Put a fork in the Wii U, it is done. [Sensible discussion only, no flaming]

[magos2k7]

I think what you're saying is very valid, but I need to mention other devices. I promise not to flame.

We have had three new hardware launches in the past few years, as the "PS360Wii" generation is winding down (3DS, Vita, WiiU). All three of those have fallen short of expectations. Only one has been clearly favored, the 3DS. But even that is falling short of expectations. The focus should not be on any one particular console, but on the overall scenario that may lie ahead for ALL of the "traditional" consoles and handhelds as tablets and smart phone games continue to see overall growth. Ask yourself this question: If the WiiU is seeing these dismal numbers for sales, what does that mean for the PS4, or the next XBox?

In the past, this would mean that the remaining share would go to Sony and Microsoft. Huge sales for both. But I have this feeling that tablets and phones are going to seriously gouge into their market shares as well. They will most likely do better than the Wii U, but that might not be saying much. I have long held the contention that the hardcore gamer alone cannot support the entire video game industry. This has gotten more evident and obvious recently. The bulk of growth in the industry has been because of smaller, more casual games. Being an older gamer myself, I was around for the arcade scene of the early 1980s. In those days there was no such thing as a "hardcore gamer". Everybody from all walks of life played those games. It's happening again, following an update to the formula of "cheap, easy to pick up and play, and right under my nose". The home console, in general, is designed for a hardcore market. A nice tablet is far more versatile and portable. The games on a tablet are cheaper (including ones that could be considered "hardcore"). I believe it's already happened but we're all waiting for the other two shoes to drop, so to speak. And with Ouya coming as well as Steambox, well... it's going to be a fascinating generation. 

BTW I'm a big fan of consoles, I am not "championing" tablets. Currently I am doin' Tomb Raider (reboot) on PS3, Mass Effect 3 on Wii U, and Dead Trigger on my Acer tablet.