Would the Wii U dying be a good thing for Nintendo and gamers?

[Navane]

RolStoppable said:
The Wii U doesn't need to die to make Nintendo wake up. If the system sells 40-50m in its lifetime (which could be classified as so-so sales on its own, a failure following the Wii), then it should still be clear enough that the same strategy shouldn't be used again.

I agree, but as I looked up sales numbers for the Gamecube, I'm actually astonished that Nintendo didn't cut off its Gamecube console early on and try again. Then again, they didn't have the same amount of revenue earned now, but I can't believe what an utter failure the system was sales-wise. Nintendo may or may not have considered it a failure as it sold ten-million less than the N64, but even that sold terribly.

Looking at the sales number further, Nintendo has consistently sold less systems as each console generation passes. It wasn't until they released the Wii did those sales numbers jump dramatically. But right now it seems Nintendo has adopted a console strategy that's trying to leech off the Wii userbase, while attracting the hard-core gamer back. It would appear to be a solid strategy in an initial thought, but obviously they tapped the casual Wii audience well dry. So it seems that what Nintendo has left are those hardcore faithful to keep the system aflot until they can either release new software in hopes to boost sales, or somehow create a different marketing strategy to dig a new well (most likely both).

It seems that their handheld console business is what they've done consistently well at, but it makes no sense to me why Nintendo can't achieve the same results with their home console business.