growth of multi-console ownership but, if Nintendo can get people to adopt to them first and limits the value of buying an additional system, that trend could be reversed in the next generation.
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In the words of Optimus Prime, whenever asked if Megatron was gone forever:
"I wish I could believe that..." 
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I'm not saying that Nintendo is ensured success, but it is a very bad business strategy to cross your fingers and hope that your competition screws up ...
I have no idea what Nintendo has in store, but if I was Microsoft or Sony I would be worried that they were going to release the next "Brain Training", "Wii Fit", "New Super Mario Bros", or "Wii Sports" (basically, exciting/new 20+ Million selling game) before I even released my system
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@bolded. What if Nintendo's next ace card isn't NSMB et al., but to start putting serious effort into more mature games and leading with exclusives in that realm of entertainment? Do you think it's possible? Do you think that could be their surprise move next gen, or do you think, given their internal resources and current/upcoming business strategy, that it would be completely unfeasible?
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In the way you (probably) mean "Mature", I don't think so ...
While we are moving towards a market where every demographic plays videogames, it is also a market where companies focus a disproportionate amount of their resources towards a single demographic; male gamers between the age of (about) 13 and 25. The conventional wisdom within the industry is that, since these gamers buy the most games they should focus all of their resources towards making games for these gamers. Unfortunately, they don’t consider that these gamers buy more games simply because there are far more high quality games that target them.
Since 2004 Nintendo's greatest successes have come from making games that targeted gamers outside of this core-demographic, with games like Brain Training which appealed to older gamers, Wii Fit which appealed heavily to women (although I wouldn't say it was strictly for women), and New Super Mario bros. which appealed to lapsed gamers. If I was Nintendo I would continue to focus on this and to become the console that is brought into a home to for the mother, father, sister or young children and then have a secondary focus on ensuring solid third party support so that "core" gamers see little reason to buy an additional console. Certainly, I would expect Nintendo to still produce games for their dedicated fan base and I wouldn't be surprised to see some increased efforts to appeal to core gamers, but I doubt Nintendo can get the growth they desire from targeting these gamers.
