Why is Nintendo always portrayed as the company deemed to fail?

[CCFanboy]

sales2099 said:
Nintendo was doomed to serve the core gamer. But business wise they have never been more successful.

Didn't you hear? Their plan wasn't to serve the core gamer.

http://milkybee.files.wordpress.com/2011/06/media_httpiimgurcombb_yilfb-scaled500.png?w=400&h=219

Now their plan is to serve the core gamer.