Where Does Nintendo Go If Wii U Never Takes Off?

[Screamapillar]

Soundwave said:

Screamapillar said:

DanneSandin said:
Well, I don't see them releasing a new console in 2014/2015 - they didn't do that whilst the GC was failing, and they're not gonna do that now. Earliest release date of a new console is 2016, but more likely in 2017.

But I think you said it with "Does Nintendo re-focus and create a handheld/console tablet hybrid machine". I've been thinking along side the same note; a home console you can pick up and play on the go - but nothing like the Vita, mind you. What a console like that would look like I have no idea, but I'm sure Nintendo would find a way to make it work. That would put them in a category for themselves; combating both the threat of smartphones and the other home consoles. We'll at least see much more integration between the home console and the handheld.

Releasing a new console before the five-year mark will damage their reputation and image in the long-term, as many will simply not buy hardware from them anymore if they think it's a possibility it will be replaced in three or four years.  It would cause more damage than merely having a five or six-year system lifespan with moderate success.

Honestly though this is a bit of a myth, the GameCube and Wii technically may have had 5-6 year "lifespans", but Nintendo left both of those systems to die long before they hit the 5-6 year mark. 

Nintendo basically gave up on the GameCube by 2004, and they've done almost nothing for the Wii in 2011 and 2012. Releasing one Zelda game doesn't cut it. 

Personally I think Nintendo damaged the Wii brand much moreso by just leaving it out there with no software support rather than if they had cut it's lifespan shorter or released a Wii HD around 2010 or so. 

In the sixth year, certainly it's true software dries up as the console companies gear up for the next cycle and try to finish up launch titles in time, but in the fifth year software support is usually still pretty decent.  If I remember correctly, GameCube had four or five Mario games come in 2005 alone, as well as a Fire Emblem.  Wii had Skyward Sword, Wii Play 2, and Mario Mix sports or whatever it was called.   So, that's fairly decent for a console's last year without a successor. 

If they were to make systems every four years, then support would dry up even faster, and after the fourth year there would be nothing, instead of it drying up after the fifth year.  That would just be way too soon.  People invest in a console because they assume they're getting five years worth of games.  I don't know if I'd buy a Wii U if support was already scheduled to be finished in 2016.